106 (Lancashire Hussars) LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery : 26/04/1941 - 27/04/1941

my uncle is also on this memorial with the 106th.
Jones, John Eric. he was one of five brothers that served during WW2.
thank u for including this photo. so many brave men.
Hi - for the first time I have found something relevant to my family - my uncle was Lanoe, Emile Paul 106th LAA died 26th/27th April Athens Memorial Face 8. My family originally were told that he died on a transporter which was 'stukkered' at Crete. I really want to know more and this is the first time that I have found so much helpful information. Thank you. If only my mother and grandparents knew!!

 

Hi - for the first time I have found something relevant to my family - my uncle was Lanoe, Emile Paul 106th LAA died 26th/27th April Athens Memorial Face 8. My family originally were told that he died on a transporter which was 'stukkered' at Crete. I really want to know more and this is the first time that I have found so much helpful information. Thank you. If only my mother and grandparents knew!!

Hi, just sent you an email.

 

Good evening...I'm anxious to find out what happened to George Doddrell.I have the details from CWGC but it doesn't tell the whole story.George was killed on the 26th.27th.April 1941 'at sea' His number was 7595746 Royal Army Service Corps attd 106 (The Lancashire Hussars)Lt.A.A.Regt.Royal Artillery.Died aged 23..Could anyone furnish me with what action he was involved and what ship.He's buried at the Athens Memorial(I presume) although he has a Face number (9)so I suppose that means he was lost at sea
Any help would be very welcome,Thanks in advance
TM

 

I know this is an old thread. However I hope someone can help. I have just started researching my Grandad. He was listed as killed at sea between 26/4/41 and 27/4/41. He was a staffy in the ordanace corps but was attatched to the LAD of 106 RHA. Any info would be greatly recieved

Thanks Richie407

 

Hi all,

I am trying to find out more about my uncle Frank (details below) as to were he died, reading this forum Kalamata seems favourite, but my husband has also found out about an incident about the 106 Lt AA Regt at the Corinthian Canal. Does anyone have any further info or pictures?

Name:SOUTHERN, FRANK
Nationality:United Kingdom
Rank:Gunner
Regiment/Service:Royal Artillery
Unit Text:106 (The Lancashire Hussars) Lt. A.A. Regt.
Age:21
Date of Death:between 26/04/1941 and 27/04/1941
Service No:892140
Additional information:Son of Samuel and Agnes Ann Southern; husband of Florence Southern, of Southport, Lancashire.
Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:Face 3.
Memorial:ATHENS MEMORIAL

Many thanks - TONKA77

 

Hi all,

My understanding of the incident described is that about half of the 106th were evacuated from Greece on the Slamat. The others were left on the mainland to fight the rearguard action. As already mentioned, the Slamat was sunk, some survivors were picked up, whilst under heavy fire, by the Wryneck/Diamond which were then also sunk. In total around 250-300 men of the 106th were killed and only 4 of the men survived. The incident is described in the book 'Forty Men - Eight Horses' by Douglas Arthur, who was one of 106th who left the mainland on the Calcutta.

 

My grandfather was killed at the same time ,he was a Battery Sergeant Major in 106 (The Lancashire Hussars) Lt A.A. Regt. His name was W/O II Walter Harris with the same date of death on the Athens Memorial. I did find something saying that many of the regt were killed fighting a rear guard action but I cannot find that article on the web anymore. Both myself and my father would love to know more as there are no surviving relatives to know detail. My father served in the Royal Navy and I have served in the Royal Air Force. Lord knows if there are any survivors from the Battalion left.

 

Steve,

Doug Arthur is still alive - his book 'Forty Men - Eight Horses' mentioned above is out of print, but has just been published in Kindle format http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forty-Eight-Horses-Douglas-Arthur-ebook/dp/B00ILQNBVA

 

Hi. My name is Tony and i would also like to find out more about my grandfather who was in the 106 LAA regt 1941.
His service number is 787087 Bombardier Gerard Corrigan. My mother has no record of her father and would like to find out more about the way he was lost in WWII.
She know he was on one of either the Wryneck or Diamond when they went down 26/27 April 1941 but she does not know which ship he was on. Would their be any record of this.

Thanks in advance

 

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am sure the RA chaps will be along soon to help.
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2105933/CORRIGAN,%20GERARD


Lesley

 

A few years ago I visited the National Archive to view the ships records for the vessels involved in the evacuation, unfortunately I could not find any lists of army personnel boarding the ships, can imagine the chaos and appreciate why this did not happen. The only records were for the ships crew.

 

Is this forum still live? My father in la now deceased was one of only 8 106 Lancashire Hussars survivors of Slamat, picked up by either Diamond or Wryneck........

 

Hi Ellie - It's a few years old so may be worth sending the posters a private message.

 

Thank you

 

I managed to view a couple of extensive files in the national archives in Liverpool when I visited in June. They have a scrapbook type file containing many photos, historical notes and newspaper cuttings of the 106 Regt, particularly during WW2.
I also reviewed a few files at the national archives in London during the same week and managed to put a timeline together of 106 Regt movements and deployments from leaving Alexandria and sailing across the Med to Athens early March 1941 to their evacuation at the end of the following month.

On the night of 26 April 1941 a large number of 106 Regt soldiers boarded the Dutch ship SS Slamat at
Nafplion in Greece. As the ship headed towards Crete it was bombed by German aircraft about 7am on 27 April. The ship was abandoned and most survivors were picked up by either HMS Wryneck or HMS Diamond, both of which were subsequently sunk a few hours later with the loss of most crew and passengers.
From the records I've managed to determine that my uncle was in No 3 battery and tracked their movements during their short stay in Greece. He was also last seen (by a survivor) on HMS Wryneck.
I'm off to Greece next week and am planning on visiting some of the areas where I believe his battery were deployed. I'll also be visiting the memorial outside Athens.
I can be contacted on johnstirling@hotmail.com should anyone ever want more info.

 

My late father in law was aboard Slamat, he was one of the few aboard who survived! He was eventually taken POW and was in Stalad DIII for remainder of war until liberated by Americans! He and some others revisited for 50 th Anniversary and met some of the families who had helped hide them?

 

My wife and I spent a week in Greece recently. We hired a car from Athens and drove around the coast, visiting some of the places where the 3 batteries of 106 Regt would have been in March/April 1941. We also visited the memorial at Athens where all the dead / missing are listed.

Those 'killed at sea' on 26/27 April 1941 would have boarded SS Slamat from the small port of Nauplion (aka Nafplio) which is close to Argos where a small airfield was being guarded. We stayed in Nauplion for 3-nights; what a beautiful little town it is, the ancient capitol of Greece with a large castle and lots of fab restaurants and cafe's. Certainly worth a visit, though I couldn't but think it would not have been as picturesque and calm in 1941.

 

Hi Ellie, what was your late father in laws surname? There are a few records of letters from the POWs in the national archives as they were requested to provide lists of people who boarded SS Slamat, HMS Diamond etc. Thanks, John

 

Hi John, his name was James Watson Brown. Thanks