12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Hello, I´m looking for information about Sgt Higginson, Stanley Nelson, 5622099 buried at Venray War Cemetery.
My girlfriend has adopted his grave and we´re looking for any info and possibly even a photograph.
So far we know he was a member of 12th Bn Devonshire Reg and landed in Normandy on the 6th or 7th. We don know which Company so it could be by glider or by boat. And he died on the 24th of March 1945 near Hamminkeln during Operation Varsity.
Any information will be welcome.

Regards,
Yorick Zelessen

 

Hi

Could someone else check the grave coordinate, 655481. Is that in Germany?



Regards ...

 

Margraten is in the Netherlands. At first all nationalities were buried there. Later it is turned into the American cemetery. All other nationalities have been reburied

 

YorickZ

He may have been in No. 12 Platoon, B Company, from the 2nd July 1944 War Diary

 

Hi.

Can not find much on 'B' Coy. Could not determine with confidence what airfield they left from on Varsity?

Regards ...

Added - Noticed from the WD one 'B' Coy platoon failed to arrive.

 

Cee,

"Noticed from the WD one 'B' Coy platoon failed to arrive."

Suspect this glider may refer to the following:-
O.C. B Coy : Maj. W. F. Barrow only survivor of glider which landed at Ringenberg.

No.13 Platoon : Lt. A. G. Slade - no survivors of glider crash.
No.14 Platoon : Lt. R. H. Whiteway - 11 survivors, absorbed into 11 platoon.

Only 11 and 12 Platoon's reached planned positions on LZ.

"B Company"
OC : Maj. W. F. Barrow (165078) (W.I.A. 24.03.1945) (P.O.W. Repatriated)
A/OC : Maj. J. R. H. Fawkes-Underwood (113367) (att. Glosters) (W.I.A. 26.03.1945)
A/OC : Capt. R. W. Allanson (121318) (att. Somerset L.I.) (26.03.1945)
OC : Maj. D. J. H. Bannister (66109) (29.03.1945)
2 i/c : Capt. J. R. H. Fawkes-Underwood (113367) (att. Glosters)
No.11 Platoon : Lt. R. W. Allanson (121318) (att. Somerset L.I.) (W.I.A. 02.04.1945)
No.12 Platoon : Lt. E. D. Nuttal (295582)
No.13 Platoon : Lt. A. G. Slade (149246) (K.I.A. 24.03.1945)
No.14 Platoon : Lt. R. H. Whiteway (180093) (W.I.A. 24.03.1945)

'B' Coy airfield.
Extracts from "The Allanson Diary."
Lt. Randal Winn Allanson (121318) (att. Somerset L.I.).
O.C. 11 platoon B Coy.

22nd March, 1945
Glider loading till 15.00 hours at airfields - B Company at Great Dunmow. Most of the time spent
sleeping in the sun. My glider Chalk No. 194.

24th March, 1945
Arrived Great Dunmow by 06.00 hours. Took off 06.43 hours.

12 Devons Great Dunmow Chalk No's 183-206

G Squadron 24 Gliders

Chalk No. 183 A Coy
Chalk No. 184 A Coy
Chalk No. 185 A Coy
Chalk No. 186 A Coy
Chalk No. 187 A Coy
Chalk No. 188 Bn HQ Lt. Col. P. Gleadell and I.O. Lt. R. F. Brixey
Chalk No. 189 Bn HQ
Chalk No. 190 Bn HQ
Chalk No. 191 Bn HQ
Chalk No. 192 Bn HQ
Chalk No. 193 B Coy ????
Chalk No. 194 B Coy No.11 platoon
Chalk No. 195 B Coy ????
Chalk No. 196 B Coy ????
Chalk No. 197 B Coy ????
Chalk No. 198 HQ Coy ????
Chalk No. 199 HQ Coy ????
Chalk No. 200 HQ Coy ????
Chalk No. 201 HQ Coy ????
Chalk No. 202 HQ Coy ????
Chalk No. 203 Sp Coy
Chalk No. 204 Sp Coy
Chalk No. 205 Sp Coy
Chalk No. 206 Sp Coy

I think it is fair to assume 5622099 Sgt. S. N. Higginson, was still with 13 platoon 'B' Coy
on Op "VARSITY." If true, then he died in the glider crash the killed every member of
No.13 Platoon. If somebody has the exact location of the crash site, that would be very good.

uploaded following:-
12th Battalion The Devonshire Regiment,
Historical Diary of Events, Normandy.
2nd July,1944.

This document was handed to Regimental HQ on 5th Nov. 1944. It possibly corrects the War Diary
in stating that the raid involving Sgt. Stanley Nelson Higginson, was conducted by 13 platoon.
Therefore not 12 platoon. I've added the initials of men named on the raid for the benefit of anyone
interested.

I have attempted to contact the relatives of Sgt. Stanley Nelson Higginson, in the hope of finding
a photograph.

 

David,

That is brilliant. Would not have suspected B Coy gliders to have been in that position. Sgt. Jim Christie (AFPU) caught some of the preparations at Great Dunmow a day or two before lift off.

Regards ...

 

Hello David,

if Slade was in No. 13 platoon he was on a Horsa that crashed on the edge of LZ P - i am discussing this incident in the following thread:
Varsity - crash site Horsa BF 473?

23 men of the Devonshire Regiment were buried at MR 189474 near the crash site,
What BF 473 means I still dont`t know...
Here's Slade on a CWGC form:

11 more appear on this form:

 

Good catch alberk! Forgot all about that one ...

Regards ...

 

Hi YorickZ.

Of the 691 British servicemen killed in Operation Varsity between March 24th and 26th (the total number of 691 includes those who were injured on those dates and later died of wounds) only 18 men were initially buried in Margraten.

 

I wonder why Higginson does not show up on the list with others at the 189474 field burial site? Not identified until later? It must have been a terrible crash.

Project Overlord has a study on the effectiveness of German flak during Operation Varsity.

PROJECT OVERLORD: Operation Varsity, 24 March 1945: German Flak and Allied Countermeasures

Regards ...

 

Hi,

Currently writing a squadron history of No.620 Squadron. There seems to be some confusion in the squadron records concerning operation MALLARD. Anyone aware of the chalk numbers for the 18 Horsa's flown out from RAF Fairford. One is well known, Derek De Rome's Chalk 189. Anyone the rest ?

TIA

Steve

 

PM sent.

 

Good evening Steve I have a copy of RAF Fairfords Operation Log for the5thto the9th June 44 will post it tomorrow it has 620 info on it regards Brian

 

Hi Yorick,
As mentioned, David Woods contacted me for more information about Stanley Higginson as he is my 1st cousin twice removed.
I'm glad his grave is being maintained as he was a well respected Sergent in the 12th Battalion by the sounds of it.
I believe he was B Coy and he was deployed by glider on 24th Mach 1945 in Op Varsity, which is where he was killed in action by a German sniper after landing whilst unloading the glider. He also deployed on D-Day in Normandy, and also deployed for Op Nuts on 2nd July 1944, as found out by David Woods and brithm.

I've managed to source some photographs of him from relatives, as well as some other information from a newspaper; I hope they are of use to you.
All the best.

 

Hi da,

Very interesting news articles and photos - thank you for all that. I get the impression his glider landed intact, perhaps on LZ 'R' ... ? Too bad they don't name the Officer in the article.

Regards ...

 

Thank you so much for all this information and the photos. We're happy to know more about sergent Higginson and to have a face and story behind the name.
These lads have done so much for us, it's our duty to remember them and their stories. In 2 weeks there will be a remembrance at the cemetery in Venray which we will attend.

Thank you all for your help.
Regards Cabriëlle and Yorick

 

da00562 Great photos of 5622099 Sgt Higginson could I have permission to copy the photos for my collection?

 

Trying to find information on 5616410 L/Sgt Alfred Harvey. i would like to find out when he joined the 12th Battalion as he is not mentioned on the roll call for D-Day but is mentioned on the roll call for the Rhine Crossing.

 

Of course, I'm more than happy for the images of Sgt. Higginson to be used.