12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by lineman, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. Jacksun22

    Jacksun22 Member

    Many thanks Cee. So glad I found this site !!
     
  2. Jacksun22

    Jacksun22 Member

    Heres a few pics ive managed to quickly upload, ill try and do some more later.
     

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  3. Jacksun22

    Jacksun22 Member

    one more.
     

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    Cee likes this.
  4. Jacksun22

    Jacksun22 Member

    Does anyone have any idea how I can find out which company my grandfather was in?
     
  5. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Jacksun,

    Going through the Forum Trux section under "Airlanding and Parachute Battalion" this is what I found with regards cooks. It only goes as low as the Battalion level, so cooks may not have been assigned to specific companies. Hopefully I didn't miss something as it is easy to get confused going down the list.

    AIR LANDING BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS

    Miscellaneous
    1 X cook Army Catering Corp for officers mess
    2 X cook Army Catering Corp for other ranks
    ---
    AIR LANDING BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS DEFENCE PLATOON

    2 X cook ACC
    ---
    AIRLANDING BATTALION

    Administrative platoon
    serjeant cook
    2 X corporal cook
    13 X cook


    Regards ...
     
  6. arnhem2280

    arnhem2280 Member

    Hi,

    I wonder if anyone can help. I have just been speaking to the son of 5613543 Cpl Robert John Hodge who his son says was a member of 12th Devons. As far as he knows he took part in D Day (but came in by sea) , the Ardennes and Op Varsity. He has been approached to write a small article on his father for the local paper. I have given him all the generic information I have and was wondering if anyone has nominal rolls for the three operations so he can be sure if he was on them.

    His son was 8 at the beginning of WW2 and his father passed away sometime in the mid 1950's so he is hazy on details. I have told him how to apply for the service record which could confirm a number of details.

    Can anyone help at all?

    He is going to lend me a copy of a photo of his father in uniform which with his permission I will put up on the forum.

    Any help gratefully received.

    Cheers

    Arnhem
     
  7. David Woods

    David Woods Active Member

    I can confirm that 5613543 L/Cpl. R. Hodge is listed on the Normandy and Varsity nominal rolls. On the Normandy roll his name is listed directly below that of 5628401 Pte. O. A. Hillier of C Coy. Raising the possibility that he was also C Coy.
     
  8. arnhem2280

    arnhem2280 Member

    Thanks very much for the information I shall pass it on. I will post the photo of L/Cpl Hodge very shortly.

    Cheers

    Arnhem
     
  9. arnhem2280

    arnhem2280 Member

    Attached is a photo of 5613543 Cpl Robert John Hodge 12th Devons.

    Cheers

    Arnhem
     

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    Cee likes this.
  10. David Woods

    David Woods Active Member

    I can't be certain this is your man L/Cpl R. Hodge, but there is a resemblance, allowing for poor quality of photo. If it is L/Cpl R. Hodge, he is pictured standing next to L/Cpl Victor Drewett of 26 A/Tk Platoon and in the 'E' Coy group photo. Suggesting he was 'E' Coy Normandy and Support Coy Ardennes and Varsity.
    Best of luck with your enquires.
     

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    GrahamHodge17 and Cee like this.
  11. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Seen at the Coleshill Auxilary Unit event yesterday : Pte George 'Chocolate' Bickle:

    IMG_20190922_150448065~2.jpg
     
  12. Hello! I believe my grandad was in the 12th devons! Send me a PM If you like although I don’t have a great deal of info
     
  13. Hello! My grandad was in the 12th - he’s on this photo, at the front, 5th from the left. Wondering whose this photo is and if they have any additional info? Thanks!
     

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  14. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Anti tank platoon.
     
  15. Thank you!
     
  16. Carrie1990

    Carrie1990 Member

    I've just found out Alfred Brimicombe is my great grandfather. thank you for keeping his name alive. :)
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  17. Carrie1990

    Carrie1990 Member



    Recently found out my great grandfather is Alfred Brimicombe, would love to see the letter, if at all possible. :) ( Apologies to jump on this thread! )
     
  18. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    ,

    Could you please give us his name.
     
  19. David Woods

    David Woods Active Member

    Raid involving 5628401 Pte. Owen Arthur Hillier

    Information from Historical Diary Of Events From D Day To 26th August, 1944.

    Normandy
    Map ref. 40/16 N.W.132742, S.W. of Breville.

    Night 25th/26th June,1944.

    A raid (Lt. E. C. Strawbridge and 6 O.Rs) was planned in place of the one cancelled the previous night.
    The raid was to be a silent one to capture a prisoner, with arty and Mortar support for covering the withdrawal.
    The patrol moved out from 'C' Coy position to 'B' Coy O.P.143738 from which they crawled through the long grass in the field to the North of the hedge. This all took about two hours.
    At 0300 hrs, after having confirmed the location of the place by hearing a sentry cough, the assault took place.
    Three O.Rs (Ptes. Jones, Wyatt and Hillier) covered the operation from a few yards away.
    Lt. Strawbridge and Sgt. Trebell each moved to respective flanks of the hedgerow and covered the dash forward by L/Cpl. Oliver and Pte. Oliver who had been detailed to secure a prisoner.
    The enemy reacted immediately with small arms fire (tracer) from rifles, M.G's and grenades.
    Sgt. Trebell accounted for three enemy, but when the time came to withdraw, L/Cpl. Oliver and Pte. Oliver had not been able to secure a German.
    All enemy small arms fire appeared to be going high.
    The patrol withdrew to the O.P. which was being mortared by the enemy, but on the way L/Cpl. Oliver was hit by a grenade and his leg broken.
    He was evacuated to R.A.P. by the patrol.
    The patrol was covered in its withdrawal by particularly effective covering fire from the Bn. Mtrs and Bty Light Regt., fired from O.P. by Lt. Bowman and F.O.O. R.A.
    This shoot was witnessed by 3rd Parachute Brigade, the Brigade Commander commenting on its success the following morning.

    Belief men involved in the raid to be:-

    266337 Lt. Edwin Charles Strawbridge
    5628052 Sgt. W. Trebell
    5627190 L/Cpl. R. Oliver
    5628401 Pte. Owen Arthur Hillier
    13054766 Pte. E. Jones
    5627189 Pte. A. W. F. Oliver
    5625424 Pte. G. Wyatt

    I believe this report places 5628401 Pte. Owen Arthur Hillier in 'C' Coy for Normandy.

    While the War Diary only mentions one casualty on the 21st August, 1944, from 'A' Coy. The Battalion report tells us there were 5, including my father.

    21st August, 1944.
    Total casualties during the day - 1 killed, 4 wounded.

    Belief casualties were as follows:-

    5628471 Cpl. Eric Arthur Sinclair Woodcock (killed)
    14603393 Pte. Frederick Samuel Tovey (killed) 'A'
    5628401 Pte. Owen Arthur Hillier (wounded) 'C'
    5627053 Pte. Frank Thomas Woods (wounded)
    Unknown (wounded)

    This is a response by a new member to posts by Zimmerframe in 2015. Hope the information is new and useful.
     

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    Cee likes this.
  20. hello and sorry for the late reply. His name was Norman Chetham - thanks in advance
     

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