Search for the grave of R. Greenway GNR buried by my Grandfather

I am an amateur genealogist and after reading my Grandfather’s War Diary two years ago I have been searching for the grave of R. Greenway GNR whom Granddad help to bury on the 31st May 1940. Granddad’s War Diary was written by him during his service in the Norwegian Campaign 1940. I believe that I may have uncovered a possible error in the details of the death of one Lance Sergeant Ronald Walter Greenway, Service number 876738, 22 Field Regiment RA, who is at present commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial. I have been researching this for two years and would appreciate any suggestions to further my search.
Granddad was called up on 3rd September 1939 Shoeburyness, Essex, Royal Artillary and stationed at Butler’s Farm Rochford until 10th April 1940. His diary is very detailed covering dates up to 14th June 1940 when he arrived back at the Clyde aboard the Royal Ulsterman which was part of the convoy evacuation from Norway.
Granddad writes on the 29th May 1940 at Burdufoss Airfield 5.20am, that he lost one of his boys on No 2 team, R GREENWAY GNR. Grandad writes on the 31st that his burial party buried R. Greenway next to two RAF boys. These men were killed in action on the 27th May at Bradufoss airfield. Grandad also mentions when and where these two men were buried (see below). I have used the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and an RAF Operations record book to identify these two RAF men were Leading Aircraftman JONES, RHYS PENRY (545400), and Leading Aircraftman SQUIRE HURLEY, (522985).

To summarise:
R. Greenway GNR was buried next to two airmen at Bardufoss airfield and these airmen are identified in the RAF operations record book for 27th May 1940.
The two airmen were Leading Aircraftman JONES, RHYS PENRY (545400), and Leading Aircraftman SQUIRE HURLEY, (522985).
The original burial place of these two airmen and R Greenway is next to Bardufoss airfield, the quote from granddad’s Diary is: ‘50 yards from our gun site in a little forest of pine trees on the down slope of the hills amid lovely scenery.’

My research to date:
Last year I asked the CWGC to investigate and they informed me that ‘referring to Aircraftmen Rhys Penry Jones (buried in Allied Plot G, Grave 4), and Leading Aircraftman Squire Hurley ( buried in Allied Plot G, Grave 2), our Archive documents confirm that they were both moved from Bardufoss on 3 July 1946, and transferred to Harstad on 6 August 1946. There is, however, no mention of Lance Serjeant Ronald Walter Greenway at all.’ they also confirmed that the one unknown burial was a Royal Navy casualty.
With the help of the Priaulx Library in Guernsey I was able to contact a number of relatives of Ronald Greenway and one of them has obtained Ronald’s service record. The final entry showing Ronald’s whereabouts was in February 1940, when Ronald returned from ‘overseas’ to the UK for 10 day leave. He is then listed as missing in action and the final death date is the same as for R. Greenway mentioned in Granddad’s diary.
I contacted The Society of Genealogist in Norway and they forwarded my inquiry to The Regional State Archives in Tromsø. I contacted the National Archives at Kew and they also advised contacting the NA in Norway. My enquiry was made last January and I have finally received a reply today. Apparently I need to contact the National Archives in Oslo; as the archive for the Norwegian Krigsgravtjenesten may be helpful.

These are my questions:
Do any records exist of the 1946 exhumations at Bardufoss? If yes, where would they be held?
Do you know who would have been responsible for moving the deceased airmen and soldiers from Bardufoss to Harstad?
Do you know of any other records that would be helpful?
Do you know if a map of the original airfield at Bardufoss exists? If yes, who would I need to write to?
I would appreciate if anyone reading this post is able to answer these questions or make any other suggestion for where I can apply for information. I will be contacting the Archive in Oslo today via email.

On going research:
One member of Ronald’s extended family told me yesterday that he has contacts in Norway so hopefully his contacts might be able to communicate effectively with the Archives as I do not speak Norwegian.

Another member of the family is considering contacting a military historian.

I have applied to the NA in Kew for a record pertaining to the Bardufoss Airfield AIR 36/3, but as yet I do not know if it contains relevant information.

My brother has sent me some copies of photographs which were taken by Granddad’s photographer friend during their training and I have forwarded them to the family. It is a long shot, but you never know, Ronald might be in one of the images.

And finally:
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. It would we wonderful to finally find the grave of Ronald and be able to informed his sister of 83 years, that her brother has been found.
Kind regards Joanne

 

From CWGC's website:

Could your man be the unidentified grave? I would ask CWGC if there is any additional info like if he was known to be in the Army, RAF or RN.that isn't listed on their website. I'd ignore the Dunkirk Memorial chap - I'd put it down to a coincidence at this stage.

Lastly for additional clues I would apply for a copy of the missing man's service records so you can gather some extra info like his unit etc.

Cheers
Andy

 

Thank you for your reply Andy.
As mentioned in my original post, the CWGC told me that the unidentified casualty was a Royal Navy Casualty. I have included the full details of the email sent to me by the CWGC regarding the missing casualty below. As for R Greenway GNR I have not found any records other than those for Ronald Walter Greenway; thus I contacted his family and they applied for his service records.
Greenway is not a common name thus easier to research than most. I agree that there could be a coincidence here and indeed in the 12 years I have been a genealogist I have come across many. However, I have found that it is good practise to explore all possible avenues of research and disregard once disproved. I have not yet managed to disprove that Ronald Walter Greenway is not R. Greenway GNR whom my Grandfather buried. As stated in my post they were both from the same regiment as my Grandfather, the same age, single, died on the same day.
I will continue to research both names whilst always bearing in mind that they could be separate individuals.
Thank you again for your reply.
It is very much appreciated.
Kind regards
Joanne
Details from CWGC email to me :
Our records confirm that there is one unidentified war grave within Harstad Cemetery, and it is that of a sailor from the Royal Navy. The remains were found on the shore at ‘Stave’ on 1st October 1941, and were found to be those of a Royal Navy casualty. He was later transferred to Harstad Cemetery, Norway. Unfortunately, it was not possible to identify him by name and it is for this reason that he is buried as an ‘unknown’ within Allied Plot F, Grave 10, on 31 July, 1946 within Harstad. His headstone reads as follows:
A SAILOR OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1ST OCTOBER 1941 (A CROSS APPEARS AT THIS POINT, ON THE HEADSTONE) KNOWN UNTO GOD
Referring to Aircraftmen Rhys Penry Jones (buried in Allied Plot G, Grave 4), and Leading Aircraftman Squire Hurley ( buried in Allied Plot G, Grave 2), our Archive documents confirm that they were both moved from Bardufoss on 3 July 1946, and transferred to Harstad on 6 August 1946. There is, however, no mention of Lance Serjeant Ronald Walter Greenway at all. (or R Greeenway GNR)

 

If he was buried in Norway he wouldn't be on the Dunkirk Memorial, It's a completely different campaign. I have a slight interest in the France and Flanders campaign and I have never come across anyone mentioned on the Dunkirk memorial that wasn't serving in France or Belgium at either the time of their death or capture.

Apologies if I've missed anything in your previous posts like but have you applied for a copy of Gunner Greenway's service records?

Does Lance Sergeant R Greenways service records show his unit as 22 Field Regiment like the CWGC listing? 22 Field Regiment went to France on the Manxman on the 3rd Oct 1939 and berthed at 9am in Cherbourg.

 

I can confirm via the War Diary that L/Sgt R Greenway was in France with 22 Field Regiment in October 1939 and was staying in the Hotel Diel for some reason.

 

Hotel Diel was a hospital-Anything in his service records stating why he was hospitalised during October 1939?

 

Dear Andy

Ronald walter Greenway service record: 'proceeded overseas date 2 oct 1939'
underneath this:
date 1 12 39 'confirmed' W/ BDR (L/SGT)
Then underneath 'Leave to UK 17.2.40 to 27.2.40 10 days. W/BDR (L/SGT) date 17.2.40
no medial history on the record.
What does W/BDR stand for?

Unable to locate any records about an R Greenway GNR. I would not be permitted to apply for his service record even if I could locate a record as I would need a signature from the next of kin. The only information I have is his name, age and that he is single, plus the date he was killed and the date he was buried including the location. (all info written in the war diary)

Judging from my grandfather's war diary it was aweful for them over in Bardufoss and they had to bury the dead whist under threat from the enemy; continuous daylight 24 hours. I can fully understand that under these conditions mistakes could have been made. Granddad told my brother that he returned to the Clyde with just two other men from his unit; the rest were lost.

Any help to find out who Gunner Greenway is and where he is now buried would be appreciated.

Regards
Joanne

 

W/BDR stands for War Substansive Bombardier - Royal Artillery for Corporal. What do the records state after Feb 1940? His regiment left France on the 31st of May 1940 via Dunkirk.

You can apply for a copy of his service records as he died more than 25/26 years ago, you would however need a date of birth and proof of death by way of a death cert.

 

Also what unit was your Grandad with?

 

Unfortunately I am not able to apply for my Granddad's service record. He died in 2000. I don't wish to explain why on a public forum but can explain privately via email.

My Grandad's information is shown below, sent to me by my brother. Granddad's name is William Arthur Frederick Barton Mason.
Army No. 879843
Unit. 488/142(M)HAA (which I think stands for Heavy Artillery) Regiment. RA
Enlisted from 21.3.38 to 7.2.46
Rank & Appointment
13.4.40 Acting Sergeant
13.7.40 Sergeant
21.7.43 Acting W.O.2 (BSM) ‐ Sergeant Major I presume?
17.4.44 W/W.O II (BSM)
I assume that his "base" was Shoeburyness as the RA were based there, although he spent time
training at Doniford in Somerset and also at Aldershot.
At the start of the war he went to Norway and then spent the remainder of the war at
Gibraltar.

WAFB Mason's war diary states that he was called up 24th Aug 1939. Stationed at Butlers Farm Rochford until 10th April 1940 when he left for Blackdown Nr Aldershot. He lived with my grandmother and mother in Shoeburyness, Essex which was not far from the RA Garrison. I have read that this is where the 22 Regiment was based. But I have no evidence that Granddad enlisted at the Garrison. Rochford is only a few miles from Shoeburyness. I do have some photographs of Granddad with others whilst in training. I can email these privately. Maybe there are clues in the photographs ie uniform badges. They're quite detailed photographs because his friend was a professional photographer. The photographer managed to return to the UK along with Granddad and I have a blurred image of Winston Churchill boarding Granddad's ship Royal Ulsterman. WC's son-in-law Major Duncan Sandys was based at the Shoebury Garrison so I am guessing this was the reason he boarded the 'old tub' as Granddad called it.

Regards
Joanne

 

PS

I have a paper copy of the service record for Ronald Walter Greenway, sent ot me by his relative.

J

 

So if I have this straight the person below is the 'red herring' as he was lost in France/Belgium:
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 about Ronald Greenway
Name: Ronald Greenway
Given Initials: R W
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Death Date: 1940
Number: 876738
Birth Place: Alderney
Residence: Guernsey
Regiment at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: France and Belgium Campaign, 1939/40
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

Noting that this man was a resident of Guernsey

We are looking for another R Greenway (Gnr in the RA) who was killed in Norway on 29th May 1940 and buried alongside 2 others. These 2 others were reinterred after the war in a CWGC cemetery. The assumption being that at that time perhaps CWGC only dug up 2 graves and had no knowledge of a 3rd. Is it possible that the the hastily formed grave for Gnr Greenway is still in its original place and remains undisturbed to this day?

TD

 

Hi Joanne,

Further to above - do you have the details of R Greenway ie dob, place of birth etc

TD

 

HAA stands for Heavy Anti-Aircraft. 142 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment wasn't formed until 1941. I'm guessing the M stands for Midlands and 488 is a battery within the regiment. In fact the only artillery unit with 142 in it's title during 1940 is 142 Field Regiment and they didn't deploy overseas during this period going by the war diary ref at Kew.

Ref 22 Field Regiments locations they were at Shorncliffe Barracks, Folkstone in Kent in 1939 and then moved to Aldershot for a short spell prior to deploying to France. I still think this L/Sgt chap is a red herring, especially now you can see he deployed to France with 22 Field Regiment according to the war diary. The leave period you mentioned is consistent with BEF soldiers coming home on leave, right up to the 10th May in fact.

Can you post a picture of your GF's original diary where he mentions the name, I'm thinking he has either spelt his name wrong or has made an error with his name.

Cheers
Andy

 

I hope this image opens and it is big enough to read.
War Diary section of page 7

 

Hi Joanne

Re my post 15, if we can trace the info ie birth etc of your R Greenway then we can perhaps eliminate the red herring Greenway, and it is always a good place to start moving forward in searches - thanks

TD

 

I'm at Kew tomorrow and will have a look for LAA/HAA Regts stationed in Norway in May 1940. I've found two so far, which are 55 LAA Regt and 82 AA Regt. It could be that Joanne's Grandfather served in another AA Regt prior to being posted to 488/142 HAA Regt. A quick peek at the war diaries might throw up some info on which one was stationed at Bardufoss and maybe some details on casualties.

Cheers - Rob

 

Thank you Rob.
My brother found bits of information in various paper work but without dates.
Neither of us knows where Granddad enlisted; we just assumed it was at the Garrison in Shoeburyness.
I have attached a copy of the first page of the diary which shows Granddad's movements before going to Norway.
Maybe this information will be helpful?
Kind regards
Joanne