80 Assault Squadron RE: The Fallen from 06/06/1944 - 09/06/1944

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Deacs, Jun 8, 2012.

  1. Rogeralfie

    Rogeralfie New Member

    Hi A.E.harris was my uncle and unfortunately the picture of his gravestone is that of another soldier called Cullen who fell on the 8th june my uncle Arthur fell on the 9th June.Can the mistake be rectified I wander?Thanks Roger
     
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  2. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Hi Roger,

    Welcome to the forum.

    I hadn't noticed that sorry I will have a look to see hopefully that I have still your Uncle's headstone. My computer crashed quite awhile ago and I lost a lot of my files.

    It's okay I've found it and now edited his headstone photo.

    Regards Mike.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2019
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  3. Rogeralfie

    Rogeralfie New Member

    Hi Mike thanks very much for that its the first time I've seen his headstone makes me feel very proud God bless them all.Thanks again Roger.
     
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  4. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Hi Roger,

    No problem I'm glad you found this thread so you can finally get to see his headstone.


    Regards Mike
     
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  5. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Thinking of granda Albert and all the lads of 80 Assault Squadron on this 76th anniversary :poppy:
     
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  6. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Remembering today :poppy:
     
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  7. Patrick Wemyss

    Patrick Wemyss New Member

    Hi there, Lt Jack Hornby was my granny's brother. I'm just starting out really researching him. All I knew previously was that he was killed during the landings, and now see he was crushed directing traffic off the boats. My granny sadly passed away 3 years ago, and I'm not sure she ever knew exactly what happened, but it's really interesting to find out. Thanks for posting all the info.
     
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  8. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Hi Patrick,

    Welcome and I'm glad you found your way here and found the information on how Jack sadly died.

    Regards Mike.
     
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  9. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Remembering today and always :poppy:
     
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  10. Rogeralfie

    Rogeralfie New Member

    We can't get the casualty details up anymore for the 80th assault squadron.God bless them all brave young men.Roger
     
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  11. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Remebering today :poppy:
     
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  12. Geoff Grainger

    Geoff Grainger New Member

     
  13. Geoff Grainger

    Geoff Grainger New Member

    Hi Mike
    I have just read that you gave Patrick Wemyss info on the death of his relative Jack Hornby. I am a volunteer researcher at Northampton Museum and preparing case studies for our D-Day 2024 exhibition. I have a newspaper report and photo about Jack's demise dated 30 June 1944,but no details. Are you able to let me know exact info and source? Thanks
    Geoff
     
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  14. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Hi Geoff,
    Welcome to the forum and yes I will help you out with the information about Jack and his sad demise. Once I get into my laptop I will get the information but im sure it is mentioned in the war diaries but I'll double check.

    Regards Mike.
     
  15. Hi Geoff,

    The 80 Assault Squadron RE War Diary for 6 June 44 states:

    0930 Lt. J. HORNBY fatally injured on beach.

    From the Report by Lt C.A. GLOYN, OIC 4 Tp, 80 Aslt Sqn RE:

    4D acted as beach control on landing and did windsock drill. When 'clear' was reporter, marked the gap by mine markers. During beach control the tk comd, Lt HORNBY, realising the gap was clear, dismounted and began to direct traffic, while his tk crew went on to mark the gap. He was directing a tk fwd towards the gap by standing in front of it and waving it on. He stepped back onto a stationery bulldozer and the oncoming tk squashed him between the tracks of the tk and the bulldozer.

    Note: "4D" was the callsign for Lt Hornby's AVRE.

    Could you post the newspaper article and photo about Lt Hornby here?

    Michel
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2024
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  16. Lee Bates

    Lee Bates New Member

    Hi Mike

    Reginald Weaver was my grandmothers brother, she never knew what happened to him, where or when he died, I'm thrilled to say I was able to show my now 91 year old grandmother this and the joy on her face to see such a beautiful headstone really helped bring some closurer to a chapter of her life that had stayed open since 1942 when she waved him off as a little girl, so thank you for this.

    I'd love to read any more information you might have about Reginald or 80 Sqdrns actions as a whole that day.

    Thank you

    Lee
     
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  17. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Hello Lee,

    Firstly welcome to the forum and just to say that I am really pleased that your grandma as been able to see Reginald's headstone, and that it was able to bring some closure to a chapter in her life. This was my intention when I started this thread to honour the brave lads that served but sadly lost their lives with my granda so that we will not forget the utmost sacrifice they paid with their lives.

    I have another thread on a Captain John Holland Saunders who sadly lost his life on November 11th 1944, and a fellow forum member Michel as added some absolutely fantastic research on the 80 Assault Squadron and D-Day that you and your grandma will really enjoy it as photos of them loading their AVRE's onto the Landing crafts.

    https://www.ww2talk.com/index.php?posts/905626/


    I have also edited the diaries that I had posted as they seemed to be a bit of a mess.

    Kind regards Mike.
     
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