3rd Coldstream Salerno

Hello. I am researching my grandad, I have not done anything like this before but I am quite enjoying finding things out about what him and the Coldstreamers got upto in Italy. I am a ex Coldstreamer myself so managed to get hold of his personal records. I would love to go more in-depth but finding it hard to see any official mention of him. I have the regimental books “no dishonourable name” and “Coldstream guards 1929-1946 but see no mention of him or incident of that day so any help would be appreciated. This is what I have found out so far.

2655336 Harry R Crowe.

He Joined Coldstream Guards aged 19 at Scarborough recruitment office on 05-01-32. He did his military training at Catherham Guards depot and was then posted to 3rd battalion and completed 3 year’s service. Discharged on 04-01-35.

He was called back to service 15-08-39 and again posted to 3rd battalion. He went out to France with the B.E.F and ended up in Dunkirk where he was wounded 01-06-40 with GSW to neck. He was in military hospital Oxford and discharged 03-07-40.

Posted back to 3rd battalion in North Africa.

He then took part in the Salerno beach landing.
I remember him saying at one point during the fighting up a hill he had to take cover behind a dead body as there was no cover.

He was then wounded again on 21-09-43, GSW right femur and thigh.

According to nan he was left on a stretcher for a long period of time and was slipping in and out of consciousness, he was awoken by stretcher bearers saying “oh god he is alive” He thought his back was injured but actually turned out he was placed on a rock.
He was treated by the U.S medical team and luckily saved his leg. They actually said to him the british would of amputated it.

Sent back to the UK 01.01.44 and medical discharged from the army 30.06.44.

 

G’day,

I would suggest the Battalion War Diaries, they are available at the National Archives, check with Drew5233 who will have the diaries from the Dunkirk period, and may have more from the later periods.

This post, I wrote, contains details of an action at Mareth in March 1943, which involved the 3rd Coldstream Guards.

I should add, there may be no mention of your grandfather in the diaries.

Mark

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

You’ve made a good start getting sight of Quilter’s No Dishonourable Name and Michael Howard’s official Regimental History 1920/46

I’m assuming a typo regarding mention of your grandfather returning to 3rd CG August 1939 on his recall to the Colours and the inference that he served in BEF with them?

I’m sure you know they had been in Egypt since November 1937 (6 months active service in Palestine from Oct 1938). My father was in No 2 Company 3rd CG 1937/41 (until he was taken POW at Antelat, Libya 22nd December 1941 as mentioned in David Quilter’s book. My father had no time for his Platoon Commander named in Quilter’s account of the incident but had a lot of respect for his predecessor Robin Gurdon).

It is more common to see mention of other ranks in Quilter’s rather more informal book (essentially a collection of chapters written by various officers) than in the Regimental History.

You will likely find mention of him in the Battalion War Diaries but only in the weekly strength returns as he may be listed as absent from the unit with his location listed (hospital etc).

So many men were injured in the various actions around Salerno in September 1943 that it is rare to see full details of every incident recorded and men named.

Did you obtain copies of his papers from your contacts at RHQ CG or via official channels? How many pages did you receive?

I obtained my fathers papers over 10 years ago - the usual 10 or so pages - but having had sight of SG service records of the same era - recently made available on findmypast site - I now wonder if the papers I received are but a small portion of his whole file still held at RHQ CG. A relatives 1935/46 SG file contained 100+ pages.

RHQ CG let me have 6 pages of my maternal grandfathers service record (served 1905/08 & 1914/19) over 20 years ago yet his service record on the Ancestry site contains 30+ pages.

Steve

 

Seems Drew5233 has the War Diaries for this period according to this thread - 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards - Late September 1943


TD

 

Hi - I have all the WW2 Coldstream Guards war diaries. Send me a private message if you’d like copies of any.

 

Hi,

I have the WDs for 3CG for Italy. I will post the originals when I am back home but this is the transcription for that day.



The mention of mortaring fits in well with one of the files on FMP which says he had two injuries both described as 'GSW Mortar'



Regards,
Gary.

 

Gary

You say "with one of the files on ancestry" - which files or database on Ancestry is that in, maybe its something I have missed

Thanks
TD

 

TD,

Sorry, I meant FMP - I've corrected my original post.

Regards,
Gary.

 

The same for his July 1940 wound.

 

Yes , that column is battalion.

 

Gary.

The Grid References in the extract from 21 Sep 43 would put the battalion in the hills to the west of the Salerno hospital and north east of Castel di Arechi.

Regards

Frank

 

Here is the original. If you want the rest of September let me know.

They are handwritten but compared to some relatively easy to read. I have transcribed them all though - I can give a link to the website.

 

Hi guys. Thank you for taking the time for your responses, I was quite shocked to get so much information in less than a day, it’s much appreciated.

In a answer to some of your questions here is his service record. I would appreciate if someone could enlighten me on left column abbreviations R.S.L, Y, draft RNYAH, XNA, O2E BNAF, X list.

1st 15.08.39 called up for service
1st 01.09.39 mobilised B.E.F
R.S.L 13.11.39 employed HQ 7th GDs BDE
1st 05.01.40
1st 01.06.40 GSW wrist and neck
? Mil hosp Shorncliffe
? 03.06.40 co hosp pembury Kent
Y 05.06.40
Y 10.06.40 win Morris orth Hedington Oxford
Y 03.07.40 discharged

H BTN 09.07.40
6th 24.10.41
Numerous driving courses. Driver mec class 2.
H BTN 01.07.43
Draft R.N.Y.A.H 16.07.43
X.N.A 28.07.43
3rd 13.08.43

O2E B.N.A.F 21.09.43 GSW Rt thigh + femur
21.09.43 no5 field amb
21.09.43 no167 field amb
22.09.43 noB F.D.S
22.09.43 no8 C.C.S
25.09.43 no81 station hosp (U.S)
X list 19.12.43 no97 gen hosp
X list 23.12.43 no95 gen hosp
X list 01.01.44 C HQ 2ECH N.Africa, evac U.K
Y 08.01.44 royal infirmary Leicester
Y 11.02.44 Winterton hosp Sedgefeild Stockton
Y 30.05.44 medical board
Y 23.06.44 Discharged from service

I believe the employment with HQ 7th GDs BDE is when he was RSM Tibby Brittain’s driver.... until according to nan....grandad decided to drive drunk and crashed. They remained friends and the family has a letter off Tibby’s family when my grandad passed away.

 

Thank you very much that is really informative. i acquired his records from a mate who worked in Regimental HQ and he said that’s all there is there but I shall look further as you said

 

Gary I really appreciate your time and effort with your reply’s that is absolutely great to see his name in official documents like that.
Yes I would love Anything from 01.07.43-21.09.43

 

Thank you mate I shall do that

 

Draft XXXXXX = a random set of letters that acts as a flight number does today - all people, equipment etc on a particular ship leaving at a particular date have that code stamped on vehicles, bags, stores etc etc to ensure it gets onto that ship

BNAF = British North Africa Force also changed to other abbreviations CMF, MEF

ECH = Echelon

CCS - Casualty Clearing Station

FDS = Field Dressing Station

TD


X lists (Service Records)

The search engine is a useful

 

Thank you mate much appreciated