107563 Maurice Joseph Lawson TURNBULL, 1 Welsh Guards

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by CL1, Aug 4, 2011.

  1. CL1

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

    Casualty
    Major TURNBULL, MAURICE JOSEPH LAWSON
    Service Number 107563
    Died 04/08/1944
    Aged 38
    Cdg. No.2 Coy. 1st Bn. Welsh Guards
    Test Cricketer, former Captain of the Glamorganshire County Cricket Club and Welsh International for Rugby Football and Hockey. Son of Philip B. and Ann M. Turnbull.
    Buried at BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY
    Location: Calvados, France
    Number of casualties: 4258
    Cemetery/memorial reference: XX. C. 3.
    See cemetery plan
     
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    from WELSH GUARDS AT WAR by Major LF Ellis CVO CBE DSO MC



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  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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  4. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Personal Number: 107563
    Rank: Major
    Name: Maurice Joseph Lawson TURNBULL
    Unit: Welsh Guards

    London Gazette :
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2020
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1694477.stm

    A war veteran who rescued the body of his commanding officer during the Normandy landings has held an emotional meeting with the dead man's family.

    Major Maurice Turnbull, who was killed shortly after the D-Day landings in 1944, was a distinguished sportsman before World War Two broke out.

    He had played Test cricket for England and he was in the Wales rugby team of 1933, which beat England at Twickenham for the first time, with a score of 7-3.

    But 11 years later, he was killed by a German sniper advancing with the Welsh Guards through Normandy.

    Sergeant Fred Llewellyn of the Welsh Guards spotted the body of Major Turnbull and carried him away from the frontline.

    Mr Llewellyn found a photograph of the officer's wife and children in his wallet.

    Emotional meeting

    He made sure the wallet and other personal possessions were returned to the Turnbull family.

    Mr Llewellyn met with the son and daughters of Major Turnbull, 46 years on.

    He was shown the same photo which had been dispatched home from France, which he admitted brought tears to his eyes.

    "I have been rather moved by all this, but being a Welshman, you are rather emotional anyway.

    "He is still a young man in my eyes."

    After meeting the man who recovered her father's body, his daughter Georgina said: "I know that my father was looked after and that the honour of the man was properly shown by Fred Llewellyn."

    His son Simon added: "I will never forget the duty and care shown to my father."

    Details of the act of heroism and respect for the officer have been written about by author Andrew Hignall.

    "The Germans were counter-attacking and for Fred to have the presence of mind to get his body and look after it I think was remarkable."


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  6. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

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