53rd Welsh Division Documents Queries

Post all queries, comments and criticism here!

 

Cheers everybody,

well I hope that I'm in the right forum.

I am thinking about buying a ww2 jeep (willys) from 1943.
And since my parents come from Winterswijk (Netherlands) it seemed nice to me to restore the jeep like a british one from the 53rd welsh division which deliberated Winterswijk in 1945.

And now my question:
Does someone have by chance any pictures of the 53 welsh division where a jeep (willys or ford) can be seen? I would like to see the registration number on the hood as well as divisional signs etc... In short: everything which makes the jeep individual.
I have already bought some books ("The history of the 53rd (welsh) division" and "red crown and dragon") but had no luck. Only some very distant pictures where you can imagine that a jeep could be seen, but no details available.

Would be nice if anybody could help me.

thanks in advance

 

PM me your email address mate, I think I'll be able to help. (Think meaning pretty certain I can help!)

 

Swiper, just to hijack your thread. Throughout your research have you come across any surviving members of 53rd Recce. PM if you can help.

If it was you trying to find it have you had any luck finding Philip Cowburn's Welsh Spearhead?

 

I think I pmed you... can't remember.

1. Not surviving, however I do have some 53rd stuff I've stumbled across. Equally I need to make some phonecalls on that front.
2. Yes, however I've had shockingly little luck!

 

Sorry is that 53rd Recce stuff you have stumbled across?? If so tell me more, can you PM with anything else you have please?

I have had a similar experiences with Welsh Spearhead. I have had a copy outbid in the last few seconds on ebay and I also spok to a dealer about a month ago who sold a copy in Malvern a week before christmas, so close but yet so far.

Many thanks

 

Yes, I do have some 53rd Recce stuff, I'll send it over - problem is its badly formatted and a pain to read/print etc.

 

Thanks!!

 

Ooo, ooo, can I have some too!?

 

I will be circulating it once I finally read it! Just been taking a while, as I've been at university once more!

Just a note, anything non-June-August related will take some time now as my BA is focusing on 53rd in Operation Greenline.

 

Swiper,

I think I am going to start a thread in this section transcribing the 53rd Recce war diary, however the copy I have only goes to February 1945 would you mind checking your copies(?) and see if you have anything later than this?

Dave

 

I currently haven't started 53rd Recce's War Diary at all, as my BA dissertation focuses on areas they were not involved with.

However...
I'm waiting to hear if my MA is approved - in simplest forms a long study of the entirity of the Division's combat performance. I'm been hammered by tight deadlines at the moment, so can't do too much new stuff until May is over and done with.

 

Thats fine mate, the diary I have is already transcribed from TNA documents. I purchased it from the tank museum but it finishes in Feb 1945 for some reason??

Are you happy for me to start transcribing it into the 53rd Div docs section?

 

Of course mate, does it happen to have the Appendix out of interest? As I've noticed that lots of copies of War Diaries at Regimental Museums tend to lack the Appendix.

Anyone can upload relevant 53rd documents here who wishes to do so

 

The only type of appedix it has is a list of personnel mentioned in the war diary. I suspect because the diary is incomplete anyway this appendix would have been added by the people that transcribed it.

 

Good Evening to all -

Pse do not take this the wrong way, but I was heavily involved in helping produce a detailed account of the 53 W Div's actions on the River Aller in April 1945. The resulting book - 'No Triumphant Procession' - was published in 1993, having been written by Maj John Russell of the Queens Regt. Both he & I spent many a happy day wandering around the battlefields where the 53rd had fought the German 2nd Marine Inf Div, the so-called 'Blue SS', comprised of former German Naval officers and men with the backing of the 12 SS Trg Regt. Although I fear the book is long out of print, a quick shufti at Bookfinder.com will throw up copies quite cheaply.

The original publisher was 'Arms & Armour' and the original ISBN was:

ISBN 1-85409-234-0

Interestingly, I still have all my original research material, letters, pics etc - a good 10 yrs worth - I put together while serving in Fallingbostel with my own Regt, the Royal Hussars in the 1980s & 1990s.

Delighted to expand further if people so desire but I am not on the 'net 24/7 so replies may not be that fast...

Roddy de Normann
Devizes

 

.

 

Got it

 

Hi Roddy
Only just seen your helpful reply. I have the book managed to get it relatively easy. My father was involved in the battle described on p126 at Barnstadt and I am relatively certain he was wounded in that battle. He was a carrier driver and information appreciated

Regards

Al

 

Hi Roddy
I have just joined this forum in an effort to find out information relating to my uncle George Barry who is buried in Becklingen Cemetary having lost his life on 12 th April 1945. He served with 1st E L R and probably lost his life in the Eller Assault. I have sent you a message. I am new to all this so I hope you get it!