Something I just discovered last night a family member served with the 5th Bn., Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, private Reginald Hughes 5445026, who died Sunday, 15th April 1945 age 22. Could I still apply for his service records if someone else has already done so ?
I'm not 100% sure who would have them to be honest ,this above mentioned was my second cousin , maybe ancestry may help me to trace the family and see if they have them
Looks like the family were at 4 Lansdown View, Faulkland, Frome R.D., Somerset, England in 1939, his mother had died.
Reginald R Hughes 1923–1945 BIRTH 1923 • Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire DEATH 15 APRIL 1945 UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Reginald Hughes Given Initials: R Rank: Private Death Date: 15 Apr 1945 Number: 5445026 Birth Place: Wiltshire Residence: Wiltshire Branch at Enlistment: Infantry Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45 Regiment at Death: Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Branch at Death: Infantry Germany, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Name: Private Reginald R Hughes Death Date: 15 Apr 1945 Cemetery: Becklingen War Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Soltau, Heidekreis, Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany Has Bio?: N Private Reginald R Hughes (Unknown-1945) - Find A... There are 3 family trees on Ancestry but they are all quite basic details TD
Apply for his records nothing to stop you you have a general research interest - you’ll only have access to limited information, unless they died more than 25 years ago
April 14-15, 5DCLI were fighting in the area of Cloppenburg and Ahlhorn against what Major Godfrey called "a group of sixteen-year-olds and potential officers styled the Grossdeuschland Gruppe" (that what he describes as the report of 7 Royal Hampshire Regiment, anyway). On the 14th there was a lot of house clearing - "every house had to be searched and the enemy were well equipped with Spandaus and rocket-launchers, which took their toll of tanks and carriers."
