238 Field Coy RE 18th June 1943

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Steve49, Nov 21, 2021.

  1. Steve49

    Steve49 Boycott P&O...

    Listed on the Brookwood Memorial for the 18th June 1943 are the following losses from 238 Field Company RE.

    Lance Serjeant Hugh C. McKEAN (2091797)
    Sapper John McKEAN (2091798)
    Sapper Fred WADDINGTON (2132227)
    Sapper William SMITH (2091421)
    Sapper Andrew BROWNE (2053178)
    Sapper Alexander GREAVES (5110431)
    Sapper Cecil D. CULLEY (6288424)
    Sapper Matthew EDELSTON (2056442)
    Sapper Joseph McMENEMY (2091799)

    Does anybody know the cause of their loss?

    Regards,

    Steve
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

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  3. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Steve,

    238 Field Company also lost that day another twenty members, four are commemorated at Medejez-El-Bab Memorial, Tunisia and seventeen at Enfidaville, Tunisia. Of these some are buried other commemorated. To be accurate I have only looked a couple of the CWGC records.

    The puzzle is why and where? The Tunisian campaign had ended officially on 13th May 1943 (from Wiki). Why would some be buried / commemorated in Tunisia and nine at Brookwood?

    Wiki shows that two RN LCTs were sunk in the Mediterranean on 18/6/43 and a convoy GTX2 was attacked the previous day, when HMT Yoma:
    See: List of shipwrecks in June 1943 - Wikipedia and a good account on: SS Yoma - Wikipedia

    This includes:
    I could find on the CWGC index fifty-eight personnel from the RAOC (x48), Catering (x4) and RASC (x6) who are commemorated at Brookwood, as died on 17th June 1943.

    My initial conclusion was the sinking of HMT Yoma was the reason. Next time check here first!

    However there is a 2013 thread on this question and within is the explanation in Post 10:
    There is more on the thread: 238 Field Coy RE, 18 June 1943
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2021
    Steve49 likes this.
  4. Steve49

    Steve49 Boycott P&O...

    Hi,

    Thanks for all that, I should have used the search engine to check on the field company before making my post!

    I see from my loss records that HM LCT395 was sunk after a mine strike in the Mediterranean on the 18th. That would tie in with the comments made in the other thread on this subject, namely that the Field Company suffered heavy losses after a landing craft struck a mine.

    Regarding the recording on the Brookwood Memorial. It's not the first time I've come across this, with some deaths recorded on it and others buried or listed on a memorial closer to the location of their loss. I've yet to discover a pattern for this occurrence.

    Regards,

    Steve

    Edit: Just looked on CWGC and I see they company lost 31 men on this day, plus one more on who presumably died from his wounds on the 21st. A terrible loss indeed.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2021

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