War Diary: 4 Bn Welch Regiment, June - August 1944

Sorry Al, just checking in at WW2 talk forum and now I noticed your reply. Yes please and if you have any records about Bladel, Hapert area please let me know.
Cheers,
Adrian

 

Hi
I attach the relevant war diary for you - I am also making limited progress in tracing the family and might have a small lead. You can see from the diary how Charles Dack might have died on 9th Nov 1944. I am also dealing with Wilfred who has adopted a grave as well. He has my email. Could you let me have your email please?

I could send you a little more info if you want as well.

Regards

Al Jones

 

Hi Adrian - what months did you want please - I can send the copies to you - most are on this site but not always easy to find. Regards Al

 

"Appendix IV
Fighting Patrol Report Night 9/10 September 1944
4 Welch


Unit providing patrol: ‘C’ Coy 4 Welch
Patrol Commander: Lt DB Davies
Strength: One Officer, 12 ORs
Route: 843922-848924 including bridge 848928

Task: 1. Is bridge at 848926 blown? Answer: Completely demolished
2. Obtain identification this side of canal east of Bridge.
Answer: No enemy this side of canal now. Only body was that of Cpl Thursby who was killed in scrap late yesterday evening.

Patrol Comd’s Narrative
I moved down to Bridge from my platoon at 843922 at 0400 hours and arrived at bridge 848926 at 0450 hours. There had been spandau fire over our heads in village 845922 during the evening but during patrol I located no enemy this side of the bridge nor did I hear any activity on the far bank. The bridge is completely demolished. The banks of the canal are very high and unsuitable for rafting. The width of the canal is at lest 30 yards.
NOTE: During the evening I heard horse drawn transport moving on the enemy’s side of the canal opposite to bridge, but high banks to canal deny observation.
Davies, Lt 4 Welch"

Just returned from a small field trip in the area, here is a picture of 2 graves of 4 Welch at Viersel Churchyard. One is mentioned in the Appendix sited.

 

This was in October 1944. The dairies for that month have been very helpfully typed by Swiper (see previous). They are all on this website - it is just a matter of finding them.

There is a lot more information - if you get used to the site you will find it

Hope that assists

Regards

Al Jones
​

This is an extract:
4th Bn The Welch Regiment

1st October 1944– 31st October 1944

Appendixes 1 (One) to 8 (Eight)


Location - Bladel
1st October – 1900 – Nothing to report – Patrols to areas Fransche Hoef and East edge of De Hoeven made no contact with enemy.

Night 1st/2nd 2000/0600 – Protective patrolling only. No enemy activity to report.

2nd October – 1200 – Battalion warned for move to positions South East of S’Hertogenbosch. Advance party to move 021500A.


1900 – Order group for move and attachment to 158 Brigade. Battalion at one hours notice from 23600A.


2100 – Time of move 030850A.

3rd October - 0850 – Battalion move in troop carrying vehicles to concentration area in 158 Brigade sector. Order of march: Advance Battalion HQ, Support Company, Battalion HQ, A Company, B Company, C Company, D Company, Regimental Aid Post, A Echelon. Route:– Happert – Eersel – Steensel – Veldhoven-crossroads 420167 – crossroads 411182 – road junction 414184 – cross roads 412191 – railway crossing 414194 – road junction 418200 thence by Club route – road junction 421196 – Woensel – Volkhoven – Zon – road junction 436306 – Lieshout 5126. Battalion come under command 158 Brigade on arrival in new area.

 

Good morning and would you have any notes about the battalion when they were in Banbridge and then Keady in Northern Ireland (early 1940 to say April 1941)? Would there be a list of the officers, CO, company commanders, platoon leaders, that sort of thing? I am trying to find the name of a company commander who was a solicitor in Civvy Street but was in Keady in early 1941.

 

Hi Murdo - yes I have some documents for Keady - attached. I am not sure if they include list of officers but have a look. It takes a bit of practice to read diaries and terms - I have a lot of information from the battalion's war diaries but it is hard to see names - they might be mentioned occasionally. This could overwhelm you with too much information - see how you get on with this first bit. Regards Al

 

Many many thanks Al and I certainly will and get back to you!

 

Sorry Al but how can I download these or do I have to take screen shots?

 

Hi Murdo, If you click on an image to open the slideshow on the forum, the images can be dragged straight to your desktop.

 

Hi and brilliant - silly old me eh?

 

Hi Murdo - some names of officers on this photo from the 4th Welch - hope it assists

 

Hi Al and great photo but my father would have left by that time as he married in Banbridge in January 1941 and left a couple of months later! However, perhaps I will recognise some names which you gave me with those interesting Keady documents. He went back to the Depot in early 1941 and was quickly shipped off to Glasgow and then India via Freetown and Durban. I'll have to listen to his tape again for more precise dates perhaps and shall let you know. Perhaps I could take this opportunity of asking if you know what this cap badge was......Although he was commissioned to the Welch Regiment an was with then in India, on his postings to the Arakan and Imphan he was with 1RWF and then 2 Suffolks when he was wounded in 1944. He talks about being sent to bolster the 1RWF who were literally fighting for their lives in the Arakan but by the time he and a few other officers arrived, they were retreating in an orderly fashion having been replaced. They sailed on a Dutch fery boat and returned to 1RWF's barracks "in the middle of India". Could this badge be from 1RWF by any chance?

 

Hi Murdo - some names for you...sorry on idea on the badge but others will know on this site. Regards Al

 

Judging by his original unit and the badges on this website link, I would say it is a badge for the RWF:

Crests and Badges for Printing | 20+ ideas on Pinterest | crests, badge, prints

 

Hi Bambou and there is no more doubt about it, is there?!! Bravo and many thanks indeed!

 

Thanks Al and we may be getting a bit closer but I must listen again to that particular part of his tape but I believe he was only a short time in Keady (until March 1941 perhaps) before leaving for Norfolk (70th Young Soldiers) Battalion for some sort of course then back to the Depot in Cardiff and off to India.

 

Hi Murdo - these are the 4th Welch battalion diary for Feb 1941 and March 1941 and you have Jan 1941 (above). I see that there are some names of the records. This might help a bit...good luck!

 

More interesting stuff Al but I should explain that my father finished his OCTU 166 in Colchester in February 1940 and was commissioned to the Welch Regiment. Not sure when he actually arrived there but was sent to the 4th Battalion in Banbridge before the 1st April 1940 because that is when he met our mother!!!

 

Hi Murdo - I have all the diary records for 1940 - I could send them in batches say three months at a time - starting from Jan 1940 if that helps?
Regards