53rd Welsh Division

I should hopefully be over in Hertogenbosch this December... so would be most interested to see those!

 

If you want to know the exact locations, you can contact me off course.

 

Just an update.

I am currently compiling a very detailed timeline regarding the 53rd Welsh Division, from 1898 (Bobby Ross' birth) until their first (albiet short) deactivation. Since it'll take a while to compile and is somewhat exhausting in detail! PM me if you wish a copy of it, everything in it from unit creation/CO et al to when certain kit is issued, mentions in newspapers et al with the relevant quotes/notes in the footnotes section.

It'll appear up here eventually when I'm happy with it...

 

Can anybody tell me if the 53rd Welsh Division has liberated the town of Winterswijk on 31 March 1945? One source tells me they have, but another mentions the 51st Highland Division as liberators of the town.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Just bumping this with new additions to my website: 53rd Welsh - 4th Bn RWF - Constantly updating with 4 RWF photos, data, and about their war.
53rd Welsh - 53rd Recce Regiment - allsorts on 53 Recce.

Thus far, I'd argue the sites becoming (or is) the greatest resource for those interested in 53rd Welsh Division...

 

I am attending the commemorations in Den Bosch for the last 8 years in a row.
I know personally several vets like Emrys Davies 4th Bn Welch Regt. ,Owen Butcher 1st Bn.East Lancs & Robert Atkinson 1st Bn East Lancs who sadly passed away last January.....

I have in my "Den Bosch bevrijd" book lots of signatures of the 53rd vets
I do know the writer Luc van Gent personally,good guy who is also a veteran himself (Stoottroepen).

I live 15km from Den Bosch.

 

Friends,

Does anyone have at hand a rough casualty count for the Division in the period Sep-Dec 1944? I'm writing a conference paper in which 53rd feature, and between now and when I submit it and present it in early December, won't have time to get to Kew. (Not least for being in Normandy for 10 days). I have Delaforce, but sadly not Barclay in my library. Delaforce, as usual, is poorly indexed...

Any hints/advice greatly appreciated.

 

Barclay gives the total losses for the whole NWE campaign June 44 - May 45 (no breakdown per month):

Killed
Off 113
OR 1,396

Wounded
Off 387
OR 7,221

Missing
Off 33
OR 1,255

You should try 'Team Spirit - The administration of the 53rd Welsh Division during Operation Overlord, June 1944 - May 1945'. It contains a chart which shows the losses per month. Unfortunately I do not have this booklet.

 

Drop forum member Swiper a line I am sure he can give you advice and info

 

Ditch Delaforce, also Barclay is frankly often enough... debatedly useful.

PM incoming.

Delaforce is great for the anecdotes, personal accounts but more like a scrapbook. Barclay is also extremely limited but for totally different reasons.

Team Spirit is probably more what you are after...

 

Oops, elementary error. If the paper were being given in December, even I would have time to get to Kew... Actually September!

Contact made by/with Swiper - thanks to all thus far.