3311120 Bombardier Hugh CAMPBELL, 90th Lt AA Regiment, Royal Artillery: 09/10/1944

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Armitaa, Mar 26, 2021.

  1. Armitaa

    Armitaa New Member

    I am researching family ancestry for myself and a friend and have found a relative who is (I think) buried (or commemorated) at Faenza, in Italy. He is listed as being killed in action on 9 October 1944. There are archive refs listed as WO 304/3 and WO 417/83 but I have no idea how to access these. I am interested to learn of the circs of his death - ie part of what operation. Can anyone provide any details? - thanks in anticipation.
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello and Welcome

    first port of call is his service records link here have a read very simple to apply but currently a long wait

    Get a copy of military service records


    He is buried there
    You can download the cert here which is used in place of a death certificate
    Casualty Details | CWGC

    regards
    Clive
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2021
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  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    BOMBARDIER HUGH CAMPBELL
    Service Number: 3311120
    Regiment & Unit/Ship

    Royal Artillery

    90 Lt. A.A. Regt.

    Date of Death
    Died 09 October 1944

    Age 30 years old

    Buried or commemorated at
    FAENZA WAR CEMETERY

    V. G. 2.

    Italy


    • Country of ServiceUnited Kingdom
    • Additional InfoSon of James and Bridget Campbell, of Anderston, Glasgow.
    • Personal InscriptionWE'LL MEET AGAIN. MOTHER
    Download certificate




    BURIED OR COMMEMORATED AT
    FAENZA WAR CEMETERY
    Italy
    Number of casualties: 1152
    View cemetery details



    [​IMG]
    Bmdr Hugh Campbell (Unknown-1944) - Find A Grave...
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2021
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  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Re the war diaries you access them by visiting the National Archives at Kew ,London
    Currently closed
    However there are a couple of members who offer a copy service at a reasonable rate.
    Hopefully a forum member might have the relevant diaries to share.

    regards
    Clive
     
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  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Last edited: Mar 26, 2021
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  6. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Can I just ask what the doubt may be? Do the names of his parents match?

    Incidentally the service number 3311120 indicates that he enlisted with The Highland Infantry. If he is your man and you are interested in tracing his military career you must get his official service records (see Clive's post #2), as here, servicemen often changed regiments so you will need to know when he was with various units.
     
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  7. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    He was on the Palestine 36-39 medal roll with 2nd HLI, plus below his RA casualty card

    GBM_RAM_DEATHS_AC_03593.jpg
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
    Name: H Campbell
    Service Date: 1936-1939
    Service Place: Palestine
    Campaign or Service: Palestine
    Regiment or Unit Name: 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry
    Regimental Number: 3311120
    31794_221592-00199.jpg


    Looking at the list it reminds me of Evans or Jones in a Welsh Regiment - wonder how they would differentiate between them

    TD

    From the mix of Regts dying at the same spot I wonder if it was a hospital or medical facility
     
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  9. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Thanks to Owen, for letting me know about this thread.

    Only (two OR's) was killed from the 90 LAA Regiment of The First British Infantry Division. Poor chaps. The Division did not have much use for this regiment at the time in the Italian Campaign. I think they may have been used for other duties? I need to check..

    I don't have any of the War diaries of the RA for this this period, but i do have all of the infantry regiments. I've got a funny feeling that Bombardier H.Campbell, was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Will come back with the pages from the history of the division.

    Regards,
    Stu.
     
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  10. Armitaa

    Armitaa New Member

    Thanks tony56; the doubt was only whether he was actually interred there or was merely commemorated eg on a memorial plinth. I now see that he was re-interred. This is great information and really appreciated.
     
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  11. Armitaa

    Armitaa New Member

    Thanks, Clive. Much appreciated. Might as well start the ball rolling. Cheers.
     
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    90th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikipedia
    Disbandment
    By late 1944 the Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious air attacks were rare. At the same time British forces in Italy were suffering an acute manpower shortage. As early as June 1944 the Chiefs of Staff had decided that the number of AA regiments in Italy must be reduced and their fit personnel converted to other roles, particularly infantry. 90th LAA Regiment was one of those selected for disbandment: it was withdrawn from the front on 7 November and replaced in 1st Division by 11th (City of London Yeomanry) LAA Rgt. (11th (CoLY) LAA Regiment only deployed one Bofors battery in AA defence of bridges while the rest of the regiment served in a variety of support roles.)[9][25][26][27][28]
    90th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment was formally disbanded on 8 January 1945.[1][5] Many of the men would have been sent to the Infantry Reinforcement Training Depot.[29] In the case of retrained AA gunners, care was taken to post them to infantry battalions from their home areas, though there were few Welsh battalions in the Mediterranean theatre.[26][30]


    TD
     
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  13. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Anti Tank and Light Anti Aircraft Regiments: Page 119 from the History of the First Division Florence to Monte Grande. I'm really not best pleased at all. Whilst looking through the pages of this history that i scanned some time ago, i noticed (that i did not do TWO!) Should have put my specks on.

    Throughout the campaign the Anti Tank and Light Anti Aircraft Regiments had little of their own work to do. The Anti Tank manned a few guns in most sectors, and the Light Anti Aircraft had an engagement at Monte Grande, claiming a hit; but on the whole their story of a precious store of men who were (sent to do all of odd jobs in the Division.) Road and bridge building, portering, smoke screens, line laying (and stretcher-bearing) are the most important and have been mentioned in earlier chapters. Here it only remains to say the Division would have found it hard to get on without their hard work, cheerfulness and bravery.

    I will have to scan the pages (again!) How did i miss that?:banghead: Would anyone mind if use a expletive? What a .... e..!
    3..jpg
    The following file is from page 145; Appendix 'A' SECTION 1 TOTAL BATTLE CASUALTIES. The above Division covered the least miles in action than any other division in the Italian campaign of which i (could be wrong.) I'm going to nick name them the stuck division. Can anyone provide a headstone of 90 LAA Reg, 11261445, Johnston R.? I think we should! Armitaa, i hope you don't mind that i ask this? They only spent twelve months in this ghastly campaign.
    145. (2).jpg
    Below are the files from the History of which was a tough month for 3 Infantry Brigade ( more so for 1 DWR, & 1 KSLI.) A Victoria Cross was awarded to the the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, of which was the last of six that this division was awarded in WW2.
    56 & 57..jpg
    Monte Ceco, is Monte Cece. All of the maps will follow the pages. They are rather good in my opinion. Hats off to them.:smug:
    M. CECO & PT.734. No 5..jpg
    58 & 59. (2).jpg
    60 & 61..jpg
    M. CECO & PT.734. No 5a..jpg
    M. CECO & PT.734. No 5b..jpg Notice page 60. Plan for the Final Assault on Monte Ceco (Cece.) above.Lt Col Shiel, was killed by a burst of a medium gun? He was buried on the 11th October in the Divisional cemetery ( which by all accounts was just north of Borgo S. Lorenzo!) This is up for debate. Below is the citation for Private Burton, which is taken from The History of THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S REGIMENT 1919-1952. C.N.BARCLAY. Edit: a map will be shown of Borgo S. Lorenzo at the end. It's not of the sharpest quality when it comes to being able to zoom in. The cemetery may be able to be seen? The legend is in the normal place.
    105..jpg
    106..jpg
    107..jpg
    I would like to mention this is from the War diary before i forget. 15/10/44, WO 170-1416 1 KSLI. Lt. McGuire, 90 L.A.A. Regt, R.A., came over for tea ( has you do.) He is in charge of the 16 bearer party attached to us from the Div R.A., for portering, etc. An unorthodox role for them. Some chaps was attached to 1 DWR, from the Anti Tank Regiment. Info from the 1 DWR War diary for the same month.

    Edited to complete how i wanted it. What a pain in the rear. Drat. Don't press the wrong key.:banghead::banghead::banghead:
    62 & 63..jpg
    The Castagno Smoke Screen below.
    97..jpg
    Notice the chap to the left with a goosed umbrella. Poor mule. I can't pull them two out on my own.:bye: I'm off.
    64. (2).jpg
    M.CECO & PT.734. No 5c..jpg
    64..jpg
    65..jpg
    I think The Divisional Engineers did not like the "Bastard Bridge" (last paragraph page 65.)
    66 & 67..jpg
    68 & 69..jpg
    LAST DAYS OF ARROW ROUTE. No 6..jpg
    70 & 71..jpg
    72 & 73..jpg
    LAST DAYS OF ARROW ROUTE. No 6a..jpg
    74 & 75..jpg
    76 & 77..jpg Here ends the tale of 1 Division for the month of October, 1944. The following map shows the journey they undertook to Monte Grande. 1 November, 44 . Its another mountain they would be stuck on between- 9-17, January, 1945. The relief of the Division was by 85 US. Division. THE MOVE TO MONTE GRANDE MAP No 7..jpg


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    ,
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2021
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  14. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Given that he was a Bombadier in Oct 44, it is likely that he had spent a while in 90 LAA Regt RA. That would place him at Anzio for the whole time that 1 Inf Div was there from Jan-Jun 44.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  15. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Will come back & carry on. A map is missing. Any one would think i was a Apprentice at posting on this forum..:oops:. Not cricket.

    Regards,
    Stu.
     
  16. Dubman

    Dubman Well-Known Member

    If anyone has, or is getting, a copy of the 90th Light A.War diaries I would be interested in a copy, or paying towards it.
     
  17. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    I've got January 1944 if its any use
     
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  18. Gary Tankard

    Gary Tankard Well-Known Member

    What months are you looking for? I am going down to Kew in a couple of weeks.
     
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  19. Dubman

    Dubman Well-Known Member

    Is there a chance of file sharing it?
    antitank73@hotmail.com
    Thank you
     
  20. Dubman

    Dubman Well-Known Member

    Actually seeking March 42 to end of war.
    but if you could get any month Feb 43 would be great.
    my email is antitank73@hotmail.com
    thank you
     

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