I was hoping to find the location of this casualties demise, if anyone can advise me on how to move forward with this I would be grateful I have researched RAF casualties but have no idea if individual tanks were recorded when they were destroyed or lost 3055264 Trooper William McKenzie of the 11th Royal Tank Regiment who was killed in Action on the 6th of November 1944 during the battle for Walcheren (Operation Infatuate). Was there heavy tank involvement and what tanks were the 11th using at the time ? The casualty was from Edinburgh. I had a look at newspapers online but cant find a notification of his death.
https://royaltankregiment.com/the-regimental-history/disbanded-regiments/ According to the RTR web site, ‘11 RTR formed part of 79th Armoured Division (a specialist group operating vehicles known as “Hobart’s Funnies”), initially equipped with “Canal Defence Light” tanks, it converted to “Buffalo” (the British service name for the US Landing Vehicle Tracked) not long after D-Day’. So, they’d have been using Buffalos during INFATUATE.
Full CWGC details for the record: Trooper William McKenzie | War Casualty Details 3055264 | CWGC TROOPER WILLIAM McKENZIE Service Number: 3055264 Regiment & Unit: 11th Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C. Date of Death: 06 November 1944 Age 23 years old Buried or commemorated at BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY Grave Reference: 19. B. 5. Location: Netherlands Additional Info: Son of William and Helen McKenzie, of Edinburgh. Personal Inscription: WE SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU SMILING. MUM, DAD AND FAMILY Concentration reports give a map reference for original burial location, presumably not too far from where he was killed in action. BIERVLIET, Holland, Temp Burial Ground, Sheet 5, 1/100000, Ref 181114 War diary is the way to go for more info. Perhaps someone on the forum has a copy... 11 Royal Tank Regiment | The National Archives Reference: WO 171/870 Description: 11 Royal Tank Regiment Date: 1944 Apr.- Dec.
Thanks so far for the valuable assistance from the two members posting. I will have a look at the War Diary and see what it turns up. Max
