95531 Pat GARSTIN, MC, RUR & 1st SAS

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by Skip, Oct 5, 2011.

  1. AndyBaldEagle

    AndyBaldEagle Very Senior Member

    Skip
    Will double check my lists for his MC, think that and the other MMs weren't on it though. Will have a look when I get back home later today

    Andy
     
  2. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    Good drills Andy - much appreciated
     
  3. AndyBaldEagle

    AndyBaldEagle Very Senior Member

    Skip
    Still have the list you emailed me some time ago, Have not found Garstin's MC citation (yet!) nor on a search on TNA's discovery do I get a hit.

    Have found Appleyards MC though, do you want it emailed or have I done that already?

    Regards

    Andy
     
  4. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    Andy I could definitely do with that if you could email it over - cheers, appreciate it
     
  5. janettep

    janettep New Member

    Patrick Bannister Garstin
    I was reading your blog. On the anniversary of his death I shall be travelling to France to the Memorial that has been erected very close to the place where he and 4 others were murdered. I have also visited the spot where he was originally buried. I will take photos and if anyone would like any please let me know.
     
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  6. ian.garstin

    ian.garstin New Member

    My name is Ian Garstin. Patrick Bannister Garstin was a cousin of my Father. I am trying to find out more information about him. Can anyone contact me with more information. I would like to know if his wife is still alive or if he had any children.
    Thanks
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Ian

    From looking at the Family Trees (Public) on Ancestry, his wife (Susan Nichola Beresford-Jones) died in 1981, aged 59 and referring to family I would suggest looking at post no 11 above

    TD
     
  8. ian.garstin

    ian.garstin New Member

    Patrick Bannister Garstin and my father, Gordon Maitland Garstin were first cousins. My Grandfather was William Fitzroy Hamilton Garstin and along with Richard Hart Garstin were sons of William Fitzroy Garstin. Hence my name William Ian Hamilton Garstin. I would be interested to hear from any of my relatives, in particular Neil Patrick Garstin.
     
  9. steve young

    steve young New Member

    I'n in Beauvais at the moment.[​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. DamienLewis

    DamienLewis Member

    I've searched for this in all the archives - can't seem to locate it. V best, Damien Lewis
     
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  11. DamienLewis

    DamienLewis Member

    Hi, Can you let me know if you managed to visit and brought back any photos? I'd be very interested to see any - many thanks, Damien Lewis (author)

    www.damienlewis.com
     
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  12. DamienLewis

    DamienLewis Member

    Hi Steve,

    Wondered if you had that image in a higher resolution - would love to see it if you have. Damien Lewis (author)

    www.damienlewis.com
     
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  13. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Damien, and all who have posted here.

    For an account of the actions that (most likely) led to the award of the Military Cross to Pat Garstin please see 'Retreat and Rearguard: Dunkirk 1940, The Evacuation of the BEF to The Channel Ports" by Jerry Murland.

    Also, if the RUR War Diary for this period still exists (extremely doubtful methinks) it may help regarding Pat Garstin's actions in and around Louvain during the second week of May 1940.

    As to an individual citation of his, I doubt there was one (unless gazetted much later in the war as a "catching up" exercise).

    Pat Garstin's gallantry award, for me, falls in the immediate post-Dunkirk category of the hundreds (if not thousands) of awards from this time that were gazetted with no citation subsequently appearing.

    Whilst hoping there is a citation out there somewhere (and for all of the other brave individuals of this time), I very much doubt that such exist.

    Apologies if this comes across as a litany of the egg-sucking variety, it is absolutely not meant to be.

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
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  14. DamienLewis

    DamienLewis Member

    Jim - thanks for this. Very useful. I'd presumed these citations were somehow 'lost' in the chaos of Dunkirk - i.e. no time or opportunity to write them up, so this pretty much confirms it. I'll check for the RUR war diary, and let you know if I find it.

    Many thanks again - hugely appreciated.

    Damien Lewis
     
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  15. Cipfaman

    Cipfaman New Member

    The Garstin Stick landed near La Ferte Alais and there is a memorial there for the French Resistance fighters who died in the ambush. This is commemorated in July each year and we attended as members of Herbert Castelow’s family about 20 years ago along with Michel Leduc who save his life.Hundreds turned out, complete with Brass Band and a fly past by 3 WW2 planes followed by a civic reception. I don’t think we realise the depth of feeling the French have for our help in liberating them. A few years ago I went with my father to Normandy, where he served on a Minesweeper Clearing the channels the day before DDay. Repeatedly French and Americans asked me if they could have a photo taken with him accompanied by lots of tears from them not Dad!
     
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  16. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Listened this evening to a National Army Museum talk by Damien Lewis, the author of a new book 'SAS: Band of Brothers' which covers the patrol led by Major Garstin; lasts just over one hour: SAS: Band of Brothers - Crowdcast

    The summary states:
    This was part of Operation Gain, which has few brief mentions here - when I checked - and this thread seems best.
     
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  17. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Thanks very much for posting the link David, very much appreciated. And for those who missed/can't access the Crowdcast broadcast they can get the gist of content from Damien Lewis here;



    Also, as a small aside, and with apologies for digressing, at the 48 minute mark in the Youtube discussion (above) there are some telling observations form Damien Lewis regarding research and the current situation at The National Archives (Nothing new for most who contribute here unfortunately but hopefully the opinion of a best-selling author who uses TNA may help encourage some improvement).

    Again David, thank you for the heads up and the Crowdcast link.

    Kind regards, always remember, never forget,

    Jim.
     
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  18. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The files on the Gestapo man Kopkow can be downloaded from Kew for free at the moment. The above book has something to say about him.

    Horst KOPKOW: German. KOPKOW was a Gestapo officer interrogated in 1945/46 about his...
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    Approximate size 67.5 MB
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    Reference: KV 2/1500

    Horst KOPKOW: German. KOPKOW was a Gestapo officer interrogated in 1945/46 about his...
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    £3.50 - sign in to get this free

    Download format PDF
    Approximate size 111 MB
    Add to basket
    Order up to 10 items per basket, and up to 100 in a 30 day period.

    Reference: KV 2/1501
     
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