5th Dorsets ETO

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by fatman, Jan 13, 2009.

  1. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    Hi All

    can anyone help with trying to find more about the 5th Dorsets / 43 Wessex Div from August 1944 to Nov 1944. My Father Norman Ralf Harris and his brother Fredrick Harris KIA at Arnhem October 2nd 1944. Buried in Ostrebeek Holland. My Father WIA fight leg amputy Nov 1944. In Dorset wood Germany. They were both in the TA prior to this, at part of a search light battalion that attatched to the RA/RE. They went overseas in the August 1944 and landed at Amorache France.

    Any help would be gratefull
     
  2. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    Welcome from the Netherlands, your best change would be the National Archives and a hard to get booklet about the 5th Dorset, I think I have a copy of it somewhere, will have to check later on,
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Welcome to the forum fatman!
    I've got the 43 Div History so I can look up some info later.
    I've also a CD with some war diaries on it that Paul gave me, I see there are some for 5 DORSETS in '44 on there.
    I 'll have a look later.

    For a good book on when your Father was injured get this book.

    Assault on Germany: The Battle for Geilenkirchen by Ken Ford
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Here are some pages of the war diary from November 1944 , up to the 19th.

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  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Fredrick Harris KIA at Arnhem October 2nd 1944.


    Page 146 of Essame's The 43rd Wessex Division at War 1939-1945 says,

    2nd Oct.
    Further on the left , 5 Dorset had beaten off an attack by men of 116 Panzer Division on 1st October.
    For the next few days fighting of a livley character continued in the neighbourhood of the railway embankment.


    I'm not exactly sure of the location, hopefully someone else can pin-point where your Uncle died.
     
  6. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Was going to post some war diary details, but talking to Owen he had them all ready for you. Well done, Owen!
     
  7. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    Welcome from the Netherlands, your best change would be the National Archives and a hard to get booklet about the 5th Dorset, I think I have a copy of it somewhere, will have to check later on,


    Thanks for getting back to me Philip,i have a picture from a national news agancey, taken in 1946. The picture shows two Dutch girls putting flowers on a British Soldiers grave, there are two Para's stood over the grave. Odd that it is, its my Fathers brothers resting place. He did not know were he was buried after he was killed in a trench next to dad. My dad hurridley buried him, himself. And moved on through the line. Perhaps the ladies or relitives, could be found??.
    After this ,the news paper run a story of my dad and his brother.And how they fought together and the tradgic ending. I have been to the cemetary twice. Once as a four year old boy and with my mother and wife back in the mid nineties. And i new exactly were the cemetary was and the field that the cows with bells round their neck where when i was a kid!!!.
     
  8. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    The book is called:

    The story of the 5th Battalion The dorsetshire Regiment in North-West Europe
    23 June 1944-5th May 1945

    by Major G.R.Hartwell,Major G.R.Pack, Major M.A.Edwards

    Don't have it myself its a rare one.

    Can you post the photograph or sent it to me,then I can see were it maybe is taken or was this on the Cemetery?, and that date the Battalion was in the Driel area, was he in B.Company?
     
  9. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    many thanks for your reply here are some pictures

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=72&pictureid=589


    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=72&pictureid=588
    Picture of dad in Geilenkirchen. Taken from book which mention this area and british troops street fighting.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=72&pictureid=590

    My dad is third from left back row his brother front row far right, Pic of dad with peak cap, his brother with early war uniform.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=72&pictureid=586

    My Dad'd brother. Could we find the dutch girls/ ladies. Will find off back of pics and pay book who he was with. And forward on
     
  10. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

    Owen..if I mention a unit... can you then also show me the War-Diaryof that unit ???

    (Fantastic that someone asked something and you can answer right away with photo's of the original WD !) I love you already!
     
  11. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    Its definately Oosterbeek Cemetary. How far from were they were actually fighting , i do not know?. But my mother told me, your father said he was not buried far from were he buried him the first time??. There is also some confusion that my dad was with the 4th Dorsets and his brother caimed him to fight with him, and possible Fredrick was with the Worsteshire Regiment????
    Here are is details, L/Cpl Harris N.R ,Service number2080629, 6 Platoon, 7 section, 5th Dorset Regiment. BLA. Went over seas August 1944, WIA November 20th 1944.

    I hope this is of some help???
     
  12. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    Driel is on the other side of the river opposite Oosterbeek, the first time burial will be his fieldgrave I think, which must be somewhere in the Driel area, will see if I can find out anyting about that although it that might take some time.
    6 Platoon could be indeed B.Company who had some trouble with 116th Germany Division
     
  13. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    i have the book you mentioned all be it a bit dog eared!!. It has another name i have not mentioned Les (Biddy) Boyce, he won the military medal that day. He was the chap who propped my dad up against a tree after the other six were killed. by a German shell, from what his wife told me, and tallied up from my dad. He put his trench coat round him, and left him for dead??.Later that day Les (biddy) as my dad called him. Was in the same field hospital with dad opposite him.. I have a photo of Les taken in 1946 arms crossed with Dorset , wyvern patch and wearing his beret with the Dorsetshire cap badge. I will send this over in time
     
  14. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

  15. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    If you look at the graves in the cemetary now they are in the same positions , but with the War Grave Commision head stones. The grave to the right is his friend who was in the same trench. Apparently he told my dad to stay where he was in his own trench. How lucky was that!!
     
  16. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    Will see if I can find out anything about the girls
     
  17. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    Owen

    Would you have anymore info in the war diareis, on the 5th Dorsets from August 1944 , which is when my Father arrived from the push through to Arnhem and Germany Novenber. I seem to recall prior to his mob going up the line . They had a football match. It was a battalion game i.e RA/RE , as i have the football shirt badge that my dad liberated, after the game!!!.If this could be put on disk i would be prepared to part with the cost for doing so.

    Thanks again
     
  18. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    sorry its all questions

    The unit my dad and his brother were in from 1939 to approx January 1944 , was the TA 394th 48th Searchlight Regt R.E./R.A. Any information on this would also be very gratefull
     
  19. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Sorry fatman, that's all the war diary I have for 5 Dorsets & that was sent to me by Paul.
    Loved those photos by the way.
    I'll have a look in the Div History again for anything of relevence.
     
  20. fatman

    fatman Junior Member

    Driel is on the other side of the river opposite Oosterbeek, the first time burial will be his fieldgrave I think, which must be somewhere in the Driel area, will see if I can find out anyting about that although it that might take some time.
    6 Platoon could be indeed B.Company who had some trouble with 116th Germany Division

    Philip, from what i gather they went across a river, to get the 1st Airbourne out and retreated back across the river. And his brother was killed at Nijmegen. After he buried him they retreated from this area?.Hope this throws some help on it???
     

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