SSM Gardner, 51st Tank Brigade (Leeds Rifles)

SSM Gardner was killed on the 28th April, 1945, whilst travelling in a jeep, along with his CO, Major Cooke, when they hit a mine. The 51st were serving in Italy yet SSM Gardner was killed near Bremen, Germany. At that time he was the SSM to my father's Headquarters Squadron, 31st Tank Brigade, RTR. I'm unable to find out why he was there and not in Italy with the 51st. I have recently visited his grave, along with that of Major Cooke, at Becklingen, Germany. Anyone able to help?

 

Hi Martin,

One possibility was that he was injured, had to go back to the UK, and then entered a reinforcement pool for Northwest Europe rather than being sent back to Italy. Men were not permanently assigned to regiments - if they were separated from their unit due to an injury they might very well end up being sent to a different unit when they had healed. Sometimes they would travel unofficially back to their regiment and then get signed back on the books there.

I think you'd really need to get ahold of his records to know for sure. Since he was KIA I think his records should be available; someone in the UK (I'm in Canada) could advise you better on this point.

PS I think you must mean 51st RTR, rather than a brigade, for what that's worth. I don't want this quibble to seem like an attack on your first post!

 

Not my area, so I stand to be corrected, but the casualty list gives him as HQ Sqn, 31 Armd Bde. Wiki (for what it's worth) states they were in Germany having crossed the Rhine.

Newspaper states that Wilfred Cooke was killed in Germany.

 

Added in case others research the two soldiers named:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2107376/wilfred-cooke/ Major Wilfred Cooke 53335 Royal Armoured Corps

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2107683/wyndham-gardner/ Warrant Officer Class II Wyndham Gardner 4074873 51 Royal tank Regiment

We always recommend applying for the subject's full service record. Yes, it may take a year to arrive - from the National Archives (TNA). It is not available online and is the definitive record. There is nothing you can do about the wait. The records were never intended to be read today. See: Get a copy of military records of service

SSM Gardner's Service Record is available @ TNA: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C19190983

Guidance on current 2026 procedures: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?thread...ications-pre-feb-2026-v-post-feb-2026.110041/

Two members, Drew5233 and Gary Tankard are regularly in TNA, who will copy the record, they are cheaper than TNA! Add a Post on this thread if you need their help: Anyone require War Diaries or other files from the National Archives?