Help needed on Durham Light Infantry from D-Day landing and beyond

Discussion in 'Durham Light Infantry' started by Zunami, Apr 28, 2015.

  1. Thanks. I was there in the early ‘90s. Pouring down with rain though. Looking forward to my return.
     
  2. I posted this letter from my grandfather to his Oxford college on Ancestry several years ago now. If you’ve got that you’ve probably got most of the stuff I have.

    Regards,

    Bob Allen
     
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Casualty
    Lieutenant ALLEN, ROBERT
    Service Number 292472
    Died 10/09/1944
    Aged 20
    Royal Warwickshire Regiment
    M C
    Son of William Frederick and Ethel Allen, of Bedworth, Warwickshire.
    INSCRIPTION: TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE
    Buried at GEEL WAR CEMETERY
    Location: Antwerpen, Belgium
    Cemetery/memorial reference: III.A.12.
    From Concentration Report, original Field Burial:
    Screenshot 2019-06-06 at 20.52.46.png

    Recommendation for Award for Allen, Robert Rank: Lieutenant Service No: ... | The National Archives
    Reference: WO 373/51/208
    Name Allen, Robert
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Service No: 292472
    Regiment: 6 Battalion Durham Light Infantry
    Theatre of Combat or Operation: North West Europe 1944-45
    Award: Military Cross
    Date of announcement in London Gazette: 01 March 1945
    Screenshot 2019-06-06 at 21.03.24.png
    Screenshot 2019-06-06 at 21.03.32.png
     
    PaulE likes this.
  4. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    No idea if he already had this but once I found it this afternoon I forwarded it onto him (once I posted it here :) ).

    Kyle
     
  5. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Hello

    I'm doing some research into my father's cousin who served with the 6th DLI. His name was John Robert Maddison and he was killed Aug 9th 1944 aged 19. The DLI1920 website confirms he was one of those killed near Le Plessis. I want to apply for a copy of the war diary but was hoping someone here might be able to help confirm which company he was part of before I do so?

    Any help much appreciated.

    Thanks
    Robert Bruce

     
  6. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Robert and welcome
    have you applied for his service records (we always say this but I found them very useful in tracing my fathers service path)
    Get a copy of military service records


    I checked he does not show on the Iron Bridge War Memorial

    Private MADDISON, JOHN ROBERT
    Service Number 1465822

    Died 09/08/1944

    Aged 19

    6th Bn.
    Durham Light Infantry

    Son of Gerald Bates Maddison and Francis Josephine Maddison, of Iron Bridge, Shropshire.


    INSCRIPTION
    TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO LOVE IS NOT TO DIE R.I.P.
    Buried at TILLY-SUR-SEULLES WAR CEMETERY

    Location: Calvados, France
    Number of casualties: 1143

    Cemetery/memorial reference: V. D. 11.


    regards
    Clive
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Pvt John Robert Maddison (Unknown-1944) - Find A...
    [​IMG]


    UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
    Name: John Maddison
    Given Initials: J P
    Rank: Private
    Death Date: 9 Aug 1944
    Number: 14654822
    Birth Place: Shropshire
    Residence: Shropshire
    Branch at Enlistment: Infantry
    Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45
    Regiment at Death: Durham Light Infantry
    Branch at Death: Infantry

    Obviously an error in the 'Given Initials' section

    TD
     
    Buteman and Robert Bruce like this.
  8. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Thanks for the reply Clive. I'm about to make the application for the service records with the blessing of his half-sister.

    I've always thought it strange he isn't on the Ironbridge Memorial, I still have family in that area so visit frequently. I've been lead to believe he may be on a memorial in Harrogate or York area which is where his father came from originally. It's something I need to investigate further. My late father who was 8yrs younger remembered him like a big brother so we have a reasonable amount of info and have been to his grave at Tilly a few times. I'd like to know more about the route he took Jun44 - Aug44 thus the post on this thread.

    EBgRMMlXsAAnGKp.jpeg IMG_4624.JPG

    Regards
    Robert
     
    CL1 likes this.
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Mr Jinks, CL1 and Robert Bruce like this.
  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  11. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Good Morning Robert ,

    I sent your post to the DLI 1920-46 website and he is doubtful that John Robert Maddison was killed at Le Plessis and has even changed the text on the action to clarify this. The amended text can be found on TDs link. Jim replied;-

    Sorry Robert it looks like a bit more research for you.

    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2020
  12. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Hi Kyle

    Thank you very much for taking the time to help out with this. I did know he was initially buried at Beauvais and did wonder geographically why that was the case. I hadn't investigated the Beauvais link at all so wasn't aware it didn't fall until 30th August so I imagine TD's explanation is a very likely scenario. I'm now waiting for his service records with anticipation, hopefully it can help shed some light. Will update this thread further if I can add anything as it may be of interest to others.

    Thanks again.

    Kind regards
    Robert
     
  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I can provide you with a copy of the 1944 diary at my usual rate of 10p per page if you are happy to donate the cost to my son's just giving page.
     
  14. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    [​IMG]
    Maddison 6th DLI (Findagrave)



    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2022
  15. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Never seen that image before. Emailed the contributor who uploaded to Findagrave to find out where it came from. Looks like a drawing and I know JR Maddison was a bit of a budding artist.

    Intrigued.

    Robert
     
  16. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    As suspected I can confirm this image is not JR Maddison. Unfortunately we don't have any images of him past the age of 12 so I would have liked it to be him, shame. He has family members still alive that remember him well from the time and they have confirmed this is not 'Bobby' Maddison. I will contact the contributor on Findagrave who found this picture and ask him to remove it. Attached is a photo of him aged about twelve, not much similarity and he couldn't have changed that much in seven years.

    2EECB03D-BA54-4E72-BEC9-5E6EF8CDCC95.jpeg
     
  17. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    I contacted the poster and told him to look in here . He obviously read your post because he/she removed it . They also said the family details were different on the paper the photograph was on with mention of the mother being Mrs F.J Byer not Maddison ? Anyway its gone saves you a job anyway :)

    Kyle
     
    Robert Bruce and CL1 like this.
  18. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    For info
    J R Maddison
    I checked the Ironbridge War Memorial and the Ironbridge Generating Station Memorial but he is not on either
     
    Mr Jinks and Robert Bruce like this.
  19. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Thanks Kyle

    However the mystery deepens and the mention of the name Byer dramatically changes things. Mrs FJ Byer is Bobby's (John Robert Maddison) mother's name when she remarried shortly after the war. Bobby's father died in 1940 so subsequently after being widowed and losing her son she met and eventually married an American airman. It's a long story but they moved too and fro between England and the states for a while before settling in Shropshire. Bobby has a half sister born 2yrs after he was killed but he does have a couple of cousins who remember him. When I sent them the picture to confirm neither recognised it as the Bobby they remembered shortly before he was killed. Not to say they are correct, it was a long time ago. Also looking at the picture of Bobby as boy there is a clear family resemblance which simply isn't there in the later image. I had non family members look at both to see if they could see a connection between the two photos and all came back with a firm no, not very scientific but worth a try. The problem is the family remaining have never seen a picture of Bobby past the age of 12 and certainly never in army uniform. There must have been some but perhaps they were lost over time perhaps due to moves between the US and England. I find this surprising though as we have a picture of his original wooden cross when buried at Tilly so surely if the family held on to that there'd be others. I remained open minded about the image as it would be nice for us all to know it's him but with all avenues leading to a "I don't think that's him" response I could only come to one conclusion.

    It also begs the question who would have placed the image on the grave. I'm in contact with all his remaining family members on his maternal side and also a childhood friend's family. That would leave his paternal family but he had no siblings and his father died young. I'll have to dig further and update however it's becoming more of a family tree related saga than a WW2 forum piece I'm afraid!

    I've contacted the poster of the image to explain. If only they'd mentioned this additional info when I enquired about the picture in the first place.

    Best
    Robert
     
  20. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce Member

    Thank you but I believe he's remembered on a memorial in Durham. The family was Shropshire based at that time (my father included), Bobby grew up in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge. His grandfather was mayor of Shrewsbury. We've never really understood the connection with the North East other than him serving with the DLI but it seems that could be the key to my research.

    Thanks for checking.

    Best
    Robert
     

Share This Page