Canadian Scottish Regiment, Lt Roland Nicoletti RCCS

Discussion in 'Canadian' started by nell cagney, Sep 16, 2011.

  1. nell cagney

    nell cagney Junior Member

    I am researching some war time history/family links in Eastbourne, Sussex 1943, and would really appreciate some help from some of the great posters on this site. I am mainly trying to locate war diaries, unit history links etc to the following:
    Lt. Roland Nicoletti, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Canadian Scottish Regiment.
    I have located his grave on Beny-sur-Mer, Calvados, France where he was buried on June 26 1944.

    However, I am trying to find out if Lt. Nicoletti's unit was stationed in or around Eastbourne in 1943 and what action this unit/regiment was involved in before his death.

    Very many thanks
     
  2. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Nell
    the Canadian Scottish regiments 1st battalion were a part of 7th bde of 3rd Canadian Infantry division and more than likley in Eastbourne before they landed on Juno beach on June 6th '44 and were involved in the battles for Caen from the
    landings - try the Veterans web site in Ottawa for more information
    www.dva-vcc .cg.ca

    Cheers
     
  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Hi Neil & welcome.

    Where do you live? The reason I ask, is for looking at the war diaries.

    They have copies in the UK National Archives from August 1941 to October 1945 and no doubt in the Canadian archives as well.

    Regards - Rob

    PS - Looking at the casualties for the Canadian Scottish, there are 8 men listed as having served in the 2nd Battalion. As far as I know, only the 1st Battalion served in France during 1944. If someone else can confirm this, I will send an e-mail to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to check this out.
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hello and welcome to the forum.


    Lt. Roland Nicoletti, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Canadian Scottish Regiment.

    Is there a number missing somewhere along the line? Signals units are normally numbered or more descriptive rather than just RCCoS.
     
  5. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    As Neil has said, the details on CWGC confirm what he said.

    Name: NICOLETTI, ROLAND
    Nationality: Canadian
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
    Secondary Regiment: Canadian Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
    Secondary Unit Text: attd.
    Age: 25
    Date of Death: 26/06/1944
    Additional information: Son of Francesco and Anne Isabella Nicoletti, of Toronto, ontario.
    Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
    Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. D. 10.
    Cemetery: BENY-SUR-MER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, REVIERS

    Headstone photo from the Veterans Affairs of Canada website:-

    2059880_3.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2019
  6. klambie

    klambie Senior Member

    The Regina Rifles were also part of 7 Cdn Bde and were in W. Sussex at various times prior to the invasion. The CanScots were presumably nearby as well.

    In addition to the D-Day landings, the CanScots were key in the bridgehead battles, particularly recapture of Putot-en-Bessin on 8 June where 12 SS had overrun the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. 7 Cdn Bde remained relatively static in the area until 8 July.

    I would assume Nicolleti to be the RCCS officer attached to command the CanScots Sigs platoon. I have a copy of the excellent regimental history, I'll see if there is any additional information. If you go the war diary route, I have found that of the CanScots to be generally excellent in terms of details when compared to other Canadian units.
     
  7. klambie

    klambie Senior Member

    After Putot, the CanScots got a few days out of the line before moving to Rots/Le Hamel on 17 June. Their time there mostly involved patrolling and enduring mortar and artillery fire from German positions that overlooked them. Daytime movement was virtually impossible.

    "Enemy shell and mortar fire on Rots and Le Hamel, although not severe, caused more casualties in the battalion than anything else. On June 26 the enemy began to range some of his heavy artillery on the two villages, and their accuracy aroused some concern that enemy observers in civilian clothes were correcting the enemy's fire. During the course of the evening, one shell hit the farmhouse where Battalion Headquarters was located. The shell exploded inside the building with a crash and a sheet of flame, hurling steel, bricks and wood splinters in all directions. Lieuts. R Nicoletti, the Signals Officer, FH Werts, the Intelligence Officer and Lieut O'Neil, a Mortar Officer from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, were killed instantly or mortally wounded. Lt Col Cabeldu, Major CM Wightman, Captain RS Gray, Sgts NA Lewis and H Watkins and Piper J McMillan were all wounded. Battalion Headquarters itself was a shambles. Cabeldu, although cut about the face, managed to contact the brigade commander and informed him of the incident, and then he too was evacuated with the rest. ... Cabeldu came back two days later, but the others were hospitalized for weeks and months. The deaths of Lieut Nicoletti, who had done a sterling job as Sigs officer, and Lieut Werts, who had displayed remarkable coolness on D-Day and at Putot in the face of enemy fire, were sincerely regretted."

    Ready For the Fray: The History of the Candian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) 1920 to 2002 by RH Roy.
     
    Owen likes this.
  8. klambie

    klambie Senior Member

    Primary location for the unit in 1943 was Monk's Common, near Horsham. They did spend three weeks in the Seaford area in May.

    Only 1st Bn served overseas. 2nd Bn served on the West Coast of Canada throughout.
     
  9. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    kevin
    excellent stuff and little more to be said

    Cheers
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Great work Klambie.

    Cheers - Rob
     
  11. nell cagney

    nell cagney Junior Member

    Hallo to all .
    Very many thanks to all you kind and thoughtful posters who have responded so quickly to my request. I am completely thrilled with the fantastic information you have posted up here, especially as we have been searching for a long time with very little progress.
    We live up in Yorkshire in the UK, so not very close for a personal visit to the National Archives in London though not impossible. Is it likely that we might find more information about the unit's posting near Eastbourne?
    I am also hoping to find some pictures somewhere of the regimental uniform/badges/insignia .

    Thank you all once again , your support is very much appreciated
    Nell
     
  12. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  13. nell cagney

    nell cagney Junior Member

    That looks like a great link, thanks Tom will follow up

    regards
    Nell
     
  14. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Nell -
    here is another bit of the regiments history as Piper Richardson V.C. of the 16th battalion in WW1 won his V.C.- but as he was killed his Pipes went missing and subsqently found a few years ago in Scotland- and returned to his birthplace of Chilliwack B.C. a few miles from where I live - wherupon a statue was built and stands outside the museum in Chilliwack to-day - an interesting side bar to this is that the Richardson V.C. statue was unveiled with due ceremony by "Smokey" Smith V.C. who won his V.C. near Cesena in Italy in Oct '44 when my regiment was in support of the Canadian Seaforths but bogged down by floods etc. I tried to contact Smokey but security was tight ...
    on getting the war diaries to show where they were on the South coast before D Day - Contact "psy-war-org" or "Drew" on the forum as they do copy all war diaries for a small fee - save a trip to london..
    Cheers
     
  15. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  16. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Rob,

    I've searched a few times for the WD. Do you know what the ref number is? All I could find for WW2 is a couple of citations.

    If I know the code i'll put the whole series onto Excel.

    A
     
  18. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Rob,

    I've searched a few times for the WD. Do you know what the ref number is? All I could find for WW2 is a couple of citations.

    If I know the code i'll put the whole series onto Excel.

    A

    You'll find them in the WO179 series. All the Canucks should be listed there. I’ve seen South African units listed there too.
    Have a look in the Hard copy book first as there may be other Commonwealth Units listed as well.

    WO179/2969 - Jan to Sept 1944
    WO179/2970 - Oct to Dec 1944
     
  19. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Attached Files:

  20. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

Share This Page