12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by lineman, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    E Coy is not mentioned very much in the paper work i have unlike A,B,C,and D Companies. E coy at the time of D-Day was commanded by 66442 Major Patrick Dobbin with 285352 Lt Albert Germain as 2IC kia by shellfire from a SP gun in the area of Breville on June 10th.
    There is more but i will have a look at my other books and see what i can find.
     
  2. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    Hi Cee I'm really glad they are interesting I have more so will post soon. I have done quite a bit of research so will post what I was given by the airborne forces museum in Aldershot.

    It's a pleasure to share. Best regards Alex
     
  3. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    Hi Reddevon thanks and yes of course you can copy. My pleasure, the better records for everyone the better. I will upload more of my Grandads photos soon. He had some good foxhole photos. All the best Alex
     
  4. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    My grandad Frederick (Fred) Dalley is in the middle of the first pic I attached with the paper cutting. Laughing and looking sideways. I also managed to identify him in this pic you posted before. Bottom row second from left. image.jpg
     
  5. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    Reddevon thanks for posting those pics too. Great pic of the Devons priming their grenades.
     
  6. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Fred,

    All three Airlanding Battalions of the 6th Airlanding Brigade (6 Airborne Division) retained their own regimental badges. So yes the 12 Devons would have gone into combat wearing their own distinctive cap badges. Whereas the Paras of the 3rd and 5th Brigade wore the winged parachute badge surmounted by a crown.

    Regards ...
     
  7. FredRedDev

    FredRedDev Member

    Thank you very much for your help Cee. Although I have my dads red beret, I've never had the badge. I'll try to buy one on Ebay now! I'm very pleased to see dads photo here and would love to hear about anyones stories. As dad travelled on the Horsa Gliders, I presume that he was in A Company, as I understand that the other 3 companies went by sea. Dads name was Frederick John Dalley. I know that originally, he instructed PE and then became part of the Red Devils.
    I'm hoping that other families will see their relatives in all the photo's too and may be able to hear their stories of what happened to them all too.
    Thank you for all your help.
     
  8. FredRedDev

    FredRedDev Member

     

    Attached Files:

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  9. FredRedDev

    FredRedDev Member

     
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  10. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    All,

    Enjoy, a consolidated set pics of pics of The 12th Battalion The Devonshire Regiment, Operation Varsity, Hamminkeln here, if anyone identifies these guys I'd be very interested to share info. They were all part of my Grandads collection. Mail me aldalley@hotmail.co.uk or contact FredRedDev on other Devons thread.

    image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
     
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  11. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    well done Alex for posting these photos, love the one with the bike, do you have any more?
     
  12. Pegasus2075

    Pegasus2075 Active Member

    Good D-Day Airshow Planned for Sat and Sun of the Bank Holiday weekend at Duxford. Large Airborne Element planned both Re-enactment and present day Regiments. Para drop from C-47's advertised as well as the normal D-Day Striped Aircraft.
    What did catch my eye was that there is going to be a recreation of "Tarrant Rushton the night before D-Day"
    Will be going and if anyone is interested I could post a couple of photos if anyone wishes.....
     
  13. Pegasus2075

    Pegasus2075 Active Member

    Super Photos Alex, My fav is the chap with the Cigar and Sten....
     
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  14. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    I have been to the Keep several times to look at the stuff they have in the archives, on my last visit i found out that they have separated all the photos from the paperwork, all photos are know on disc and kept in a separate office and in the paperwork there is not much official documents, most of it is memories and letters written by members and their families.
    There must be somewhere else that keeps the regimental records, Possibly some of it is still kept at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter as the Devons museum used to be there.
     
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  15. AlexDalley

    AlexDalley Member

    Thanks Reddevon and Pegasus2075

    I will check to see if I have any more pics I will post if I find any.
     
  16. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    Please do Alex
     
  17. Pegasus2075

    Pegasus2075 Active Member

    70 years ago tonight and tomorrow the "Devons" were Blacking up, priming grenades (see reddevons photo), checking equipment, going over plans and writing out their wills....
    Hundreds of very nervous young men in their prime would then climb into Gliders and while England slept they would creep into France, many would pay the ultimate sacrifice for our tomorrow.
    A very emotional thank you lads. "Go to it" and God Bless..
     
  18. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Well said Keith ... :)

    You have to wonder what biblical passages the Padre chose that night and what hymns were sung?
     
  19. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    I agree with Cee, well said Keith, not sure who would have felt worse those flying in a plywood glider or those waiting on board ship in the channel but big respect to all of them who took part in the landings.
     
  20. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    You Airlanding guys might like this ...?

    At the very tail end of a Operation Varsity video on the Australian Archives I came across a pan of Horsa 155 on the ground in Germany. I sliced it together as best I could. Wild guess - are we looking at Brigadier Bellamy in the middle of the group of men? Not the clearest unfortunately due to poor resolution in the original.

    Horsa 155 Germany.jpg

    http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F02632/

    Regards ...
     

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