Drumaneen: I've tracked down a relation in HQ Coy 1 Ox and Bucks who died on the Dendre in 1940. Have you come across, or are able to advise where to search for, any photos of that company in '39 or '40? Cheers
GB Could you post more info if not deemed to personal. Might give forum members a bit more to go on. regards Clive
Didn't want to overburden members, Clive! Here's what I've got: 5383464 Acting Lance-Corporal Robert Alexander Wallis No4 Platoon (Carrier), HQ Company 1st Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 143 Infantry Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division, I Corps KIA on the River Dendre a.m.19/05/40 aged 24 Isieres Communal Cemetery ( CWGC Index Bel 143) Coll Grave 1-9 Hit by anti-tank shell while on recce in Bren carrier along the canalised section of the River Dendre for 14 Plt, D Coy, 4 Cheshires Hope this helps all you sleuths! GB
I have a photograph taken at Dallington of some of 162, as my father was a part of it, from the RWK's until his transfer to 15th Recce.
Please can anybody tell me if they can make out anything or anybody from this photo. I recently found it in a collection of old photo's that my Mother had kept. I thought my father might be in it but I cannot make him out. Perhaps he took it as he did carry a camera on many photo's after the war. He was in the 157th Rly Con Coy Unfortunately there is no-one left in the family that might be old enough to shed any light on it :| Many thanks for looking Ady B-)
AdyB If I was asked to make a considered guess then I would say Sicily or Italy before Feb 1944. Note the KDs being worn alongside BDs plus the absence of Africa Star medal ribbons.....these were issued some time in Feb '44, at least in my unit. Ron
My grandfather was one of those in this photo from Uelzen. I've just uploaded some pics of him on my gallery page, including a photo still in my family's possession of his troop in Uelzen with the reverse of the photo signed by his fellow RE's. [sharedmedia=gallery:images:12976] [sharedmedia=gallery:images:12977]
A relative of Harry Langley has kindly confirmed that he is in this troop photo, 2nd row from back, 5th from left. Those of you interested in 84 Field Coy RE, or the RE involvement in the D-Day landings, may have seen websites containing accounts of the landings by Harry. Would be great to identify a few more names/faces if possible...
Following a visit to the National Archives, I have now been able to put names (and numbers) to most of the signatures on the reverse of my Grandfather's Uelzen troop photo, to the best of my ability. Hoping to identify a few more... http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/image/12977-84-field-coy-re-troop-uelzen-germany-1945-reverse/ Spr J. Hewitt (2145647), Spr F Elder (14239129), Dvr P.I. Appleton (1949382), Spr F. Borton (14640890), Spr H. Potter (2118491), J.R. Pennell (1878228), Spr W.R Potter (1944895), Spr H. Langley (5730302), Spr R. Barron (14518528), Spr F.L. Turner 'Les Turner'? (14379783), Lt/Sjt G.R. Laidlaw (2125573), Spr A. Brand (6029153), Spr G.O. Coxon (1579005), Spr C. Arnold (2139090), Spr E. Marchant (10693038), A.E. Marsh (21226155).
View attachment 84 Fd Coy Photo with Names.pdf ...and another work in progress - this time of the whole company. I've not yet listed the "D-Day 3" (Leisk, Hawkins, Sadler) as I'm still awaiting 100% confirmation of their exact positions in this photo. If anyone can confirm their location in this photo, or indeed recognises any other faces, please get in touch.
I've just returned from the IWM archives, and they have the photo of 1st platoon, 84 Fd Coy, in Uelzen, which includes Leisk, Hawkins, Sadler, and also Sparkes. I have ordered a copy of the photo and will upload once received. Once I have received this I will have photos of 1st, 2nd, 3rd platoons, and the whole coy pic, in front of the 'Amtsgericht' (district court) in Uelzen 1945.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:23410] 84 Field Company RE - 1 Platoon - Uelzen, Germany - 1945 Jimmy Leisk (back row, 3rd from left), Cyril Hawkins (back row, 1st left), Fred Sadler (front row, 6th from left)
Has anyone considered loading some facial recognition software and labeling known soldiers. Then using that database of faces check other photos of the unit or action shots to see if the software can identify some of the fellows? I know it sounds like a big task and I am thinking of doing it for the 508th PIR.
sirjahn, I for one would be interested in hearing what software you plan to use and how useful it proves to be for facial recognition. There was some discussion on Picasa's facial recognition ability in the following thread. facial recognition software - WW2Talk Regards ...
Hi. I am new to this site and was excited to find so much information on my grandads unit 84 field coy RE.thank you to everyone who has put photos on-I have been able to find out he was in 3 platoon through looking at them.I have a photo of the company but it is not very clear so hope to be able to print yours.
Here is a photo of my great grandfather, Lance Corporal John Conway and some of his unit, the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Probably taken at place called Annoeullin near Calais because that's where the war diary says they were from February 13th to 29th March. It was published on the 20th of February 1940 in the Stirling Observer. He is the one in the front row in his kilt. I originally found the image via the British Newspaper Archive. I contacted the Stirling Observer directly to see if they might have a copy of the photo in their files. They directed me to the local council's archive where they keep copies of the newspaper and they sent me this digital photo of the original which is a bit clearer. I would still like to find a copy of the original and wondered if anyone might know where to look? It occurred to me when I was speaking to the archivist at Stirling Council that the photo would likely be an official one maybe taken by a camera unit for propoganda purposes so might be still kept somewhere in the government's or army's files.
I can't help, I'm afraid, but your picture's a good find. I was only dimly aware of the British Newspaper Archive and - thanks to your post - had a click around. There seems to be a lot of potential interest to me, but it isn't especially cheap to subscribe - has anybody spotted any offers or free-use trials like some other genealogical sites offer? I notice they have a box for 'promotional codes'.
IWM have images taken by official Army film & photographic units, but I believe that organisation was created in 1941. To me this looks more like a 'regimental' photograph than one originally taken at the instigation of any War Office department. So regimental museum/archives then?
