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