7929214 William George LEE, 3 County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters): 12/07/1943, Sicily Landings

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by les.robertson, May 20, 2018.

  1. ColinM

    ColinM Member

    Les,
    Yes these photos have not been put online. My brotherin law went to the NAM in London and saw them there. The numbers I quote are those written on the actual photos. I assume that you have the NAM reference numbers of Major Sale's album. There are about 8 photos of this the remants of this action.
    Good luck
    Colin
     
  2. Brian D

    Brian D Member

    Colin, Firstly many apologies for not responding to your excellent information earlier - I somehow missed the thread. Tom Elkins was indeed a great friend of my uncle. He refers to him as Tom as there was another friend Tommy Thompson I believe. I have over 100 letters written to my Father and Grandmother and Tom is mentioned many times. For example on 13 August 1941 Tom had picked up his first stripe. In December 1941 it seems he was wounded and taken prisoner. Then in February 1942 he writes" Just before we started off [to Cairo on leave] we got news that Tom was in hospital .......we set off one morning to find him....it took us 4 hours by train across the Delta." It seems that he had been captured by the Germans, then rescued, then captured by the Italians and finally rescued and admitted to a hospital, during which time he had little food and attention. Attached are two photographs from Brian's album, the first is labelled "The Gang" and left to right, Endicott, Humphrey, Darch, Elkins, with Diesel in front. The second is under a section named Cherfold which would have been Spring 1941 and is labelled 'Tom".

    If you have a spare moment I would be grateful for the NAM reference numbers for the post action photos please as I can then order copies. Pity they have not been uploaded.

    Hoping to visit Sicily next year.
    Kind regards,
    Brian

    IMG_2122.JPG IMG_2125.JPG
     
  3. ColinM

    ColinM Member

    Brian
    Thanks for these photos. Sadly Tom's older sister Grace died in May aged 102. She would have loved to see them. Your account of Tom's ordeal in the desert ties in with his diaries except it was the Germans who passed him on to the Italians. Interestingly he recorded that his German captors apologised for handing him over to them!

    Reference Major Sale's photos, I am not sure of the NAM ref nos for the actual photos but his albums all seem to start with NAM.1975-03-63. This is then followed by two numbers (NAM.1975-03-63-XX-XX) which I assume relate to the album and specific photo. The numbers written on the actual photos for this action are between A58 and A69. I don't know if this is sufficient for you to order anything without visting the NAM.

    Good luck
    Colin
     
  4. Peter Weeden

    Peter Weeden New Member

    Brian Darch was a lodger at my parents house in Kingston-on-Thames in the early years of the War. I would have been around 12 at that time. He would have been around 19/20 I have been looking to contact his family members. I am now 92 and my memories of Brian are very limited. For some years, I have been searching for his family, just to make contact and tell them what little I remember of him. It would be nice to have a photo of Brian, if there is one available. I hope to hear from you
     
  5. Brian D

    Brian D Member

    Brian was working in the Tax Office and my Father told me he did lodge with his Aunt and Uncle but I was unaware he lodged elsewhere. What was the name of the road where your parents lived? It might match the correspondence I have from that period. Regards, Brian Darch
     
  6. Peter Weeden

    Peter Weeden New Member

    we lived in Fernhill Gardens, KOT, number 30. Now you mention that he worked in the Tax Office, that rings.. a bell with me. I remember that he spent most of his spare time in his room studying for something. Mum thought a lot of him. After all, he was a good looking young man, with dark wavy here if I remember him well. When he was called up (he may have volunteered) he wanted to join the RAF but apparently failed an eye test. btw, I have a younger brother which Mum named Brian, (don't read too much into this though ! )I hope to hear from you again.....I have been trying for years !
    Regards-Peter
     
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  7. Brian D

    Brian D Member

    Good afternoon Peter,
    I have a letter written by my Father to Brian addressed to 30 Fernhill Gardens, so now I understand the connection. Attached is a cutting from the local paper which you may find interesting.
    Regards, Brian
     

    Attached Files:

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  8. Peter Weeden

    Peter Weeden New Member

    Good afternoon Brian.
    thank you very much for the copy of the news cutting with Brian's photo. He was such a fine young man and it is so sad that he was taken so young. As you can see, I continue to think of him
    Kind regards....Peter
     

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