2664176 Guardsman Kenneth Henry DOLLING, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards: 29/06/1944

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by The Power of Sloth, Jan 7, 2022.

  1. Hi, everyone

    I am trying to piece together my grand-uncle last days from England till his death in the Normandy on the 29.06.1944. He was serving with the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards. I am looking for someone who might possibly have any information for me. I have reading the War Diary from the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards which are very revealing for me. More I read it, the more questions I have. In which company was he. Do company photos exist. I trying to find out where exactly he died, and where he was first buried, maybe somebody of you can help me.

    I am well aware that there are a lot of questions and that some of them cannot be answered.

    Guardsman Kenneth Henry Dolling | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    Kenneth Henry Dolling
    Services Nr. 2664176


    Thanks
    Kevin
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    The casualty lists say that he died of wounds, that may make it difficult to establish the date of the injury.
     
  3. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Here is a link to the WW2 Regimental History that you will be able to download for free -

    The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946, by Michael Howard and John Sparrow.

    I think the answer to your query may be on P289 in the online copy (P265 in the book). 5th CG went into the line 28th June 1944 - 5 days after they landed - and were subjected to shelling and likely suffered casualties.

    I doubt you will be able to identify his company. If you receive his service records from MOD it will not mention his company. MOD only release a limited amount of the full file - possibly a dozen pieces of paper - but a more accurate reflection of the full content of a Guardsman’s file can be seen in the Scots Guard’s service files available on Findmypast which usually contain 100+ pages from which it is often possible to identify a man’s Company.

    Have a look at the CWGC record. It will likely have a map reference for his burial place before he was moved into a cemetery post war. Once you have that reference members may be able to pinpoint it on a contemporaneous map.

    Good Luck.


    Steve
     

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    Last edited: Jan 8, 2022
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  5. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Thanks Owen.

    Here is a screen print of the map “squares” mentioning a couple of “villages” named in the page from the CG history to further assist Kevin.

    I see they relieved 4th Wilts in the line?

    Steve
     

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  6. I already thank you for your information.
    I remember asking my Nan how he died, she said that he has driven over a mine.
    But on my opinion I am not sure.
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just adding this for extra info.

    Yes.
    Detail :: The Wardrobe

     
  8. I had a look on the CWGC record. Could one of you confirm whether this is the first burial place of Kenneth Dolling.
     

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  9. I also tried to get some information on Findmypast website, but had no success. So I got in contact with the Scots Guard service.
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Isn't 772.788 up by the St of St Loup ?
     
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  11. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Map.png Map 2.jpg
     
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  12. Thank you both, I had a look at the place that Owen indicated and you were right. I checked it again yesterday but‘t wasn’t sure because of the spelling on the CWGC. Can one of you guys tell me whether the crosses are aligned in a northerly direction. As I told my Dad yesterday if hi has a Photo of Kenneth grave. He has searched and finally found one, but I think this photo wasn’t made at St. Loup. I had a look on google street view to see if the houses in the background matches together with the houses of the photo. But it is very difficult.
     

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  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    See if you work out the names on the other grave markers & see where their graves are in relation to his at Bayeux.

    Footman is in III. K. 24. So I'd say that was Bayeux.
    Private Frederick Benjamin Footman | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    He was originally buried elsewhere not the same cemetery as Dolling.

    Edit. There is this chap in III K 22.
    Could be the grave behind Dolling's in your photo.
    Private Joseph Cartwright | War Casualty Details | CWGC

    It should be Smith directly behind as he is in III K 23

    Private Bert Smith | War Casualty Details | CWGC


    doc2233581.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2022
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  14. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Last edited: Jan 9, 2022
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  15. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Agree with Owen that your grave photo is Bayeux, this could be the house in the background?
    House.jpg

    Plan.jpg


    Note also that there seems to be only 11 rows in Plot III and not 12 as per the plan I posted in #14 above.
     
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  16. Thank you both so much, so far it has been very rewarding for me, to discover the past and my what happened. My Dad found another picture from the grave, and it seems like to prove, what you both posted.
     

    Attached Files:

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  17. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  18. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Dolling 1.jpg

    Taxi driver was father.
     
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  19. Thanks Tony56. Also very interesting is, that most of the lads were first buried at Chateau De Boussy. As I had a look on google maps to find Chateau De Boussy I realised it is just up the road from the current war cemetery Bayeux.
     

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