The First British Soldier To Fall

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by handtohand22, Mar 18, 2006.

  1. handtohand22

    handtohand22 Senior Member

    Correct me if this is incorrect.

    My local weekly, the Coleraine Chronicle on November 4 1939 reported that Mrs. J Nicholls of Dewsbury, Yorks was informed that week that her son, Private William Roper, of a Labour Company, had been killed in France.

    His CO wrote to Mrs Nicholls,

    "I feel sure you will be proud to know that as the first British soldier to be killed during this war, he was buried with full military honours".
    (CC Nov 4 1939)

    Private Roper had been on guard duty at the time of his death.
     
  2. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    From a previous post:

    However, the BEF did have people killed. The first soldier killed in action in France was Corporal Thomas William Priday of 1st KSLI who was killed on 9th December 1939

    http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_...asualty=2320400

    Corporal Priday was not the only soldier killed in action in France in 1939.
    We have some differing information which needs to be checked out.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    The other one posted (Priday) said "In Action"

    Do you know if Roper was killed in action, other means or accidentally?

    No
    Surname
    Rank
    Service
    Date Of Death
    Age
    Regiment
    Nationality
    Grave/Memorial Ref.
    Cemetery/Memorial Name
    1
    PRIDAY, THOMAS WILLIAM
    Corporal
    4031789
    09/12/1939
    27
    King's Shropshire Light Infantry
    United Kingdom

    LUTTANGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
    87
    ROPER, WILLIAM
    Private
    4686527
    14/10/1939
    28
    Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
    United Kingdom
    Section F, Row A, Grave 16.
    JANVAL CEMETERY, DIEPPE
     
  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Sorry about this but only 2 posts in i would like to suggest to a moderator that anyone who posts 'heil' after a wargraves entry should be kicked off/ barred/ deleted, I can live with a certain amount of arsing about but not here???
    (Delete this too if you choose to act,)
    Cheers,
    Adam
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I agree.
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I've sent a "Report Bad Post" to the mods.
     
  7. Gnomey

    Gnomey World Travelling Doctor

    I didn't receive it (did any other mods get it?) but I have deleted the post.
     
  8. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Just wondered who was the first soldier from the Army (as opposed to Air Force and Navy) killed in Action and when? :poppy:
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Ger,
    You're asking two questions.
    First killed in WW2 and then first killed in action.

    Use Geoff's Search Engine and type in 04/09/1939 and there are 35 results of deaths on that day. Those are from all the Service and civilians.
    So those would be first to die from whatever cause.
    As for first in action.....dunno.
     
  10. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Doh!! sorry bout that Owen. You are right of course. Two questions! I shall do that indeed.
     
  11. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Of those 35 for the second day of the War there's mostly RAF chaps, not strictly soldiers but as it looks like 2 or 3 crews were lost I wondered what encounters the flyers had on the first official day (03/09/1939) as they were perhaps most likely to be able to get to the enemy. I'm guessing that as some of the 107 squadron losses are buried in Germany then they were 'in action' at the time of their deaths.

    There is a problem though, trying to search on the 3rd of the ninth, the day we really need to look at, throws up thousands of results as it includes all those whose dates are unknown but fell sometime in the entire war up to 1947. I've tried excluding all sorts of criteria ('between', '31/12/1947', '1947' etc.) but to no avail.
    Any suggestions?
    Geoff?

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
  12. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    I supposeI wanted to know when the Army suffered its first casualty as opposed to Air force or Navy.
     
  13. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    This has a Corporal TW Priday of the KSLI as the first 'in action' army casualty.
    Welcome to Discovering Shropshire's History
    At Metz, September 1939, while stationed on the Maginot line.
    Though his CWGC entry has him falling on December 9th. (perhaps a mistranscription of '09' & '12' in the day/date area on cwgc? who knows... KSLI diaries I suppose.)


    Edit: ah, reread it and it looks like the site errs with the mention of 'September' as it also says December on the same page, easily confused when transcribing.
     
  14. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    As far as I can make out the first combat casualty in Fighter Command occurred because of friendly fire. The incident happened on 6 September 1939 when Hurricane I L1985 of 56 Squadron, P/O. M L. Hulton-Harrop, was accidentally attacked and shot down by 74 Squadron Spitfires near Ipswich, the pilot being killed.

    In fact two 56 Squadron Hurricanes were shot down by 74 Squadron on that day, the other being Hurricane I L1980, P/O. F C. Rose who escaped with his life.
     
  15. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    On the first day / night of war Bomber Command lost seven aircraft.

    58 Squadron.
    Whitley III K8969. GE-G. Crew safe.
    Op: Nickel. (Leaflets)

    9 Squadron.
    Wellington I L4268 WS- Five crew killed.
    Wellington I L4275 WS-H. Five crew killed.
    Op: Brunsbuttel.

    107 Squadron.
    Blenheim IV N6184 OM- Three crew killed.
    Blenheim IV N6188 OM- Three crew killed.
    Blenheim IV N6189 OM- Three crew killed.
    Blenheim IV N6240 OM- One crew member killed two became pow's, becoming the first Bomber Command airman to be taken prisoner.
    Op; Wilhelmshaven.
     
  16. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    The first Coastal Command losses occurred on 4 September 1939.

    48 Squadron
    Anson I K8704 OY-E. Crew safe.
    Op; Patrol.

    233 Squadron
    Hudson I N7239. two crew Killed.
    Op. Training.
     
  17. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just looking here
    Enlisted Men WW2
    for something completely different and saw this.
    "1st recorded loss was on 16th September 1939"


    So I looked on Geoff's site.
    Geoff's Search Engine

    Four men all from 2GG killed same day.
    Wonder what happened there?
    2GG never landed in France until Sept 29th so I assume some training accident in UK.
     
  18. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    This is the first Aussie killed as he had enlisted in the RAF.

    Sorry Peter, I do not have a squadron number however his service number is British.

    BISHOP, FREDERICK ALAN
    41821
    14/09/1939
    Sec. E. Grave 1002.
    DIRLETON CEMETERY
    UK
    East Lothian
     
  19. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    There is an excellent 'Outbreak' exhibition at the IWM at present, which features the story of Cpl Priday, who is accepted as the first British Army battle casualty of WW2.

    Name: PRIDAY, THOMAS WILLIAM
    Initials: T W
    Nationality: United Kingdom
    Rank: Corporal
    Regiment/Service: King's Shropshire Light Infantry
    Unit Text: 1st Bn.
    Age: 27
    Date of Death: 09/12/1939
    Service No: 4031789
    Additional information: Son of Allen L. Priday and Elisabeth A. Priday, of Redmarley, Gloucestershire.
    Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
    Cemetery: LUTTANGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

    Imperial War Museum London > Outbreak

    The expo includes a photo of Priday (apologises as these were taken on my camera phone).

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Casualty form from the archives.

    [​IMG]
     

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