Arthur Westbury 7th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Died 19/8/44 aged 19.

Ray, Looks like your uncle and my Nan were near neighbours. She lived at 65 Kenilworth Court, Curzon Crescent during the war. I've been watching your thread develop over the last few days. Good luck going forward.

Steve

 

My mum lived in the Crescent also Steve!

 

Hi Ray,
Small world as they say. All I can remember about Curzon Crescent is the large stairwell and the pigeons in my Nan's loft being so loud. She had a top floor flat and my Mum (as a ten year old) once climbed up the outside of the building as a dare. She was in big trouble that day!!

The other story from those times I remember, was my Nan refusing to take my Mum and her brother up to Harlesden tube during air raids. This was because on the one time she did so, a man pushed past the three of them on the stairs, sending my two year old mother toppling over. Nan was so disgusted with his behaviour, that they hid under the table at home during raids from that day on.

 

Mum worked in Acton nut & bolt during the war and at night was in the Auxiliary Fire Service.

 

Ray, some information that may help.

Middlesex Independent & West London Star, August 26, 1944

Germans Changed Their Minds – But Not For Long

A local man was in a section of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders which routed out a strongly held German machine gun nest.

After a preliminary bombing by the Highlanders, some of the Germans shouted “Kamarad”. But when the Scots went to take them prisoner they opened up with their automatics.

One of the men taking part in this action was Pte. Arthur James Westbury of 27 Pevensey Court, Curzon Crescent, Harlesdon.

“The Germans were dug in in front of a house in the village of Cramesnil”, a lieutenant said, “We came under fairly heavy fire so we got down about thirty yards from them and hurled in the grenades”.
“There were shouts of “Kamarad” but as we advanced to take the Germans prisoner they opened up again”.
“My lads went mad. They charged with everyting we had, rifle and bayonet, sten, bren guns and grenades. Some of the Germans hid in a shell hole in the garden, and were soon routed out of that”.
“The others ran back into the house, and continued the fight from there. We kept them down by fire, and threw grenades through the window. They surrendered in earnest after that”.

Note: The Falkirk Herald Saturday August 19 1944, reports the same incident and, in addition, names two others who took part:

Private David Thornton, 63 Kelvin Street, Grangemouth, a former pit-prop worker.
Lieutenant Alec Leslie, 31 Fairfield Road, Inverness.

Also..

The Sunday Post, August 20, 1944

Scot’s Cricketer’s Aim Was Perfect

Rooted out German posts from top of tank

When German spandau nests opened up on a tank carrying Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders into battle in Normandy, a sergeant-major, a former Scottish cricketer, stood up on top of the tank and with well-aimed grenades rooted out both German posts.

S-M Murray Archibald (25), 81, Carronshore Road, Falkirk, well known also in Stenhousemuir and Falkirk football circles, told a military observer a dramatic story of the incident.

“We were being carried forward in armoured vehicles to attack the town of Cramesnil,” said Archibald. “The tanks had halted. I went forward to see what needed to be done.
“I was returning to the tank when I saw shadowy figures to left and right.
“Suddenly two spandaus opened up on us. My officer was wounded. The spandau posts were only six yards away.
“One of the Germans lifted a grenade and threw it. It landed between me and a German prisoner.
“I jumped on to the tank and tried to get out my bren gun, but it was jammed in the turret.
“One German rushed out and threw another grenade.
“I decided quick action was needed, so I stood up on the back with a handful of grenades.
“I could hear the Germans shouting ‘Der Fuhrer.’
“ ‘To hell with the Fuhrer’, I yelled back, and threw the grenades. Five landed in the one post, two in the other. That finished them both.
“In the left-hand post two Germans were killed and one wounded.
“Other two made a dash for it, but they were caught by Major James Milne, our company commander.” (Major Milne resides at 129 Gray Street, Aberdeen.)
“The five Germans in the other machine-gun posts left their gun and ran off into the mist. We fired at them, and probably wounded them, but it was too early on to bother about setting chase.”

The Argylls, having tasted first blood, carried on to take the German village.

I can also confirm that the Westbury family are recorded in the 1939 Register (taken 29 September) at 27 Pevensey Court. This includes Arthur (dob 27 Dec 1924) and his parents as detailed on the CWGC site.

(Steve, 65, Kenilworth Court is also there)

Hope that helps your search.

 

Tony.
I can't thank you enough for bringing this to light.
It gives me the village name and the area he was in just before he was wounded.
I am ordering copies of the regimental diary so I can chronologically track his movements. A visit to that part of Normandy I'm not that familiar with is definitely on the cards too.

 

I can also confirm that the Westbury family are recorded in the 1939 Register (taken 29 September) at 27 Pevensey Court. This includes Arthur (dob 27 Dec 1924) and his parents as detailed on the CWGC site.

(Steve, 65, Kenilworth Court is also there)

Thanks Tony. What a brilliant addition to Ray's research.

 

Crasmenil is possibly shorthand for Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil, which is south of Caen on the N158 about one third along towards Falaise. So, that "fits" with the family story of Caen, possibly he wrote home about it and as that may have been the last reference point before he was killed, that's what the family linked to... He'd probably mentioned Bayeux as the must have passed through it.
Hope that helps

 

A sad prelude to this story is that dad (3rd RTR, 11th Armoured div) had a weekend pass a few weeks before D day. It was too far to go to London, so he went to see his brother Arthur. Dad knew that something big was coming soon and said to Arthur "if you want, being an older brother I can claim you into my regiment. With all the training you will miss the invasion and be out of danger for a while".
My uncle rejected his offer explaining that he loved the Argyll's and his mates and also the traditions of the regiment.
The rest they say ,,,,,,Is history.

 

Thanks Kevin,
Dad was in Bayeux at the time he was wounded and heard that the Argyll's had been in a very tough fight. He tried in vain to find him unknowing he was wounded.
Over the years no one in our family tried to retrace his footsteps as it was too painful.
my dad passed last year and I now want to take this up for my cousins and last surviving uncle.
I know Normandy well and have friends living there. I always visited dads battlefields west of Caen. I will now have to get familiar with the 51st Highland div, Operation Totalise and the prelude. I also need to find out when and where he landed so I can possibly write a diary of his movements there.

Ray

 

I have now received my uncles service records and I'm struggling to get to grips and understand it.
Can anyone help please If I post it on here?