2718842 SSM James McRORY, MM, 2 Irish Guards: 24/04/1945

Infantry_Units

1945 Locstats (Location Status)

 

im also related to James Mcrory he is my great great uncle

 

Paul

Jame's sister is my Mother in Law, she is 83 now and was only a very small child when James went off to join the army. Whats your relationship to James?

James won his MM during the Arnhem battles in Septemper 44. His Sherman tank broke down and because of a malfunction with the gun, he fired the gun using a hammer and screw driver, in place of the firing pin.

He was also recommended for the American Legion of Merit by an American paratroop officer. Some where l have the full story which l managed to get from the Irish Guards records office.

Mike Dowdeswell
(Jake Dowdeswell's grandad)

 

Peter

I forgot to add that we have quite a few photos of James, supplied by Jame's son Phillip who is a retired policeman from Manchester.

If l can ever figure out how to use my scanner, I will post them on site or l might have to post copies to you.

Mike Dowdeswell

 

dbf (diane) on here has done a great deal of Irish Guards research


Headstone WOII McRory MM



Becklingen CWGC

 

Capt Bill

Jame's sister, my mother in law visited the grave a few years ago. James brother Paddy is buried a couple of rows behind James. Paddy was also killed in the last weeks of the war. He was in the Irish Rifles?, the bren carrier he was in went over a mine. After their mother died when they were children the whole family was split up, it is doubtful if Paddy and James had seen one another for many years.

Mike Dowdeswell

 

My father John Bent was in the Irish Guards 2nd Battalion and he was captured on 21st April at Wistedt. Recently a friend of mine has shared her stories of her father Edward Leavesley who was in the same Battalion. She had a few items of interest including this photo of the site where James McRory was initially buried before his grave was moved to Becklingen.
Chris.

 

Dear all, family of James Mc Rory, I grew up in the town of Sint-Oedenrode (and leave now nearby) where James was a hero during the September days of 1944 when he held of the German attacks together with the 101st (C502) on the outskirts of town. I have the whole story and use it while giving tours as a volunteer. This year, if everything works out, the story of James and his crippled tank will be staged again with a real tank. If any of you could provide me with better photo's of James (he is know in our town by the nickname Paddy) I would love to see them and use them while telling his story. If any of the family members is ever visiting Sint-Oedenrode in the future, please let me know and I'll show you the places where he fought.
Jurgen.