2733859 David Glyndwr SPOWART, No 1 Company, 3 Welsh Guards

2733859 David Glyndwr SPOWART, No1 Company (July 44), 3.Welsh
Guards, 1st Infantry Brigade, 6th Armoured Division

Enlisted 1934. 1st & 3rd Battalion

 

Thank you again, unfortunately not on the names front, although I can see a few of the large group (August ‘44) in the picture on Route 71 with the camo smocks on. Hoping it will help others.

 

Nice photos. For information he is reported as being wounded in the casualty lists in North Africa on 8.5.43 along with a number of others from the 3rd Bn.

A question - do you happen to know where photo 3 (indoor group of 7) was taken.

 

Thanks for sharing.

The men are cleaning Lewis Guns in pic 6 - replaced by Bren Gun for WW2.

Steve

 

Thank you, are you able to post the casualty lists or do you any more information regarding this ?

In terms of the third photo there was no annotation on the rear I’m afraid. There is a mix of battledress being worn so I would surmise that this is between the fall of France and Operation Torch on the premise that no ribbons bars are being worn.

 

Absolutely, he joined in 1934, he’d have been one year or so in at that point. In the other pre-war pics you can see them wearing puttees too !

 

Apologies, remiss if me, he suffered wounds to his thigh and chest having been mortared in North Africa - not long after they landed. I’ll need to check where that happened - any information you might have I.e. location etc would be gratefully appreciated. I have attached the elements of phis paperwork documenting the wounds.

Thank you

 

In my avatar you can see my father and his mate (commissioned 1944) on active service with 3rd CG in Palestine 1939 and wearing puttees ready for Guard Duty.

My father (3rd from right) is holding a Lewis Gun (in a cover) on returning from a 48 hour patrol in Palestine.

The chap in the rear wearing a service dress cap was later awarded VC in Italy Sept 1943 as CSM Peter Wright 3rd CG.

Steve

 

I’ve seen very few pics of puttees in the Western Theatres but am aware they were used in the East. Again, the weapons used in Italy are also quite different with heavy reliance on lend lease (very few pics of Stens many pics of Thompsons !) and the randomly SMLEs in lieu of number 4s.

As can be seen in pic 9 they’re also wearing US shirts.

 

Afraid that casualty lists are just that, a list of number, name, rank and a date, so they do not provide any further detail or information.

Note that the meaning of the handwritten numbers is unknown.

The reason I asked about the photo is, believe it or not, about the wallpaper!! I have a photo of my father with the same background and it has also appeared a couple of other times see this link:-
Photo odds and ends - hopefully something for everyone

I am intrigued in where the photo was taken, whilst in your photo there are no decorations on display in dad's case he is wearing the Africa Star and also his MID, I place the photo as after Q1 1944 by which time he was in Italy.

 

Very interesting, perhaps a studio in Naples cashing in … I see exactly what you mean - wallpaper is 100% match.

 

Great photos. Thank you for sharing. I'm tracing my great uncles journey with the 3rd Bn Welsh Guards during WW2 (Gdsm Samuel Carter). He was killed in Italy on 10 June 1944 by I think a nebelwefer and is buried in Bolsena cemetery.

• https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1707086/samuel-carter/
• 2736913 Guardsman Samuel CARTER, 3 Welsh Guards: 10/06/1944

I was wondering if you had the date & location of the two b/w pics of the men (first group wearing shorts where you have listed Sgt & Grandad) and the second group resting in a field (zoomed in on a couple of the guys)?

Any help you're able to offer would be much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance,
Trevor

 

Hi Trevor,

Here is the Bn War Diary for the 10th June:



The photograph of the chaps wearing KD shorts was Taken near Cortona on the 11th July 1944 and features the NCOs of No1 Coy 3WG.

The second of them wearing smocks was taken on 17th July 1944 on Route 71 about 1 1/2 miles west of Arezzo at L’Olmo.

I’m currently working on a book on 3WG in Italy, and am only at a very early stage having recently published Camouflaged Fist available through Helion (or signed copies from myself) :

Camouflaged Fist | Military History Book | Helion & Company

There’s quite a lot of bits and bobs in there about 3WG although it mainly (inevitably) focuses on the smocks themselves.

let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Gareth

 

Thanks for the info Gareth. I'm not sure if that is the photo of Samuel in the link you sent - but looks more like his brother George Carter Jnr. who served in the Signals in WW2. I have a photo that looks the same as that in the link but he is dressed in civvies. Strange. Not sure what I should do about it?

My research suggests Samuel was a gdsm in 1 Coy, 3rd Bn. Welsh Guards joining the battalion in Algeria in June '43. Why he didn't go out with his Bn in Feb '43 remains a mystery. He was also in & out of the training battalion once he was in Algiers. Plus on & off of the X (ii) list presumably because he was sick.

I would be interested in getting a copy of your book about 3WG when its published. Please keep me posted.

Would you mind if I take your email address so if I have any further questions I could contact you directly.

Many thanks,
Trevor

 

Hi Trevor - of course - apologies I've only just realised I haven't responded - sincere apologies. I've dropped you a PM