9th Royal Fusiliers - January 1945

Discussion in 'Italy' started by janburtjen, Oct 8, 2013.

  1. janburtjen

    janburtjen New Member

    Hello

    Firstly I would like to say thank you .I have gained so much information reading these forums and have a much better understanding of what my Grandad and all those like him went through.

    I'm trying to find out as much as I can about him for my Mum and also to pass on to his six great grandchildren.

    Grandad's name was Cpl Douglas E C Brooks MM . He died in Italy 4th January 1945 and is buried at Forli. He was a signaller and was awarded the MM at Monte Camino.

    I wondered whether anyone knows what 9RF were doing in Italy at the time of his death .

    Any help would be appreciated .

    Thanks again.
     
  2. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    I believe 56 Division were up near the River Senio in early 1945.. But I'm currently hiding from a hail storm at Castelforte near to the river Garigliano at the moment and can't access my detailed notes. No doubt someone else can come to help and of course the war diaries are always a key pointer,

    best
     
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Courtesy of Lee's WD Search engine:

    WO 166/4535INFANTRY: 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).1941 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/8860 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1942 Jan.-July
    WO 169/5016 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1942 Dec.
    WO 169/10214 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1943 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 170/1391 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1944 Jan.- Mar., July - Dec.
    WO 169/16287 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1944 Apr.
    WO 170/5007 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1945 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 170/7997 9 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)1946 Jan.- Apr -



    You probably already have details of his MM, so for the record:
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36436/supplements/1366/page.pdf
    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36436/supplements/1365/page.pdf

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C8842359
    Screen shot 2013-10-08 at 15.58.28.png
    Screen shot 2013-10-08 at 15.58.37.png
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  4. janburtjen

    janburtjen New Member

    Thank you for your help and very quick responses .

    Regards
     
  5. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Jan.

    Do you know when he joined 9 R FUSILIERS. I ask because they landed at Salerno as part of 56 Infantry Division on 9 Sep 43 and would have seen almost the whole of the Italian Campaign.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  6. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Frank

    He was a signaller - not necessarily front line stuff - many survived

    Cheers
     
  7. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Janburjen

    See below in the BBC series articles on "Characters at War " and particularly Alf Goddard's activities on the Senio for what was going on in Italy around the 4 th January '45 - it was very wintery and so 8th Army was on a defensive line on the River Senio...boredom soon set in as apart from the odd shelling and mortaring - not a lot was going on - suspect your G'father was hit by a Shell / Mortar

    Cheers
     
  8. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Tom.

    That depends where he was working I suppose. If he was a signaller in Company HQ, the risks would have been far higher than one working in Battalion HQ. If he was working in Battalion HQ but laying line to Company HQs then the risks would have been higher still.

    Prepares

    Frank
     
  9. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Frank

    While you are quite correct that signallers were exposed now and again depending on where they actually worked in the field..by going by his date of death - we shall be assuming that he was

    near or on the Senio River line and where Artillery and Nebelwerfers didn't really care where you were - or what you did.....do read my "Characters at War" on the BBc series below to understand

    what was going on at that time.....

    Cheers
     
  10. janburtjen

    janburtjen New Member

    Thank you for your comments and pointing me in the right direction.

    I believe he enlisted in 1940 . He was awarded the Africa Star & Clasp as well as the Italy Star .

    We still have the letters received from those that were with him , and yes , you are right , he was hit by a Shell .

    I am taking your advice and just going to read your " Characters at War " .

    Thanks again.


    Regards

    Jan
     
  11. jacko667

    jacko667 New Member

    Exactly the same as my Grandad, Enlisted 1940 and then was moved around Palestine\Iraq, Africa and finally Italy.

     

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