Hi Owen, The guy in the Grenadier Guards is L/Cpl Maurice John Wigley of the 1st Grenadiers killed between 31/05/1940 and 01/06/1940 buried at De Panne Commununal Cemetery. His service number is 2614075. Thanks for offering to check the unit out for me. I will start putting the units up, maybe a couple at a time. Had some good results with the RAF casualties i posted so hopefully it will also happen with the army units as well. Again thanks to everyone so far. Mike
I'll look the action up later, pity I didn't know about him last october, I was in that cemetery and must have seen him. He'll be in this photo , looking at the Cemetry plan on CWGC, he'll be roughly where my children are stood. Plot 2. Row C. Grave 18 CWGC :: Cemetery Plans
Here is a map showing 1 Gren Gds at Furnes. I'll post some more info later this morning. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/maps/UK-NWE-Flanders-10.jpg This may help explain the overall situation. HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XV] 1GG part of 7th Guards Brigade , 3rd Division.
From Battleground Europe book Dunkirk by Patrick Wilson. Amazon.co.uk: Battleground Europe: Dunkirk (Battleground Europe. the Channel Ports): Books: Patrick Wilson page 100 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Grenadiers were in no doubt that the defence of Furnes was going to be their bigest test yet. It was the key point in the eastern half of the perimeter and their orders were to hold it until told otherwise. ....as George Jones of 1/Grenadiers remembers 'At one stage on this same march , Harry came up alongside and with a backward jerk of his head drew my attention over to our right rear. About a mile away and out of range as far as we were concerned, a party of Germans could be seen marching and wheeling bicycles at about the same speed as our own column. Friend and foe arrived in Furnes ar about the same time. We took up postions on one side of the canal and most of the Germans the other.'
Mike Just checked the Roll of Honour for Arnhem by J Hey. Your man Everitt Sapper 2090772 Aged 23, Died in Stalag 11B First buried in POW cemetery near the camp, then Becklingen War Cemetery 4E10 It would appear he was POW from Arnhem (Op Market Garden). I will have a look on my own database for him when I can to see if I have any further info Might be an idea to go onto the ABRG website and ask about him there too! Regards Andy
Thankyou guys, this is awesome. This information is going to open whole new avenues of researching these casualties. I was certainly wondering if John Everitt had been part of 'Op Market Garden', with him dying in Germany in 1944. Owen, Was this the last line of defence before the Germans broke onto the beaches? I'll have a really good read of all this info. I'm really excited about all the help i'm getting and how far i've come in just a few days compared to all the hours i put in last time and got nowhere, pity i didn't know about this forum then. Perhaps the book would now have been in schools and libraries. I'm hoping that for everyone who has helped with contributions i'll send them a copy in appreciation of their help. Again many thanks Guys Mike
Mike, Yes I sure it was the last line of defence. Dunkirk book is excellent. See this thread, and Croonaert's last post. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/books-movies/8341-dunkirk-fight-last-man-hugh-sebag-montefiore.html This fantastic book (in softback) is now available from Tesco for the extremely attractive (if slightly odd!) price of £3.73.
I have the war diary for the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers for the Jap invasion of Burma. Also have war diary for 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers for the Dunkirk period. Available for look ups. Conor
Can any one get me the copy's of the 21st battalion searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery? My great uncle served with them as a gunner/Driver and was captured on Dday he was then sent to various camps.