1456956 Richard HAZELL, 65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Lindsay1968, Apr 27, 2020.

  1. Lindsay1968

    Lindsay1968 Member

    Hi Drew

    I wondered if you had any information that might help me.
    I am researching the WW2 names on our War Memorial for a booklet that our branch of the Royal British Legion are hoping to put out to every household commemorating the fallen from our village. I've some sketchy information about a Bombardier Richard Hazell who signed up to the Territorials in 1938 and served with the 65th (norfolk Yeomanry) anti-tank regiment in France, Belgium and the Middle East. He was evacuated from Dunkirk and was apparently reported missing after the last retreat in Egypt in the Libyan campaigns. I've got (from someone else's research who isn't able to tell me where HE got it from) that Richard was reported presumed killed either in a POW camp in North Africa, OR as a result of the sinking of a ship taking "him" to Italy - date given of 14th November 1942.

    Do you have any information or know where I can find more information that can give a more conclusive answer on what might have happened to him?

    Thanks so much!
     
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  2. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member


    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Ive asked a moderator to spin your post off into a topic of its own as it’ll likely be lost in this one of Andy’s.

    You could contact Swiss Red Cross to see what information they hold on him.

    Requests for information about people held during Spanish Civil War or Second World War: Quarterly limit reached


    His unit may have a missing personnel file in the UK archives at Kew that could be worth a search.

    Several ships were sunk crossing over to Italy during 1942.

    I’m sure others will be along with assistance such as his date of being reported missing etc on the official casualty lists.

    Good Luck

    Steve

    EDIT TO ADD

    There are several topic on the forum about POW lost in transit from N Africa to Italy including this one -

    British Pow Losses On Italian Ship
     
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  3. Lindsay1968

    Lindsay1968 Member

    Thanks so much for this - I am a complete novice at all of this and just fumbling my way!
     
  4. Lindsay1968

    Lindsay1968 Member

    Hi everyone! I am new to this forum and not ssure exactly how things work but am hoping someone can help me! 4
    I've some sketchy information about Bombardier Richard Hazell who served with the 65th (norfolk Yeomanry) anti-tank regiment in France, Belgium and the Middle East. He was evacuated from Dunkirk and was apparently reported missing after the last retreat in Egypt in the Libyan campaigns. I've got that Richard was reported presumed killed either in a POW camp in North Africa, OR as a result of the sinking of a ship bound for Italy on 14th November 1942. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial column 39.
    Any info anyone has would be gratefully received.
     
  5. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    OP also posted here -

    Anyone require War Diaries or other files from the National Archives?

    Hi,

    You could contact Swiss Red Cross to see what information they hold on him.

    Requests for information about people held during Spanish Civil War or Second World War: Quarterly limit reached


    His unit may have a missing personnel file in the UK archives at Kew that could be worth a search.

    Several ships were sunk crossing over to Italy during 1942.

    I’m sure others will be along with assistance such as his date of being reported missing etc on the official casualty lists.

    Good Luck

    Steve
     
  6. Lindsay1968

    Lindsay1968 Member

    I think it might be the SS Scillin - seems to be the only one that fits the date. Wish there was a way of finding out whether he was on board here or whether he died in a POW camp in North Africa.
     
  7. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Use the forum search engine for “Scillin”.

    SS Scillin - Wikipedia


    If he died in a camp in Italy or North Africa he would likely have a grave. Alamein Memorial is for men with unknown grave - including 7,000 killed in sinking of POW transports.

    Ask Red Cross question re his death circumstances and was he on the SS Scillan. It takes time to get an answer. Patience is a virtue.

    Steve
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Posts duly moved.

    (Edit, along with others from British POW thread)

    I agree with Tullybrone, the sinking of SS Scillin is a possible candidate, sunk on 14 November 1942.

    Casualty
    Bombardier HAZELL, RICHARD
    Service Number 1456956
    Died 14/11/1942
    Aged 22
    65 (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt Royal Artillery
    Son of Richard and Caroline Beatrice Hazell, of Sprowston, Norfolk.
    Commemorated at ALAMEIN MEMORIAL
    Location: Egypt
    Number of casualties: 11871
    Cemetery/memorial reference: Column 39.
    See cemetery plan



    Will Index, Richard Hazell
    Screenshot 2020-04-27 at 16.55.23.png
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
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  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hmm - I think this is him, at least when I go to the details tree it shows he died in 'Middle East' but the precis for some reason on all the 6 trees he appears in show a different geographical place of death

    Overall:
    Birth 13/10/1919 Sprowston Norfolk England
    Residence 1941 Norwich
    Death 01/10/1942 USA

    Father Richard Hazell (1890-1968)

    Mother Caroline Beatrice Richardson (1897-1981)

    Actual tree:
    Richard Norman Hazell
    1919–1942
    BIRTH 13 OCT 1919 • Sprowston, Norfolk, England
    DEATH 1 OCTOBER 1942 • WW2 Middle East


    UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947
    Name: Richard Norman Hazell
    Gender: Male
    Age: 22
    Birth Date: abt 1920
    Death Date: 1 Oct 1942
    Cemetery: El Alamein War Cemetery
    Burial Country: Egypt
    Regimental Number: 200131
    Region or Memorial: Egypt
    Father: Richard Thomas Hazell
    Mother: Clara Hazell


    Its interesting to note that Scillin sailed on 13 Nov 1942 yet the death above was noted as 1 Oct 1942, maybe it was a different ship?

    TD

    Now I have looked at the CWGC details it probably was Scillin
    Casualty
    Bombardier
    HAZELL, RICHARD
    Service Number 1456956
    Died 14/11/1942
    Aged 22
    65 (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt
    Royal Artillery
    Son of Richard and Caroline Beatrice Hazell, of Sprowston, Norfolk.

    Wonder why the other CWGC record shows a different date??
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Diane - could you move my post over as well - was doing it when you started this new thread, in fact there are several posts for Richard Hazell still on the old thread

    TD
     
  11. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    TD - From Drew's War Diary thread as were the others I moved?
    Anyone require War Diaries or other files from the National Archives?


    Edit: Ah, found some more on this thread and moved them here.
    British Pow Losses On Italian Ship

    (Which illustrates just why it's confusing to create more than one identical appeal across forum :))
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
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  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Diane - no, the post I was referring to is now here (No 10) but wasnt when I wrote that post It was in the thread British Pow Losses On Italian Ship


    I need my pills !!

    Thanks
    TD
     
  13. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Lindsay,

    This is what I put on PM to you earlier...

    BDR Richard Hazell is listed only in the RoH in the regimental history - 'The Norfolk Yeomanry in Peace and War' (Bastin) - and there is no detail in the history attaching to 14 November 1942, which the CWGC has listed as his date of death. The latter fact is not surprising, as this was the short period post the 2nd Battle of El Alamein (the one that everyone knows about) when the 8th Army was at a standstill due to inclement weather. There should be nothing to write about.

    There are 6 soldiers of the 65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment shown as killed on the 14 November and all are listed on the Alamein Memorial, so no identifiable bodies were found.

    So, we have 6 deaths, no bodies found and during a period of little or no fighting due to bad weather.

    The SS Scillin was sunk on the 14 November 1942. It was an Italian troopship, but was actually carrying British and Commonwealth PoWs from North Africa to Italy. Of the 814 PoWs on the Scillin, 787 died when the ship was sunk off the coast of Tunisia. It was sunk by a British submarine which thought it was an enemy troopship.

    I am left thinking that Bmdr Hazell was one of the casualties on the Scillin, but I do not yet have any proof.

    The Forum counted as a member the expert on the Scillin incident - ADM199 (Brian Sims) - but unfortunately, Brian passed away circa 5 years ago.

    If you leave this with me, I will see what more I can find out; such as a definitive list of those that perished in the Scillin incident!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  14. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    I recall Brian published an article in RA Journal, and some of his work is with IWM.

    Searched for mention of it by him and there's a few references on the forum, one of which is quoted below. Brian faced both derision and setbacks but it's thanks to his tireless and persistent research into circumstances of sinking of POW ships in Mediterranean (in particular the personal loss of his father aboard the Scillin) that others have access to the truth.


    BBC - WW2 People's War - S.S.SCILLIN
    "I started researching the sinking of the S.S.Scillin in 1992 when I first discovered my Father had died on the ship;14/11/42.Sunk by the P212,a British submarine.

    None of my family ever knew the circumstances of his death.

    I set about creating a casualty list using the C.W.G. Commissions Registers for the Memorial at El Alamein, and later finding a few Naval Casualties to add to what is the most accurate list available. Over the past 12yrs I have given information about P.O.W.Casualties at sea to about 20 Regiments
    ....
    At the National Memorial Arboretum there is now a Memorial Plaque to the P.O.W.lost at sea on;-
    Sebastiano Venier(Jason)9/12/41-
    Ariosto 15/2/42-
    Tembien 27/2/42-
    Nino Bixio 17/8/42-
    Loreto 13/10/42-
    and the Scillin 14/11/42."
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
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  15. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi Diane,

    I also recalled Brian had an interest in POW killed en route Italy and used the forum search with variations of his forum name and got no hits. I input Tom Canning in the search engine last week and also failed to find any of his posts.

    Does searching on deceased members forum names not work or is it something I did wrong?

    Regards

    Steve
     
  16. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  17. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    I was just researching this source having found a reference to it elsewhere, but cannot find the memorial listed: Memorial listing | National Memorial Arboretum
     
  18. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    SteveMac - also tried various terms, no success. There is this listing, perhaps it's in same area.
    • The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association Memorial
    Perhaps Trevor Smallman knows.

    Anyway, a photo of said plaque at least can be found at the bottom of this linked tribute page
    Brian Sims—A Tribute
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
  19. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Some further information here, but unfortunately the link in the quote no longer works: British Submarines in World War Two

     
  20. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    That plaque is probably all there is, Diane.

    Do you or anyone else out there, know a Pat Dowsing: 67 medium regiment RA She has been associated with Brian Sims’ work in three separate pieces I have read online and in this WW2Talk link?!?
     

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