6472966 Leonard Charles Glover, Royal Fusiliers, WW2

Hi, I'm hoping someone maybe able to help me. I am looking for information on my Grandfather who served in WW2 with the Royal Fusiliers he name was Leonard Charles Glover and number was: 6472966. My mum only knows he was in Italy during ww2 and our remaining family members have very little knowledge on our Grandfathers time in the army. Mum has a letter which he sent to our nan during this time and he has put 23rd battalion under his name.

Thank you very much

Scott

 

Hello and welcome. At first glance there only appears to be one diary for a 23 Bn RRF at the National Archives and I would guess that is a training battalion for recruits with it having such a high number. I think. as suggested, applying for a copy of his service records and these will tell you what other units he served with when and where.

WO 166/4548 23 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) 1940 Oct.- 1941 June

Does the date range above fit with the letter?

Cheers
Andy

 

Scott,

As you may know there were four Royal Fusiliers' battalions in Italy - so the service records will be required before you move forward that far..

1st Battalion - 8th Indian Div.
2nd Battalion - 4th Infantry Div
8th/9th Battalion - 56th Infantry Div.

edit (see below 46 Recce).

best

 

The 23rd Royal Fusiliers became the 46th Reconnaissance Regiment and served in Italy as such. Here is a summary history:

50th (Holding) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

The battalion was raised on May 28th, 1940 at Tonbridge from the 14th Holding Battalion, which had been raised in early 1940 at Tonbridge. It became the 23rd Battalion on October 9th, 1940.

220th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) – 1 November 1940 to 5 July 1941
The battalion served on the East Coast at Cromer, Stalham and Walsham. It was then converted to the 46th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps on July 11th, 1941.

46th (North Midland and West Riding) Infantry Division – 11 July 1941 to 31 August 1945
The battalion was formed from the anti-tank companies of the 138th and 139th Infantry Brigades and the 23rd Battalion. It became the 46th Reconnaissance Regiment on June 6th, 1942. It trained with the 46th Division in the United Kingdom until early January 1943, when it embarked at Greenock and Liverpool for Algiers.
When the RHQ disembarked on January 17th, ‘C’ Squadron had already moved off to the Bone area with the 139th Brigade. RHQ arrived there on January 21st. The CO visited the 56th Recce on January 30th prior to relieving them in the line. By February 11th, all three squadrons of the 46th Recce were in the front line and patrolling. The German offensive started on February 26th and ‘A’ Squadron was sent to Hunt’s Gap with the 128th Brigade to defend the area. It remained there through March 1st, when it was withdrawn to Beja. It was engaged the following day with ‘C’ Squadron in reserve. ‘B’ Squadron was in action in the area on March 2nd. The later squadron was cooperating with the 56th Recce on the flank and was attacked on March 5th. ‘A’ Squadron became engaged from March 5th to 7th in the area. On March 6th, both ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadrons reverted to regimental command from the command of the 128th Brigade. ‘C’ Squadron attacked Djebel Abjod on March 7th and on the 9th returned form Oued Zarga. ‘C’ Squadron’s Assault Troop was attached to No. 1 Commando. The regiment remained in action through the end of March in the area. During the closing days of March, all three squadrons attacked the Djebel el Beida feature with the 5th Hampshire Regiment. After the attack, on March 29th, ‘A’ Squadron returned to Beja for maintenance and ‘C’ came under command of the 1st Parachute Brigade. The next day ‘C’ Squadron came under the command of the 36th Infantry Brigade of the 78th Division. It was then ordered to recce Sedjenane and continued to patrol there until the sector was quiet on April 6th.
A week later the regiment moved to El Aroussa and ‘B’ Squadron came under the command of the 9th United States Infantry Division for five days of recce work. It returned to the regiment on April 18th. The regiment resumed offensive operations in the later half of April and was involved in an attack with the 138th Infantry Brigade on the 21st. On April 23rd the regiment was given the task of clearing Dejebel Bessioud and attacked it two days later. ‘A’ Squadron made contact with the 4th Recce Regiment in the Goubellat area on the 28th. At the start of May 1943, the regiment was under the 1st Armoured Division and with the 139th Brigade. It patrolled and manned OPs. On May 3rd, it came back under the 46th Division. The regiment was not involved in the advance to Tunis but remained in the Goubellat area until May 7th. It was then ordered to support the 128th Brigade, less ‘B” Squadron which served with the 78th Division. The 128th Brigade advanced to Tebourba but found the 1st Infantry Division already there on May 8th. The regiment then contacted the Americans at Chouigoi. The next few days were quiet after which it moved to the divisional concentration area for rest at Ain el Asker on May 10th. It arrived there the next day and was rejoined by ‘B’ Squadron.
After the Tunisian campaign, the division remained in North Africa preparing for the invasion of the Italian mainland. The 46th Recce landed at Salerno under the 46th Division on September 9th, 1943. After landing, ‘B’ Squadron moved into Salerno town and then entered Cava de’Tirremi. The regiment served the first week at Salerno as infantry in the line. During the breakout from the beachhead it operated on the western sector with the 5th and 44th Recce Regiments.
By the end of 1943, the regiment was providing flank protection for the division in the San Martino area in the Gustav Line. At the start of January 1944, it returned to the line as infantry and relieved the 16th Durham Light Infantry. The regiment moved back to its vehicles and came under the command of the 23rd Armoured Brigade on January 5th for the Garigliano crossing. Patrols of the regiment made the first crossing on January 23rd. The regiment returned to the river line without vehicles on January 26th and patrolled along the Garigliano into February 1944. ‘C’ Squadron crossed the river to relieve a Royal Marine Commando and took heavy losses. ‘Cottonforce’ was formed on February 7th with the 46th Recce, the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, an M-G platoon, a 4.2” mortar section and a composite company of 120 men. The next day the regiment crossed the river but returned back. It did another attack across the river on the night of the 17th/18th of January. The regiment was to be relieved on February 27th by the 2nd/4th Hampshire Regiment and the takeover took place two days later. Vehicles and equipment were handed over to the 4th Recce and the regiment moved to Taranto.
By the end of March 1944, the regiment was in Egypt with the division. It took leave then moved at once to Palestine for internal security duties. It moved back to Egypt at the end of June and sailed for Italy.
The regiment landed at Taranto on July 3rdand moved to Villa Volturno, where it received new equipment including 75mm self-propelled guns. The regiment prepared for the Gothic Line battles. Operation began on August 25th and by August 27th the regiment spearheaded the 139th Brigade through Isola del Piano. It took over from the 128th Brigade in an area near Monte Gaudio. It crossed the Foglio on the same day. A mobile force was then formed to seize a crossing over the Ventana River. It consisted of the 46th Recce, the 142nd RAC, the 142nd Field Regiment RA, the 272nd Field Company RE, the 152nd (SP) Anti-Tank Battery, the Recce Troop of the North Irish Horse and the 5th Hampshire Regiment. The force crossed on September 1st and by September 3rd ‘B’ Squadron of the regiment had taken the crossing areas over the Ventana and Conca Rivers. By September 9th, the regiment was at San Clemente.
46th Division was given the task of attacking Coriano and Monte Colombo starting on September 10th. ‘A’ Squadron protected the 138th Brigade’s left flank and the rest of the regiment carried out holding operations over the next few days. The regiment was relieved on September 13th/14th and was to go into an infantry role. Instead, ‘C’ Squadron went back to assist the 128th Brigade on the right of the line. It helped capture Monte Lupo on September 17th. The regiment returned to the recce role on September 19th as the Germans withdrew. It operated on the 128th Brigade’s left flank and was in contact with the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The division was then in operations toward San Marino. In an infantry role, ‘A’ Squadron crossed the Marecchia on September 22nd. The regiment then went into the line as infantry in the pursuit to the Rubicon. The 2nd Hampshire Regiment relieved the regiment at the front on October 1st.
It moved to the divisional concentration area and received new Greyhound Armoured Cars. By October 8th, ‘A’ Squadron was on the flank of the 128th Brigade while ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadrons helped the 1st/4th Hampshire Regiment repulse attacks. The regiment moved to Canonica on October 10th and on the 17th it moved out of the line to Serravalie. It remained there until October 23rd and then moved north of Urbino. The 8th Army was continuing to advance and the regiment supported the sappers from October 28th to November 2nd. ‘A’ Squadron moved to the flank of the 128th Brigade on November 6th and the regiment took over the ridge overlooking the Rabbi River. As the advance continued the regiment maintained contact with the II Polish Corps, did traffic control and continued with the sapper patrols. It recced the Lamone crossings on November 25th and then was involved in an attack over the Lamone River. By early December, the regiment was resting and refitting at Forli. By December 20th all units were in rear. At the end of 1944, the regiment was at Montfiore.
In early January 1945, the regiment was withdrawn for operations in Greece. It moved from Taranto and landed in Athens in mid-January. Its task was to ensure that the ELAS in the Pelopponese withdrew. Following were relief duties in Argos, Nauplion, Cornith, Sikia and Xilokostron. It returned to Italy with the division in early April 1945, but was not involved in the final offensive. After the war the division moved to Austria on May 11th, 1945.

 

Hi, I would like to thank everyone so very much for your responses. I have now sent off to the MOD for all the information / service records and await them eagerly.

Thanks again

All the best