Afternoon, Another newby here. I've recently starting looking into WW2 from a family perspective after visiting the CWG of my Great Uncle Bert in Bergen Op Zoom. He and grandad - his brother, I believe were both in the 107 RAC Regiment. Any tips for researching gratefully received. Kind regards, Matt.
Hi Matt, only one place to start: Get a copy of military service records This is is only way to get an accurate timeline of their service - there will be a wait, but worth it. Note that you DO NOT need any military details to apply.
Welcome Matt. The Cemeteries at Bergen-op-Zoom, are unusual, having The British and Canadian ones very close by in the same stretch of road. I spent hours & hours on several trips doing headstone photos. Tell us who he was. Regards, Rob
Thanks for the tip. I’ll get applying. I’ve found out that a chap called McMartin sent a letter to our family when Uncle Bert died. I’ve not seen it though but would like to have a read if it’s ever found.
Great photos. I found it very peaceful there even though it wasn’t far from a busy main road. Uncle Bert Was Trooper Bert Midlane of the Kings Own 107 C squadron.
Photo taken on 6 September 2010. Full CWGC details. MIDLANE, BERT Trooper Service Number 14262288 Died 26/10/1944 Aged 21 107th (5th Bn. The King's Own Royal Regt. [Lancaster]) Regt. Royal Armoured Corps Son of Arthur James Midlane and Elizabeth Midlane, of Laindon, Essex. Buried at BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY Location: Noord-Brabant, Netherlands Number of casualties: 1190 Cemetery/memorial reference: 7. C. 17.
Thank you Stolpi. I’ll take a look into that. I remember being told grandad claimed his younger Bert to his regiment. However I haven’t seen this written anywhere so not 100% that he was also 107. I know grandad liberated Belsen as we’ve seen photos in the past and also the little he did speak about what happened he mentioned Arnhem. The other thing I remember him saying was that after he drove off the landing craft they ended up in a bomb crater fully submerged and he never knew just quite how he managed to get the Churchill out of that hole.
I looked at the casualties that same day. Your man was initially interned, South of Nispen (maps coordinate QD712240) and later buried/commemorated at Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery. I found 3 men killed serving with 49 Recce Regiment the same day at Nispen. The war diary states that they had tank support that day, possibly 107 Regiment, R.A.C. The war diary for 26 October 1944, provides an insight to the condition, difficulties that day. The three Recce men are also buried in the same row, a few graves away from your relative.
From The King's Own website:- "26th - 28th October 1944 107th Regiment at Esschen, launches through Nispen to Brembosch, where fierce opposition was found. Advanced up Wouwsche Hill to Oostlaar and the Regiment moved into harbour at Wouw!.
That’s brilliant thank you. There is a bit of a twist re Bert and Grandad. Nan was originally engaged to Bert but Nan and Grandad became close after Bert was killed. I believe that Bert was buried in someone’s front garden originally and the family wrote to Nan a few times. Unfortunately I don’t have a name of that family. I think that Bert May have died from the the shockwave of an explosion as we’ve been told that there wasn’t a mark on him when they found he’d been killed. Bert was a co-driver / navigator and a few days after Bert was killed my Grandad as a driver also lost his own co-driver in the same way. the next time I head back to the Netherlands I plan on visiting Nispen as I didn’t make it there when I went over last Christmas.
Tracking his movements four days before. I'm no tank expert. Is it a Churchill tank? Photo is also shown in the King's Own website. One of these 107 RAC, 36 Armoured Brigade Tanks crossing Plum Bridge 22 October 1944. My Dad's regiment crossed the same bailey bridge days before, advancing to the east a few miles away. This picture is in a collection of photos held at the archives at Rijkervorsel, Belgium and at the IWM collection as well. Photo in the town of Rijkervorsel same day. Sint-Willibrordus Kerk, Rijkevorsel, België in the background. Plumbridge location now.
The town commemorate this Bridge head every year. Been there 3 times myself. Every third weekend in September, well, who knows for the time being. You can contact them as well. Really nice people and very helpful. Particularly Luc Cox. Spearhead - Military Old-timer Club History group Luc Cox Tel: 03 / 385 85 44 of 0475 / 72 25 46 e-mail: werkgroep-historiek@vzwspearhead.be
Camp Plum Bridge. Last years advert. The 107 Regiment, RAC, Tank front and centre. I would not be surprised if the scout cars were 49 Recce. A then and now together, that someone else did.
