5th Sherwood Foresters in WW2

Hi. There are a number of threads in this forum related to people and operations of the 5th Sherwood Foresters. For those of you interested in the battalion, I have created a Facebook page 'Sherwood Boys' on which I intend to make short posts principally giving photos of men who served in the battalion. I am currently in Italy on site of the Gothic line actions by the 5th Foresters and other 46th Division units, and am posting there daily on the Foresters' operations here in August-September 1944. I hope that some of you will follow the page and share some of the posts. I will also be publishing a book 'Sherwood Boys' about the battalion next year.

 

Here's a link.


https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086939505153&name=xhp_nt__fb__action__open_user

Hope you get some likes & followers soon.
Good luck with it.

 

Hi,
My Grandfather, Harry Perkins was in 2/5th Sherwood Foresters. Enlisted at Normanton Barracks and served in North Africa, Italy and Greece. At some point in the Italian campaign he was captured and sent to work with others in a cement factory. Advancing American troops released them and he was returned to his unit.
I have all his medals but no service number so I’m finding it difficult to get a copy of his official record.

 

You don't need a service number to request records but here is only one Perkins from 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters who was captured in Italy - 14407807 L/Cpl. J.T. Perkins. This would have been in the crossing of the Volturno.

 

Hi Stephen.

I have a list of battalion members compiled by the 2/5th veterans association which shows a Corporal Harry Perkins - but unfortunately the entry has no army number or information about his service; so I have not matched it to any of the other Perkins records I have for the battalion.

Gary is correct regarding there only being one Perkins recorded as captured in Italy, but I am struggling to reconcile that with the other information you have provided. 14407807 looks like a General Service Corps service number, which implies a relatively late enlistment (my father was called up in September 1942 and his number starts 142...). This would not be compatible with serving in North Africa (Jan-Aug 1943). There is a private A Perkins with a Foresters service number captured in North Africa, but that doesn't match up with your grandfather being in Italy. And neither would really fit with him both being a POW and having served in Greece - the battalion were there from Dec 1944 - April 1945. I don't know of anyone else who was released from a German POW camp and then returned to the battalion in Greece.

I'd be interested to know further what medals your grandfather has and the source of your stories about him, as it is most intriguing.

Mike Somerville

 

The medals he passed on to me are The War Medal, Defence Medal, The 39/45 Star, The Italy Star and The Africa Star with1st Army bar. I know he enlisted at Normanton Barracks and his unit was the 2/5th Battalion. There was a photo of him with others taken in Italy, but I haven’t got it.
His obituary was listed in the magazine of the regiment “Firm and Forester”.
This is him in his uniform.

 

Been watching two threads for a day or two, now this one appears is it possible members are getting their knickers in a twist between the info on the first two separate threads?

Was this man a POW from 78 Division or was he transferred to 2SFR in 1st Div who went to Palestine in 1945.

Harry Perkins 2/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters

 

Okay, done some more digging in my records. I have three group photos of a Harry Perkins with other members of the 2/5th (later 5th) Sherwood Foresters. They are a bit indistinct but probably the right man. None of them have a date, but the picture with Major Tulloch must have been taken after 26 January 1944 in Italy or Greece. If he has the NA Star with 1st Army Bar then he probably went out with the battalion in Dec 42, or maybe as a reinforcement from the UK in early 1943 (the battalions was in 46th Division rather than 78th, both 1st Army).

What confuses me is the POW story, neither of the Perkins POW records fit the other facts, I've also looked at other Perkins in the full POW lists and none seem to match. I am rather inclined to think the POW story is a family myth, and that Harry survived NA and Italy unscathed to go to Greece in in 1944-45. But that doesn't help finding out his service number.

Before spending money with MoD, I would write to the Mercian Regiment Archive to see if they can find his details without a service number - they will charge a small fee, but it is to a good cause. If you want to do this Stephen I can give you a contact.

Mike Somerville

 

PS. Firm and Forester obits usually include the Service Number. Do you have a reference to the date and volume? I may be able to track it down.

 

PPS. Sorry to drip feed, but just looked at the other thread and the reference there to serving in Palestine also fits with 2/5th Foresters - they went for R&R and training in Palestine in Spring 1944, before returning to Italy. And ended up in Austria post war.

 

Hi Mike
Yes, that’s my grandad. I remember him telling me his best mate was Bill Belshaw. I’m coming round to the family myth as a better interpretation than fact.
I tried to find his service record via the Gov website but it came back with “no record”. I’d really appreciate any help finding out exactly where he was. I know he definitely landed at Salerno in Italy.

 

Ok. Pretty sure that he was never a POW then. There is a JW Robinson captured at Sedjenane on 3 March 1943, though there are other J Robinson's in the battalion the first photo was probably taken before that date. The background looks like a studio photo. From the names on the second photo it appears to be the MT section, possibly in North Africa. The third photo appears to be C company, and could be Italy or Greece. Can't say much more at this stage. I will be publishing a book on the battalion next year

Did you see my comment on Firm and Forester?

 

Yes. I’ll have a look for it when I get home

 

Michael Hi,

I'm hoping you might be able to help me with something; I have reason to believe my grandfather may well have been a member of the Sherwood Foresters during World War 2, and I'm hoping you might be able to confirm this for me.

Photos, etc that I have posted here can be found here James (Jim / Jimmy) LAW - 21st Independent Parachute Company Search

His name was James (aka Jim or Jimmy) Law, he was born February 2nd 1922 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire. He would have been serving with the Staffordshire police prior to enlisting some time around 1941. He served for around 4 years and was wounded on active service. He served with a Private George Wilson Satterthwaite who was sadly KIA September 4th 1944 in Italy.

Based on another photo I have, he appears to have received the following medals: 1939-45 Star, African Star (with bar), Italy Star, Defense Medal and War Medal. Which would indicate he was involved with the 5th.

Any information you might be able to provide me would be greatly appreciated.

 

According to the casualty lists, George Wilson Satterthwaite was a member of 5th Sherwood Foresters. A Lance Corporal J. Law (14251261) from 5th Sherwood Foresters was wounded on 16th September 1943 at Salerno.

 

That's actually really good to know. Thank you! I know he was in Italy until around 1945 (so, after the war) which, if he was injured, I suppose would track. I'm assuming the bracketed number is his service number or something?

 

Don't suppose it gives any additional information as to his injury, etc?

 

Yes, that is his service number. Details of injuries will only be in his service record, and the TNA may well redact that information.

 

Good to know. I appreciate the information, regardless.

 

5 FORESTERS were in 139 Infantry Brigade who were part of 46 Infantry Division - one of the two British infantry divisions that landed at Salerno on 9 Sep 43 as part of Operation AVALANCHE.

139 Infantry Brigade was made up of 2/5 LEICESTERS, 5 FORESTERS and 16 DLI.

Regards

Frank