Contacted CWGC about this Regiment as I have a missing gunner, but they could give no more info, then above, anyone has an idea, what this regiment was?
Philip 619 Infantry Regt RA 301st Infantry Brigade – HQ Emden area disbanded May 46 616 Infantry Regiment RA 617 Infantry Regiment RA 619 Infantry Regiment RA 301 Infantry Brigade Signals 301 Infantry Brigade Workshop REME Rob
There is only one diary on them for NWE. In January they were in the UK. WO 171/5064 619 Regt. Royal Artillery 1945 Feb.- Oct.
9 men from 619 Regiment died that day and 8 are buried in Sage War Cemetery. I presume the one you are after is the guy commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial. Name:WEBB, ALBERT EDWARD Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Gunner Regiment/Service:Royal Artillery Unit Text:619 Regt. Age:38 Date of Death:01/06/1945 Service No:14796998 Additional information:Son of Laura Webb; husband of Daisy Louie Webb, of Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:Panel 2. Memorial:GROESBEEK MEMORIAL It seems likely that he was killed with the others, so I can't understand why he is commemorated on memorial to the missing in the Netherlands. I would put my money on an accident to do with disposal of munitions. There seem to be quite a few of these which happened post May 1945. The 600 Regts from the Royal Artillery were men retrained for an Infantry Role to meet the manpower shortage. Like the majority of the men of the Royal Artillery in Germany, they were all in a role policing the German population in the occupation role.
9 men from 619 Regiment died that day and 8 are buried in Sage War Cemetery. I presume the one you are after is the guy commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial. It seems likely that he was killed with the others, so I can't understand why he is commemorated on memorial to the missing in the Netherlands. I would put my money on an accident to do with disposal of munitions. There seem to be quite a few of these which happened post May 1945. Name:WEBB, ALBERT EDWARD Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Gunner Regiment/Service:Royal Artillery Unit Text:619 Regt. Age:38 Date of Death:01/06/1945 Service No:14796998 Additional information:Son of Laura Webb; husband of Daisy Louie Webb, of Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:Panel 2. Memorial:GROESBEEK MEMORIAL If he was blown up?
From my research post May 45 the 619th (Lancashire and Cheshire) Infantry Regiment RA were part of 301st Infantry Brigade command 2nd Canadian Infantry Division then from Jul 45 to 3rd Canadian Infantry Division CAOF command 30th Corps District until their disbandment at Emden Oct 45 Regards Steve
My hunch about it being ammunitions dump related was correct. Quite a few occurred it seems. Copy of the page from the war diary of 1 June 1945. The name on the Groesbeek Memorial is probably the nineth guy who has no grave. The war diary also mentions RAOC and German POW's being present. Three RAOC are mentioned on the Brookwood Memorial, which is where I would have expected the missing 619 Regt guy to have been commemorated. 2 guys from my Dad's unit died in an ammunition explosion in Wilhelmshaven and bodies were never recovered. Their names were put on the Brookwood Memorial, hence the comment.
Thanks for this. I can confirm that my uncle Thomas Evans aged 37, 1752792 was one of those killed on this date and is buried in the Sage War Cemetery. I understand that they were on an ammunitions ship or barge on the canal when it exploded.
All, I've been looking at the awarding of George Medals to officers and men of the RAOC. I believe that 153585 Lieutenant (temporary Captain) Michael Forster Smith RAOC was also involved in this explosion. His GM citation reads: ‘Captain Smith was in charge of a main enemy ammunition dump at Emden on the 1st June, 1945, when a series of violent explosions occurred. Many thanks for posting the war diary. In a very short time a considerable area of the dump was on fire and there was [sic] continuous explosions. Captain Smith was thrown violently to the ground by the first explosion, but by showing great courage and devotion to duty at considerable personal risk, he went to the rescue of the wounded and indicated which parts of the dump were still very dangerous. ‘On seeing that the Guard were trapped in a blazing barge moored in the canal alongside the dump. Captain Smith remained perfectly cool, organised the rescue of the trapped men and himself swam the canal and rescued a man from the water. He then returned to the dump and alone continued to search for missing men among the burning debris and continued to show great courage in spite of other minor explosions. Obviously tired and suffering from shock, Captain Smith resisted all attempts to get him away from the scene of the incident until nightfall.’ Many thanks for clearing up the similar question I had over why a number of men from 619 Regt RA had been killed on the same day. I'm not sure why when the explosion happened at 1105 the RA guard personnel suffered heavy casualties but there were no obvious fatalities on this day from the RAOC who were likely working there and possibly only one Pioneer was killed. Smith was working with 304 EADCU (enemy ammunition depot control unit); I hope to pull this war diary next time I'm at Kew to find out more. Many thanks again Colin
