2657980 Guardsman David BLYTH, 1 Coldstream Guards, 2IG reinforcement: 04/08/1944

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by madcyclist, Oct 2, 2011.

  1. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    Aye,268's War Diary is about an inch thick. I'll dig it out & provide a bit more detail. I've just moved so it may be easier said than done! Wait out.
     
  2. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    268 Forward Delivery Squadron RAC. War Diary extracts;

    Started life as "N" Squadron Tank Delivery Unit RAC
    OC Major RCRM Clarke Grenadier Guards

    01 January 1944 Opening entry, Knayton Camp North Riding Of Yorkshire.
    29 " " Unit designation changed to 268 Forward Delivery Squadron RAC
    27 July 1945 Final entry,Braak Germany. OC Major JLL Savill Irish Guards

    For the statisticians. AFVs Delivered to Units up to 08 May 1945

    Sherman V 417
    Firefly 136
    Sherman OP 55
    " ARV 9
    Cromwell 75mm 124
    " 95mm 9
    Challenger 27
    Stuart VI 85
    Chaffee 20
    Odds n' Sods 149
     
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  3. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    IMG_1166.JPG

    Reference photograph above. Apologies for any confusion caused by the lack of text.....finger trouble.
    [Mod edit, dbf: posts now merged]

    Figure lying down second from the Army right is my Father 2657980 Gdsmn David Blyth 1st (Armoured) Battalion Coldstream Guards. Other 3 men are unknown but reasonable to assume they are of the same unit.

    Early 1944 Dad was detached to 268 Forward Delivery Squadron (FDS). Subsequently disembarking with them in Normandy 1 July '44. 1 August '44 a Coldstream crewed Sherman was deployed as a Battlefield Replacement to 2nd (Armoured) Battalion Irish Guards. 4 August the tank was knocked out. The crew were;

    Lt JCF Keating Irish Guards
    Gdsmn William Bayliss Coldstream Guards
    " David Blyth " "
    " Leonard Markham " "
    " Eric Wyatt " "

    Keating was mortally wounded,Wyatt died of wounds 9 August. They are buried at St Charles de Percy & Bayeux respectively. The other 3 have No Known Graves.

    Million dollar question; are the unknown men in the photograph,Dad's 4 August '44 fellow crew members?


    moved from Guards' photos please
    to create dedicated thread
     
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  4. Nigel Joy

    Nigel Joy Member

    I don't know if this helps but Leonard Markham 2659047 was in the same training squad as my father 2659042 Ronald Joy and his photo is attached Gdsn L Markham.JPG
     
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  5. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    Thank you for that Nigel. Every little helps.....apparently.
    Leonard Markham was from Hornsea,East Riding Of Yorkshire. Coincidentally,Dad was from Sutton-on-Hull,Aldo in the East Riding.
    Please excuse the tardy response. Recently moved & been off the air.
     
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  6. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Looks like things are coming to closure for madcyclist.

    "Human remains found on a former World War Two battlefield in France may be those of a missing East Yorkshire soldier, his son has been told.

    Sherman tank driver David Blyth, 25, was posted as missing during the Battle of Normandy on 4 August 1944.
    Bone fragments, along with the debris of a tank, were discovered by a farmer ploughing a field near La Marvindière.
    Guardsman Blyth's son, Peter, is now awaiting the DNA test results to see if the remains are that of his father.
    ....

    The bodies of Lt Keatinge, 20, of the Irish Guards, and Guardsman Eric Wyatt, 21, of the Coldstream Guards, were identified. Both are buried in Normandy.

    However, the fate of crewmembers Guardsman Blyth, who briefly lived in Lincolnshire prior to the war, and two other Coldstream Guards - William Bayliss, 22, from Leicestershire, and Leonard Markham, 23, from Hornsea, East Yorkshire - remains unknown."

    World War Two remains in France may be missing dad, son told

    Ross
     
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  7. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    Thank you for the response Ross. Regret no closure,negative DNA comparison. The search continues.
     
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  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    See also:
    David Blyth - British Normandy Memorial

    :poppy:
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2627055/david-blyth/
    GUARDSMAN DAVID BLYTH
    Service Number: 2657980
    Regiment & Unit: 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards
    Secondary Unit, Regiment: attd. 2nd Bn. Irish Guards
    Date of Death: 04 August 1944
    Age 25 years old
    Buried or commemorated at ST. CHARLES DE PERCY WAR CEMETERY
    Grave Reference: III. G. 3-12 (Coll.)
    Location: France
    Additional Info: Son of John and Clara Blyth; husband of Mary Blyth, of Greenford, Middlesex.
    Personal Inscription: THE DAY THOU GAVEST LORD IS ENDED
     
  9. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    I’m not sure what but there’s something odd about the plots the remains of Bayliss & Blyth are to be buried in.
     
  10. Meldram

    Meldram Member

    Congratulations Peter on finding your father after so many years. I cannot imagine how you feel but the glow clearly comes through in the BBC article and the family photographs that you have clearly cherished over the years:
    WW2 soldier's remains found in Normandy, son told
    Marvellous !!!!!!
     
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  11. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD


    2664804 Guardsman William BAYLISS, 1 Coldstream Guards attached 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2627001/william-bayliss/
    GUARDSMAN WILLIAM BAYLISS
    Service Number: 2664804
    Regiment & Unit: 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards
    Secondary Unit, Regiment: attd. 2nd Bn. Irish Guards
    Date of Death: 04 August 1944
    Age 22 years old
    Buried or commemorated at ST. CHARLES DE PERCY WAR CEMETERY
    Grave Reference: III. G. 3-12 (Coll.)
    Location: France
    Additional Info: Son of William and Jeannette Bayliss; husband of Estelle Rose Bayliss (nee Tyler), of South Kilworth, Leicestershire.
    Personal Inscription: DUTY, HONOUR, COUNTRY HE DIED THAT WE MAY LIVE BE THOU AT PEACE, IN PROUD AND HONOURED MEMORY
     
  12. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    Thank you for the kind words & thoughts,thank you.It’s the greatest & put a real spring in a faltering step. Peter
     
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  13. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    edited

    Others who I can identify as already buried in Coll. grave III. G. 3-12. listed below

    Peter, having been there yourself you will probably have seen the headstones and have noted the date for some of the 2IG crews in said plots ... ... ... and referenced them in a "rhetorical question".

    1. 2718214 Lance-Serjeant John KELLY, 2 Irish Guards: 01/08/1944
    2. 2723499 Guardsman Cyril LALLY, 2 Irish Guards: 01/08/1944
    3. 5347756 Guardsman Lional Albert BOLAND, 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944
    4. 2722984 Guardsman Thomas GERRARD, 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944
    5. 2719991 Guardsman George Daniel KIBBLE, 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944
    6. 2721254 Guardsman John STANSFIELD, 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944
    7. 2719530 Serjeant Robert WOOD, 2 Irish Guards: 04/08/1944
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2023
  14. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    SNAP! The plot,no pun intended,thickens. The something odd I mentioned in an earlier post is - Dad is being interred in Collective Grave 3-12 Plot III Row G. A grave which to the best of my recollection has a Headstone dedicated to 3 Unknown Irish Guardsmen. In addition to the usual stuff,Dad’s Stone will be inscribed Buried somewhere near this Plot,or words to that effect.
    I don’t know CWGC have arrived at this decision but,unless they have evidence to the contrary,Dad will be interred in an Unknown Irish Guardsman’s grave. I’ve kept tongue between teeth as I may have misunderstood.

    Who are the others you say you can identify Diane?
     
  15. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    We had a conversation way back about the Unknowns didn't we!

    By others I meant those Micks listed, sorry for confusion.

    So, currently Plots 3 to 12 = 7 knowns (listed) and 3 Unknowns.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 12, 2023
  16. madcyclist

    madcyclist Junior Member

    Ah,we did. Compounded by being dazed & confused,Best I wait while next
    Tuesday when all we be revealed-or not,take a few happy snappies,scrutinise ‘em for a month or two before I reply. Time for bed said Florence.
     
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  17. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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