1st Battalion Irish Guards

Hyacynth
I can't be sure, but I don't think I've seen that one, anyhow with names.
Is there any chance of a better copy / higher resolution scan, or did you find it somewhere on the internet?

 

If you can get good scans (even in 2 parts for larger/wider photos), as well as posting here, please consider letting me make up a page for your dad like these ones linked below. Would help others also researching their relatives.

ARTHUR ANDREW ‘TABS’ MAHONEY, 2ARMD & 1BN

W JACK ROSER, 1 COY, 3BN, IG

LANCE-CORPORAL JOHN O’DONNELL, 2BN & 3BN

 

Have a look at this thread by James S, one of my favourite threads on the forum. Why not do the same sort of thing here for your Dad and uncle?

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/15778-family-war.html

 

CWGC :: Casualty Details
Guardsman RICHARD SUMNER 2721222, 1st Bn., Irish Guards who died age 28 on 04 February 1944
Son of John and Isabella Sumner, of Croston, Lancashire.
Remembered with honour ANZIO WAR CEMETERY
Grave/Memorial Reference: IV, V, 5.

Personal tribute inscribed on headstone:
THE SHOCK WAS GREAT
THE BLOW SEVERE
TO LOSE A SON
WE LOVED DEAR

Photo of grave here:
ANZIO WAR CEMETERY, ITALY

A copy of his service records, if you have not already obtained them, can be applied for by contacting:
The Regimental Archivist, H.Q. Irish Guards, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ
I'd recommend that you get them if you are serious about researching his background in the Micks.

As with record requests to MOD, a fee of £30 is payable by all applicants other than a widow. They will require next of kin consent if this is not yourself and you wish to apply. Enclose a copy of the CWGC Certificate which you can print off from here CWGC :: Certificate

These will give quite a bit of information, including when he enlisted, when he embarked and if he also served with 1IG in Tunisia.

Does the family have any information or paperwork, like letters, personal accounts, photos, medals, or AB 64? These would also help with piecing together the jigsaw while you wait for records.

I am getting a copy of the 'Missing Personnel' reports completed by his battalion for Italian campaign, so perhaps his name is mentioned. When I receive them, I'll check the lists for you and post anything i find here. These type of files are a bit of a lucky dip - never sure beforehand what might be in them.

 

Cinders,
I have no information as to whether Richard was killed in action on 4 Feb, or if he died of wounds received previous to that. However, here is some information from the War Diaries for the action of 3/4th Feb '44, a German night attack.

Report by Lieutenant T.C. Keigwin, No. 4 Company, IG





Report by 2718336 Sergeant J. Dunne, no 13 Platoon, IG:



Brigade Diary of German Counter attack; the estimation at 0015 hours of of 1 bn of enemy was incorrect - it was later discovered that they were attacked by 2 battalions and 2 special companies of Germans in no. 3 Coy, IG area alone:



The Field Return for Other Ranks (ie not officers) completed as at 12 Feb, showing that 124 reinforcements were required to bring the bn back up to strength.

 

List of those men from 1st Bn Irish Guards who died between 3 and 4 Feb 1944.


001 Link ASHTON A 2721511 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
002 Link BARKER S 2722272 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
003 Link BENNETT W 2720339 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
004 Link BETTS A 2720503 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
005 Link BOOTH J 2721267 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
006 Link COOGAN W 2721334 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
007 Link COOMBER V 2719942 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
008 Link CORLETT WH 2721808 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
009 Link CRAWFORD TS 2720295 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
010 Link FORAN DJ 2718838 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
011 Link GEERING S 2720909 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
012 Link HALL R 2719489 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
013 Link HARRIS P 2717206 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
014 Link MANLY PG 2718881 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
015 Link MILLER G 2722391 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
016 Link MURRAY J 2722117 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
017 Link O'BEIRNE E 2718492 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
018 Link PETERS WJ 2722661 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
019 Link QUINN T 2717303 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
020 Link RANCE JF 2723016 4 COY, 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
021 Link ROWSON N 2721043 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
022 Link SHEFFIELD C 2721295 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
023 Link SMITH J 2718369 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS
024 Link SUMNER R 2721222 1ST BN 04/02/1944 IRISH GUARDS


Quis Separabit

 

A copy of his service records, if you have not already obtained them, can be applied for by contacting:
The Regimental Archivist, H.Q. Irish Guards, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ
I'd recommend that you get them if you are serious about researching his background in the Micks.

As with record requests to MOD, a fee of £30 is payable by all applicants other than a widow. They will require next of kin consent if this is not yourself and you wish to apply. Enclose a copy of the CWGC Certificate which you can print off from here CWGC :: Certificate


My apologies Cinders, just realised I made an error. You actually do not need consent of NOK. As your relative died over 25 years ago the full records can be released without consent.

This MOD ruling applies equally to Guards' records
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel
(Do not apply to the MOD address, but to the address I gave above)

 

Hello Bob
All info here is transcribed from War Diary
References are given in first post
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/415451-post1.html
Which piece of information did you cross reference, may i ask?
Regards
Diane

 

From IG History, apologies for poor quality, have not been able to fix my scanner.

Two sketch maps which include Dung Farm, and a relevant page of narrative.


001 Link BORLAND T 2718680 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 12.
002 Link BRADLEY JJ 2722124 1ST BN 31/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, B, 7.
003 Link BRADSHAW A 2720540 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS PANEL 4.
004 Link BROOKS V 2721665 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 12.
005 Link BYRNE W 2721609 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 11.
006 Link CARTLIDGE FC 2722791 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 9.
007 Link DA COSTA PC 156083 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 11.
008 Link DAY FA 2721560 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 6.
009 Link DOLAN T 2718647 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 5.
010 Link DOWLING E 2722197 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 8.
011 Link DUGGAN JP 2717006 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 7.
012 Link GIBSON WE 2718921 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 10.
013 Link GILLOW HJ 87530 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, E, 3.
014 Link GILMORE G 2718644 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, E, 4.
015 Link HOLWELL GF 4855664 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, E, 2.
016 Link JOHNSTON WS 2722971 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 8.
017 Link KELLY EM 2717567 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 3.
018 Link MELIA JW 2720191 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, E, 6.
019 Link MURPHY W 2721590 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, E, 1.
020 Link MURPHY GE 2718878 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 6.
021 Link MUSGRAVE CM 247102 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 1.
022 Link O'BRIEN PJ 2721861 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 10.
023 Link O'DONNELL J 2716792 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 4.
024 Link O'NEILL J 2723120 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 7.
025 Link O'REILLY L 2722478 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS IV, J, 5.
026 Link PRESTON SET 228338 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 2.
027 Link STUBBS F 2720447 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS II, W, 10.
028 Link WELSH J 2722241 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, K, 9.
029 Link WILLIAMSON H 2721306 1ST BN 30/01/1944 IRISH GUARDS III, W, 2.

 

1 IG, January 1944, War Diary