2695669 Guardsman Thomas Charles TRISTAIN, Scots Guards & LRDG: Escaper & Evader

Moved from 3054349 Guardsman John EASTON, MiD, Scots Guards attached Long Range Desert Group: 12/02/1941 to create separate thread

Jim, Do you have photos of the LRDG Guards Patrol? My distant relation Guardsman Thomas Charles Tristain, 2nd Battn was in a group of LRDG guardsmen captured 25/11/42. He was imprisoned in Italy but escaped to Switzerlanf after the Italian surrender. I am told by his nephew that he was 6' 10" so would have stood out in any pics.

 

Hello Fairchild.

I'm away from home at present but on return will have to do some excavation of book boxes and search through same for LRDG related stuff.

If I discover any named or possible photos I will let you know soonest.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Thank you. One correction he was 6' 8" not 6' 10" but he would still have stood out even in a Guards regiment.
Fairchild

 

Dear Fairchild, apologies for such a delayed response but please note I have not been sitting on my hands in the effort to find a photograph of your relative, Thomas Charles Tristain, during his service with The Long Range Desert Group (said search will be the subject of another thread shortly). I've looked through around, and as near as damn it, 5000 photographs on the IWM website, as well as all the books and magazines here at home (which I hope goes some way in explaining my delayed response!)

I have, up to now, been unsuccessful unfortunately. On a positive note, and moving forward, I have not given up hope that a photograph of Thomas with The LRDG is out in the wide world somewhere, and I will continue with said search until such a time as I have exhausted all avenues that are available to me.

In the meantime, some additional questions and observations (this in the knowledge that back in May this year you have already, and quite rightly, asked via other avenues in your hunt for any said photo of Thomas)

Have you asked (as a relative) The Scots Guards Association (Archives – Scots Guards ) if they have a pre-war "passing out" squad/section photo of Thomas? Any photo you could post up here of Thomas (even a portrait/"head and shoulders" one) in his late teens and/or from his Scots Guards service would help in identifying him amongst any "unknowns" or "uncaptioned" chaps that I've found ( and yes, his height is a help but a photo of Thomas pre LRDG would assist greatly). As an example it will prevent me from making any mis-identification with chaps of a similar stature e.g. the dear late Stuart Michael "Lofty" Carr of Y Patrol.

Please don't give up your hunt Fairchild. I haven't, and I won't!

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Many thanks Jim
I attach a pic of Charles obtained from his nephew via a DNA link. Sadly the quality is not good but it is a start. I will try the Scots Guards archive.
Regards
Fairchild

 

Thank you! Much appreciated, and at least something to be going on with.

Wishing you good fortune with the Scots Guards Association, hopefully they will come up trumps.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.