24th Lancers - Roll of Honour

Re. Trooper J.Hill (7927981?7927976) - he is absent from the Nominal list at disbandment, due to his having been amongst the 24th L wounded in Normandy. However there is a slight difference in his quoted army number - either (7927981) on the pre-D-Day roll, or (7927976) on the list of wounded, which looks like quite an unusual typo to make.

24th L - wounded...

 

Re. Sergeant Sidney B. Thaxter - ex-24th Lancer and Physical training instructor...

The 24th L - War Diary - has...

30/1/42 The Commanding Officer congratulated Sgt.Malt and Sgt.Thaxter upon their winning the Divisional Middle Weight and Heavy Weight Boxing Championships.

And there is this for instance... within the British Newspaper Archives... that it seems to be possible to relate to his post ww2...

"Nottm. Ex-Boxing
... Nottm. Ex-Boxing Champion Attacked
MOTHER AND TWO SONS PAY PENALTY A mother and her two sons were before the magistrates in the Nottingham Summons Court to-day for assaulting P.c. Sidney Bernard Thaxter former amateur boxing champion, whilst in the execution ... (presumably of his roll as a post-ww2 Police Constable)

Published: Tuesday 18 November 1947
Newspaper: Nottingham Evening Post
County: Nottinghamshire, England
Type: Article | Words: 784 | Page: 1, 4 | Tags: none"

Edit -

Also... this from 22nd March 1943...

Sidney Thaxter, also of the Southern Division, reached the semi-final of the Army championship.
Published: Monday 22 March 1943
Newspaper: Nottingham Evening Post
County: Nottinghamshire, England
Type: Illustrated | Words: 312 | Page: 4 | Tags: none

There's a picture titled - Army Boxing Championships - Blackpool 1943 - here...

Army Boxing Championship Blackpool 1943 | ParaData

 

Re. Robert Nicholas BIBBY-TREVOR,

He was in the 24th Lancers from around its inception and was a trooper who rose to the rank of lance corporal (p26 of NHL) then left to go to officer training.

There are a number of references online that mention him, including....

"BIBBY-TREVOR, Robert Nicholas
MA, Oxford. I. 29 April 1931. ETC. 1 February 1933.
Prop. Derbyshire KC. Sec. Pereira. 2 Dr Johnson’s
Buildings, 1933-1956.Transferred to South Eastern
Circuit in 1949. Cloisters, 1957-1985. Same address but
non practising, 1986-1988. Not in 1989 Bar Directory."

And a 7th September 1998 Obituary (he died aged 91) in a Pembroke College, Oxon magazine where it says "too old to be commissioned in the 24th Lancers he transferred to the Royal Artillery and served in North Africa before being demobbed at the end of the war with the substantive rank of Captain"

Pembroke College Record (Oxford), 1997-1998

He is mentioned a number of times in "None Had Lances" - as as a trained barrister his "skills came in useful" ;-)

From the London Gazette - his comissioning as an officer in the Royal Artillery - 15th June 1943 Edition - p2724 - and army number as a new officer - for 12th May 1943...

Robert Nicholas BIBBY-TREVOR - (276300)

Some biographical info... on the MyHeritage site...

"Robert Nicholas Bibby Trevors, born Circa 1907
Robert Nicholas Bibby Trevors was born circa 1907, at birth place, to Robert Ewart Bibby Trevor and Mary Elizabeth Bibby Trevor.
Robert had 2 siblings: John Robert Bibby Trevors and one other sibling.
Robert lived on month day 1911, at address."

 

1939 Register
54 Nutfield Road, Croydon, Surrey

Name - DOB - Occupation - Marital status
Robert N Bibby-Trevor - 09 Feb 1907 - Barniser At Law - Married
Evelyn Bibby-Trevor - 06 Dec 1912 - Unpaid Domestic Duties - Married
The record for this person is officially closed

 

Ex-24th Lancer - John Edward St.Clair Smallwood

There is a picture of him here: The Men of SOE Burma

And IWM audio at...

Smallwood, John Edward St Clair (Oral history)

"Audio - with...
DESCRIPTION
Object description
British officer served with Special Operations Executive in GB, Middle East and with Jedburgh Team Citroen in France, 1943-1944; served with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Burma, 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1923-1939: family origins; education; impressions of vibrancy of German power during visits to Germany during 1930s; divided political camps amongst school fellows at Wellington school. Aspects of period with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1940-1943: enlistment, 1939 and transfer to Royal Armoured Corps in 1940 volunteering to fight in Finland, winter 1940; desire to get out of regimental soldiering in Royal Armoured Corps in GB; view of sinking of French destroyer at Gourock, spring 1940. Aspects of period as captain with Special Operations Executive in GB and Middle East, 1943-1944: reasons for volunteering for Special Operations Executive, 7/1943; psychological tests for recruits and response; posting for demolition training to ME102 near Gaza; opinion of staff officers at ME102; parachute training at Ramat David; view of escape of Polish officers from Roman candle at Ramat David; personnel at Ramat David; attitude towards parachuting. REEL 2 Continues: importance of having silk parachute; abandonment of plan to be sent to work with Chetniks in Yugoslavia; objecting to being returned to Royal Armoured Corps; demands to see personal report and eventual showing of report by Colin Gubbins; objections to report's contents; opinion of Special Operations Executive administration in London; teaming up with Jedburgh Team Citroen in GB; training in Algiers area. Recollections of operations as captain with Jedburgh Team Citreon in France, 1944: confusion over dropping point in France; opinion of incompetence of despatch of team from aircraft; reception committee at Plateau de St Crystol near Avignon, 13/8/1944; take over of Apt from German forces; reprisals by French Resistance against Germans at Apt; ease off movement northwards up Rhone valley; skirmish with Germans near Orange. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of inaccuracies in Bing Crosby's memoirs about capture of Apt; facilitating advance of US Army; recollections of befriended volunteer for Vlassor Army - Ivan Gauloub and his escape from execution by Russian forces in 1945; story of eight Germans holding up US advance north of Orange, 8/1944; liberation of Toulouse; trouble with Spanish Republicans in Andorra; smuggling wine from France to GB. Aspects of operations as officer with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Burma, 1944-1945: voyage to South East Asia aboard MV Batory, 1944-1945; training in Ceylon and Bengal; flight and drop into Shan States, Burma, 28/12/1944; security over distribution of arms to Shans; military ascendency of Shan Resistance over Japanese; local alliance of Siamese with Japanese; loss of brother officer in action against Siamese; wihdrawal of Siamese and Japanese from northern Burma; opinion of RAF's supply work. REEL 4 Continues: Burmese hill tribes armed against Japanese; team's winning of hearts and minds of local people; killing of Japanese assassination squad; reaction of local Japanese to surrender after VJ Day; preference for operating in Burma rather than France; mail received in Burma; opinion of Special Operations staff in South East Asia; story of state of mind of brother officer after end of operations in Burma; brother's record as Special Operations Executive agent in South Tyrol; teaming up in Ceylon for Burma; discipline imposed on wireless operator in Burma; reactions to pro-Japanese local people."

And...

JEDBURGH - Smallwood, John Edward St Clare

Has...
SURNAME - Smallwood
FORENAME - John Edward St Clare
UNIT - S.O.E. Jedburgh Team Citroen
RANK - T/Captain
NUMBER - 126569
AWARD - Mention in Despatches
PLACE - France 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit 24th Lancers, R.A.C.
born 24.4.1919
codename Anne
Force 136 SOE 1945

 

Re. Ex-24th Lancer -

7961375 - Trooper WILLIAM GEORGE JOHN WICKHAM - Casualty Details | CWGC

With...

TROOPER - WILLIAM GEORGE JOHN WICKHAM
Service Number: 7961375
Regiment - Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C. 44th
Date of Death - Died 27 February 1945, Age 22 years old
Buried or commemorated at REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
46. A. 14. Germany
Country of Service - United Kingdom
Additional Info - Son of William Edward and Nellie May Wickham, of Welling, Kent.
Personal Inscription - THE MEMORIES OF OUR BELOVED SON ARE BLESSED

And see also: 44 RTR - War Diary for March 1945

 

1939 Register
27 Awliscombe Road, Bexley, Kent

Name - DOB - Occupation - Marital status
William E Wickham - 25 Jan 1893 - Estimating & Correspondence Clerk For Machinery Exports - Married
Nellie M Wickham - 05 May 1896 - Unpaid Domestic Duties - Married
William G J Wickham - 28 Sep 1922 - Shipping Clerk - Single

 

There is a entry in the 24th Lancers War Diary for the 5th March 1942 with...

5/3/42 2/Lt.J.A.Ware and 2/Lt.S.Trotter were posted to the 57th Training Regt RAC

And both occur much later in the London Gazette...

p2148 - SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 24 APRIL, 1945

17/21st Lancers.

War Subs. Lt. J. A. Ware (184248) from 24th Lancers to be War Subs. Lt., 10th Aug. 1944. retaining his present seniority.

23rd Hussars.

War Subs. Lt. G. S. Trotter (177296) from 24th Lancers to be War Subs. Lt., 10th Aug. 1944, retaining his present seniority.

Also - The London Gazette

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 1 APRIL, 1955 - page 1941

E.F.I. Section.

Capt. (Hon. Maj.) J. A. WARE (184248) relinquishes his commn., 2nd Apr. 1955, retaining the hon. rank of Major.

 

Re... ex-24th Lancer...

Lionel (Jackie) Edward Foote....

Date of death - 16/03/1987.... Reg. 17th /21st Lancers

& RQMS of the 24th Lancers...

Chelsea Pensioner's - Book of Remembrance

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?search/8211550/&q=Foote+"24th+Lancers"&o=relevance

 

Ex-24th Lancer - Graham Mason Elliott

There is an online pdf for the...
- CANFORD SCHOOL -
-- ROLL OF HONOUR --

With...

"Graham Mason Elliott - Lieutenant, Hampshire Regiment.
He was commissioned from Sandhurst into the 24th Lancers in March 1943. He later transferred to the Hampshire Regiment and landed on D-Day on "Gold" Beach with the 1st Battalion. He was severely wounded during the attack on Arromanches and died of his wounds in Hasler Hospital on June 9th 1944 which was the day following his 21st birthday."

The 24th L - War Diary - for Graham Mason Elliott has...

19/3/43 2/Lt. G.M.Elliott, RAC, was posted to the Regiment from RAC, OCTU.

&

23/11/43 Selected Officers of the Regiment attended a lecture on “Battle Intelligence” given by Lieut.Col.Ewart at HQ, 8 Corps.
2/Lts F.B.Creamer, A.H.Wade and G.M.Elliott were attached to 165 OCTU, Dunbar.
Selected Officers of the Regiment attended a demonstration of the use of 4.2” mortars at Wheeldale.

Casualty Details | CWGC
LIEUTENANT GRAHAM MASON ELLIOTT
Service Number: 268027
Regiment: Hampshire Regiment, 1st Bn.
Date of Death: Died 09 June 1944
Buried or commemorated at
DURLEY (HOLY CROSS) CHURCHYARD
Grave 495.
United Kingdom
Country of Service: United Kingdom

War Diary - 1st Battalion, The Hampshire Regt - June 1944
Has the June 1944 - Hampshire War Diary referenced. Mentions Arromanches but does not comment on Lt.Elliot, although there are references to snipers operating in the area.

 

Re. Richard "Bunny" Leather

The 24th L - War Diary - has...

20/3/43 2/Lts. B.H.Garai and R.F.Leather were posted to the Regiment from 107th Regiment, RAC.

------

24th Lancers, "B" Squadron - 4th Troop - Lt.Richard Leather's - Bridlington 1943



Curiously... there appears to be a mistake in his name on his MC citation...

Lt. Richard / Robert F. or H. Leather, M.C.
(Robert Houlden Leather?)

Recommendation for Award for Leather, Robert Houlden Rank: Lieutenant ... | The National Archives

See also - Lt. Robert Houlton Hart, M.C. (for comparison with above)
Recommendation for Award for Hart, Robert Houlton Rank: Lieutenant Service... | The National Archives

Edit -

There are a few mentions of Richard Leather here -
Garai, Bertram Henry (Oral history)

In the description of Bertram Garai's IWM audio - nb. the audio itself however is unfortunately not yet available online.

 

Lieutenant Richard Fitzgibbon Leather (258152),
Royal Armoured Corps (Lancers) (Edinburgh).
Born 1922 in Germany



His father, John Henry Leather, was a convicted spy in France during WW1:

 

Amazing! I wonder what that was all about....?

 

I say, old boy, that's real derring do stuff!

 

Re. Corporal T. (Possibly "Tim") Corbett - D/O "C" Squadron 24th L - Army Service number - 319752 - ex-9th Lancer and ex-24th Lancer.

The Nominal Roll on disbandment of the 24th Lancers has him "attached to 30 Corps"

His army number - in the Regimental history of the 9th Lancers...
Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0052.jpg - 9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum

Nb. There are a few different "Corbetts" mentioned - Corporal T.Corbett, I think, is only referenced in the appendix list...

- 9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum

Appearing here as a Lance Corporal Corbett, T.
Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0052.jpg - 9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/name-origin?surname=corbett

 

Re. ex-24th Lancer Major George Learmouth Streeter MC (Army number 44977)

After distinguished service with the Queen's Bays in the Western Desert Campaign, Major Streeter became the second in command of the 24th Lancers.

24th L War diary ref. - 12/12/43 - Major.G.L.Streeter, MC, Q.Bays joined the Regiment for duty as 2 i/c.

P225 of "None Had Lances" -



There is a British Newspaper article...

OBITUARY Major George Streeter, M.C. 20 years' Army service THE death occurred at his home on Thursday last ..
... training with the 21st Army Group in preparation for the invasion of Normandy, in which served as second.in-command of the 24th Lancers and was again mentioned in dispatches. After the war he was in command of the R.A.C. ranges at Castle Martin, Pembrokeshire ...
Published: Friday 28 December 1951
Newspaper: Herts and Essex Observer
County: Hertfordshire, England
Type: Article | Words: 217 | Page: 3 | Tags: none

And...

George Learmouth Streeter MC (1910-1951) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Along with some biographical information has his date of death as 20th December 1951

 

Re. ex-24th Lancer Frank William Wadsworth MC (Army number: 289285)

Recommendation for Award for Wadsworth, Frank William Rank: Lieutenant ... | The National Archives



He is briefly mentioned here, amongst the 24th Lancers' casualties... in the 4th Edition of Lancer Life...

24th Lancers Newsletter: 'Lancer Life'.

 

Facebook: Facebook Groups

24th Hussar...

 

Re. Lance Corporal Charles Burns

Army service number 7887784

He appears in an obituary in the Dundee Courier, Monday 21 March 1994.

With some of the details there - Originally from Kirkcaldy, he was educated at the town's Viewforth High School and during the second world war he served with The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and later the 24th Lancers. He was wounded twice, at Dunkirk and in Normandy. After the war he returned to Barry, Ostlere & Shepherd and latterly worked at Tay Textiles.

He is on the pre-D-Day roll in "A" Squadron of the 24th L and is also listed amongst those 24th L who were wounded in Normandy.

Obituary Published: Monday 21 March 1994
Newspaper: Dundee Courier
County: Angus, Scotland

As he was wounded in Normandy he does not appear in the list of those 24th Lancers transferred to other regiments, or holding units, at the time of the disbandment of the 24th Lancers at the end of July 1944.