Can anybody help crack this mystery?

My nan died last year and I fear that with her a lot of the family history died too.

I have a photograph of her brother Robert Thomas Smith in his WW2 uniform and I have a letter from his aunt to his wife dated 1st November 1943 talking about him being 'missing in action' and hoping he was held as 'prisoner of war'. He was presumed dead. Below you can see his details, he is on the Thrapston war memorial (northamptonshire).

Bombardier 976170, 142 (The Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Killed in action 9th September 1943, aged 27. Son of Samuel and Minny Smith; husband of Kathleen Alice Smith of Georgeham, Devon.No known grave. Commemorated on Cassino Memorial, Italy. Panel 2.

The craft he was on (don't know which one) hit a mine and sank. His body was recovered by a US ship and buried at sea. He has his name on the grave of his parents in Kettering London Road cemetery

However this is where it becomes a mystery...my nan had a mysterious phone call about 10 years ago from South Africa to say that her brother Robert Thomas Smith had recently died, had survived and had included her in the will. I'm not quite sure what happened next.

I am beginning to wonder if he deserted and managed to escape to South Africa.

I understand that this is not a WW1 soldier but I'm not quite sure where else to go for help on this one. I've used this forum to help trace WW1 family members and have always had really friendly and helpful replies.

Any help welcomed or if you can point me into the direction of a WW2 forum.

 

oops, sorry, I originally put the message on The Great War Forum to see if the people on there could point me in the direction of a good WW2 forum. They suggested here.

 

Well there is no entry for that name or date of death on the CWGC website.. so him surviving the war could hold water.

 

I've found him on CWWG:

CWGC - Casualty Details

Rank:
Bombardier
Service No:
976170
Date of Death:
09/09/1943
Age:
27
Regiment/Service:
Royal Artillery

142 (The Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Field Regt.
Panel Reference
Panel 2.
Memorial
CASSINO MEMORIAL

 

Assuming South African law is based on the English model, they ought to have some sort of probate records somewhere, so it might be possible to track down the actual will?

According to the RDY history, LCT 572 was mined around 0400 on 9 Sep 1943. It was carrying E Troop of 406 Battery who lost 14 killed, 7 wounded with 10 unwounded survivors who rejoined the regiment a few days later.

Bombardier R T Smith is listed in the roll of honour but there are no other details.

Probably unrelated - in all senses - there is also an L V Smith in the roll of honour, a Bdr R W Smith awarded a Military Medal and a Battery Sergeant-Major S Smith Mentioned in Dispatches.

 

Here's the units war diary ref:

WO 169/9522 142 Field Regiment 1943 June- Dec.

Cheers
A

 

eh?
who's this then?

CWGC - Casualty Details

We are all allowed a little lapse : to many names and I must of put in a wrong date when searching!

 

Robert had two brothers, Victor (Vic) Smith and Fred Smith. I'm not sure which, but one of them supposedly told the family that he saw the craft go down with Robert aboard. Whether or not he was on board the same craft I'm not sure.

 

Did Vic survive, or was he L V Smith?

 

Vic survived. I'm not sure what regiment/service he was in (or Fred for that matter).

I find it strange that Robert was in the Royal Devonshire because the brothers along with my nan were all born and raised in Kensington, London until they moved to Kettering, Northamptonshire in the 1930s.

 

Hi,

Has anyone got any more information about 142 Field Regiment at Salerno?

I've just picked up on the fact that 506 SP Battery, 142 Fd Regt RA was with 56 Division with Bishop SP guns. Has anyone looked in the war diary? It's on my list for my next visit to Kew but as that won't be until Xmas it would be good to know if it has any battery diaries attached.

Regards
Tom

 

"However this is where it becomes a mystery...my nan had a mysterious phone call about 10 years ago from South Africa to say that her brother Robert Thomas Smith had recently died, had survived and had included her in the will. I'm not quite sure what happened next."

Just a thought, but many 'Nigerian' style scams used telephone calls, not just emails. Was the caller really that precise in the name or was it a bit like the fake fortune teller that extracts the info from the person? We'll never know.

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

From FMP. There are 3 or 4 documents relating to him. Missing believed killed then Killed previously missing

 

Tom

506 Battery /142 Fd Rgt had a number of personnel & equipment aboard LCT 572, which hit a mine approx 4 miles from the shore during the run in to the beaches.

I have attached some relevant documents from WO 361/464 - Casualties at Sea: LCT 572

 

Also with regard to R.T. Smith the 'Casualties at Sea' file corroborates the details given in the OP from 2012, in that his body was recovered and later buried at sea.

 

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses. Great information. It looks that was a whole troop of 506 Battery - can't have helped 56 Div whilst they were waiting for their towed 25-pounders. Bad loss for 8 RF as well given the limited transport taken on the assault scale.

Regards
Tom