Hi Everybody, My Gt-uncle (Rfn. H.H. Smith, 6847953, 2bn KRRC) was killed at El Alamein on 27th October 1942. His body was never found and he is remembered on the Alamein Memorial. My question is: in the absence of his body, would he initially have been reported as 'missing' and only after a period of time confirmed as KIA? I have looked at the casualty lists and can find only the one attached which shows him as KIA on the 27th October (which as far as I can make out was the night attack on the 'Woodcock' position 26/27th October). I'm just trying to get as much detail as possible about the circumstances of his death. It seems strange that he could be confirmed KIA straight away without a report that he was 'missing' being issued first. I'm hoping someone with a better knowledge of this subject will enlighten me. Any suggestions most welcome.
If his death was witnessed and reported as definitely killed then KIA would be recorded without a missing report. The manner of death might be such as to make finding or identifying a body unlikely.
Cemetery Details | CWGC The memorial has a different function to the cemetery. The memorial commemorates those "who have no known grave". This includes those buried at the time but where the grave actual position was lost by war end or subsequent exhumation to concentration cemetery led to doubt as to the true identity. So it would suggest that his was one of the lost graves. Ross
As Ross says , there are a whole host of soldiers and airmen who’s deaths and burials are well documented in North Africa but who’s graves were never subsequently located for burial .
And there will be some whose comrades were able to bring back their Id tag but it was impossible to recover the body let alone bury it
If you want to be absolutely certain there's nothing relevant squirrelled away in archives, then it's always worth checking out the Missing Personnel files held at TNA. These files are something of a 'lucky dip' as regards content and depth of information. Also worth nothing that TNA's catalogue descriptions aren't always spot on. If they hold nothing relevant at least you will know. Plenty listed as KIA feature in the files I've consulted, as they were the means for processing/verifying information. For record, listing all files I could find held at Kew for the KRRC; please note that dates relate to paperwork etc and not directly to casualty dates: Middle East: Greece, Crete; 1st, 2nd and 9th Battalions, King's Royal Rifle Corps;... | The National Archives Reference: WO 361/1019 Middle East: Greece, Crete; 1st, 2nd and 9th Battalions, King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel Date: 1941 Oct 15 - 1945 Jul 02 Middle East: Greece; King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel | The National Archives Reference: WO 361/1090 Description: Middle East: Greece; King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel Date: 1944 Dec 12 - 1945 Jan 04 Italy: King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel | The National Archives Reference: WO 361/791 Description: Italy: King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel Date: 1944 May 01 - 1945 Mar 31 British Expeditionary Force, France: The King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing men | The National Archives Reference: WO 361/85 Description: British Expeditionary Force, France: The King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing men Date: 1941 Jan 01 - 1944 Dec 31 North West Europe: The King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel | The National Archives Reference: WO 361/606 Description: North West Europe: The King's Royal Rifle Corps; missing personnel Date: 1944 Sep 01 - 1945 Mar 31
