After garnering on this wonderful site, some very useful information about my Uncle ( my dads brother) who was killed whilst serving with the Chindits (45th Recce). I am wondering if anyone might have some information on my Dad's cousin. Edwin Gordon Hinton Rank: Corporal Service No: 558141 Date of Death: 25/06/1944 Age: 25 Regiment/Service: Royal Armoured Corps "A" Sqn., The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Grave Reference: VI, B, 12. Cemetery: ASSISI WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Arthur Edwin and Elsie Mary Louise Hinton, of Malmesbury, Wiltshire. According to my Father, he fought at El Alamein and was killed when his tank (Sherman???) went over a mine in Italy 1944 in the advance on Rome?. Any unit information would be gratefully received. I wonder if anyone would have any actual photographs of Assisi War cemetery?. The loss to our family was even greater as my Grandmother ( my dad's mum) and her Sister each lost a son in action, six weeks apart. Am I right in thinking that the 45th recce gave up their tanks to fight in the jungle, while the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry became an Armoured regiment. Regards Mark
Hello Mark, I shall be going to Assisi War Cemetery on 19 August and will take a photo of your father's cousin's grave if you would like. Your relative was killed on the Trasimene Line, the battle which was fought between 20-29 June 1944 in central Italy. On 25 June the Wiltshires were under the command of 78 British Division and were involved in the advance across the River Pescia to Castiglione del Lago. I have written about the battle in two books. They are : The Trasimene Line. June-July 1944 available from www.fondazoneranieri.org and The Liberation of Lake Trasimeno available from www.lulu.com. The second has a photo of a Wiltshire Tank on the front cover. You might like to get hold of a copy of The Royal Wiltshire Regiment by John I.R. Platt pub. Garnside Press 1972. I have a lot of general photographs of the cemetery, including ones taken at three separate commemoration services, which are held evrey year on 17 June, the day when the town was liberated. If you send me a private message I will pass some on to you. There is an adopt a grave scheme, and I will ask the person who runs it if your relative's grave has been adopted. People who adopt a grave undertake to place flowers on it twice a year. You might also like to visit my website assisiwarcemetery.weebly.com Regards, Vitellino (Janet Kinrade Dethick)
The Royal Wilts by Pitt has been reprinted by N & MP. http://www.naval-military-press.com/royal-wilts-the-history-of-the-royal-wiltshire-yeomanry-1920-1945.html I can't access my original copy at the moment so can't look anything up . You mean The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry by Platt. http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=platt&n=100121503&sts=t&tn=wiltshire+yeomanry There is no such regiment as ''The Royal Wiltshire Regiment''.
I rushed the whole post off earlier this evening and should have known better than to write Royal Wiltshire Regiment !! Oops!! Vitellino
Many thanks for the replies. I shall order the books shortly. Thank you Vitellino for the very useful information.I have sent a pm to you, with my email. A photograph of my Fathers cousins grave at Assisi would be wonderful. Regards Mark
The achieves of the RWY are also held in the Wiltshire County Records Office in Chippenham Wiltshire and can by viewed by appointment.
Mark99, please see attached two images of Cpl Hinton RWY in Assisi Commonwealth cemetery. A lovely spot for a Yeoman of Wiltshire to remain. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Association RWY_Cpl_Hinton_Assisi_002 by Marabout posted Oct 28, 2017 at 5:31 PM RWY_Cpl_Hinton_Assisi_001 by Marabout posted Oct 28, 2017 at 5:31 PM