Im researching my Great Great uncle 5386752 Pte Edwin Ernest Williams. He was killed in Italy and is buried in Arezzo. I know 2 Kings were 28 Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and had served in Gibraltar until end of 43. I know for personal info etc I can get from his record but im trying to find what battles etc he would have fought and in what the kings were doing the days around his death.Im curious about Edwin as he was a southerner serving in a northern regiment and his service number was issued by the Oxs and Bucks LI. Until i can get a look at the war diary I was hoping someone would share their knowledge with me. Thanks
Biddy95. I have a lot of info on 2 KINGS's role at the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino. They had a significant role as 28 Inf Bde's assault battalion for the Rapido river crossing on the night of 11-12 May 44. If he was with the battalion in 43 and was killed in Jul 44 at Arezzo then he was Cassino. Regards Frank
Nothing surprising about that as once in the Army they would send men to any regiment they liked in The British Army.
Hi biddy95, I know that the book, 'The Story of the King's Regiment', by Lieut. Colonel J.J. Burke-Gaffney has a few short chapters devoted to the 2 KLR and their journey through Italy in 1944. This might be a good book to read, I asked my local library to track a copy down for me a year or two ago. I did this because it had a casualty Roll of Honour for WW2 in the index pages. My grandfather died in Burma as part of the 13th Battalion of the King's, like your Great Uncle he was from the south (London), but was posted into the Devonshire Regiment before joining the King's. So there was no rhyme nor reason for a man's posting necessarily, he was sent to where there was a need. Fortunately, I did scan the Roll of honour in the back of book, and so please see attached the last page including Edwin's name. Best wishes Steve
Hello Biddy 95, Your great uncle fought on the Trasimene Line near to where I used to live between 24-29 June 1944 and then moved on into the lowland known as the Val di Chiana, pursuing the retreating German forces northwards towards Florence. My book 'The Trasimene Line June-July 1944', describes the taking of the village of Gioiella by 2 Kings on 26 June in which he was almost certainly involved. It can be obtained on-line from fondazioneranieri.org The CWGC has now added to its website information as to where the dead were intially buried and collected from. This information is in the form of grid references, which can be translated into a 'google' map using this website: http://www.echodelta.net/mbs/eng-translator.php# I have looked up your great uncle and three map references are given, unfortunately only four figure, so you wil have to obtain the war diary for confirmation, but it seems that he was initally buried in the Val di Chiana itself not far from Sinalunga. Best of luck with the rest of your research, Vitellino
Hi Vitellino, That is great detail for biddy95. The new information added to the CWGC website can be of great value to family research, as can be seen with those grid references in relation to Edwin. Many families will have started their research with the CWGC site, but would not think of returning there again and might miss this new information. Best wishes Steve
Biddy 95 The planning for the operation "DIADEM" of the fourth battle for Cassino had the 4th Div assaulting the Rapido and pushing into the Liri Valley - turning right to meet the POLES coming down from the Monastery- didn't happen and so they just stayed on the right of the line - after Rome fell they were transferred to the US 5th Army with XIII corps and as Vitalino writes in his book "The Trasimene Line June-july 1944".you will find details of where he was buried initially cheers
I can use the cwgc coordinates method of identifying the intial place of burial for another soldier im researching who died in italy so thank you
Thank you all. Edwins older brother was killed at the battle of Amiens in 1918. My poor great great grandad he lost two sons in 2 wars, his grandson was wounded severely in 45 in germany and his son in law a pow. Without the forum i wouldnt have found half of what i have.