4121663 David KERSHAW, MM, 6 Grenadier Guards attached SAS

I was looking for a list of soldiers who took part in the early SA raids Africa1941/42. The list was published in a book " BORN OF THE DESERT" by Malcolm James, but the recent reprints do not include the list. My uncle Dave Kershaw MM was one of the origionals who survied the first operation, one of 22 who did. Is anyone conversant about the early days of the SAS? He had an interesting service record, 8TH Guards Commando, L Detachment SAS 41/43 Transfered to Bill Sterling 2ND SAS 43 back to 1ST SAS 43/44 , seconded to 4TH PARA D.D.E.HQ`S To Arrheim, wounded Sept 22 1944 gunshot wounds to right leg left leg amputated. If anyone is interested I have photos Dave with Col David, Sgt Dave Kershaw in the desert etc. Cheers John Richards aka (uncledave)

 

Welcome to the forum and There are some lists here
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/general/31922-sas-originals-4.html

Steven

 

Welcome to the forum


Cheers
Paul

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

That was an interesting operation. I have some info on it from the British and the German side.

When I have a moment I'll post it.

All the best

Andreas

 

Hi John,

Yes please would love to see him for sure, John was he wounded at Arnhem because I know an interesting story about an SAS man in that battle ???

Cheers
Tom

 

tomtas, if yougo to specialforcesroh click on history click display awards scroll to page 13 voila uncle dave

 

4121633 C.S.M. David Kershaw, 1st Special Air Service.

I found this snippet whilst looking for a 1/King's Regiment casualty and thought it might be worth uploading here. The photograph of David Kershaw has the wrong initial.



Mrs E. Kershaw, of 75, Parkside Road, Tranmere, has received word through the Red Cross and War Office, stating that her son, C.S.M. David Kershaw. M.M., of the Army Air Corps, formerly missing and a prisoner of war, has died of wounds received at Arnhem. He had been in the Army since September 1939, and had been in the Middle East, North Africa, Sicily, Italy with the 1st Special Air Service.

The Liverpool Echo, 19th January 1945.

The newspaper report suggests that David Kershaw died of wounds as a prisoner of war. However. the official casualty lists would suggest that he was repatriated,



[

 

When it says 'Now repatriated' I assume there is no date there?? - I am trying to recall if any repatriations from Germany to UK (via Sweden perhaps as previously) happened between end Sept 1944 and May 1945 ?

TD

 

Mrs Kershaw, of Tremadoc, Caernarvon, has been informed that her husband, Company Sergeant Major David Kershaw. M.M., 1st Airborne Division, reported missing on September 20th, has since died of wounds in North West Europe. Any information to Mr A. Kershaw, 17 Maybank Road, Birkenhead.

The Liverpool Echo, 20th October 1944.

 

The page regarding repatriation is from Casualty List No 1686 dated 20th February 1945

 

OK I think I understand now, the phrase 'repatriated' confused me initially as I believed there were no formal POW repatriations at the time of Arnhem or afterwards

SAS - Kershaw, David (Dave)
David Kershaw
1912–1987
BIRTH 9 JAN 1912 • Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire
DEATH NOV 1987 • Southampton, Hampshire, England

My assumption of what was meant was that following his liberation from either the hospital where his leg was removed or from his POW camp, he was flown home for further medical care, and was thus repatriated in that sense

Also confused me when they said he 'died from wounds received at Arnhem' which sounds as though he had died in late 1944 or 1945, maybe thats just me being pedantic


TD

 

Lads this is amazing i am working on a project at the moment and I am portraying Dave so I can thank you enough!!

 

Hi

David was my neighbour when I was a kid.
We lived in Kings Ave , Hamble Southampton.

 

You did an amazing job, Bobby! thank you!