Gordon Pickford (born 1909) joined the Grenadier Guards as a drummer and was one of 4 men who blew the silver bugles at Menin Gate on 15 Sept 1929 when they were handed to the town of Ypres. At some stage he transferred to 49 Recce Regt. Can anyone provide further details surrounding his death? On 15 August the Division took Vimont and on the 16th crossed the Dives at Mezidon and would guess the Recce Regt would have been busy. But what was Gordon's role and why was an SNCO the only fatality? Thanks Charles Casualty
Just for information and to provide his middle name UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Gordon Pickford Given Initials: G M Rank: Serjeant Death Date: 16 Aug 1944 Number: 2609858 Birth Place: Berkshire Residence: London (not otherwise specified) Regiment at Enlistment: Grenadier Guards Branch at Enlistment: Royal Armoured Corps Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45 Regiment at Death: Reconnaissance Corps Branch at Death: Royal Armoured Corps Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current Name: Sgt Gordon Maitland Pickford Maiden Name: Death Date: 16 Aug 1944 Cemetery: Bayeux War Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Bayeux, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France Has Bio?: N TD
His service records should reveal his service and when he joined the Reconnaissance Corps, always the only place to start researching a serviceman. The war diaries are held at The National Archives and will detail the operations the unit was involved in: Recce.Regt. | The National Archives If you are unable to visit there are good folks around here who will copy them for you. Some 49 Recce articles here: Reconnaissance Journal
Maybe have a word with member Recce Mitch - 49th (West Riding) Regt Reconnaissance Corps Roll of Honour TD
Thanks guys. TD - the Recce Journal is great, provided a biography of Charles Luce, commemorated in Malmesbury Abbey along with other distinguished members of his family, he transferred to the RAF Regiment. Back to my query - the War Diary would seem to be the best place to look. Anyone got a copy? Charles
If a member doesnt have the diary there are a couple of members on the forum who offer copy service at a reasonable price. The members to contact for the copy service are Andy user name Drew5233 or Lee user name Psywar Mentioned here possible death at the Falaise Pocket The Wartime Memories Project - The Second World War - Those Who Served regards Clive
A copy of the 49 Recce war diary page from 16 August 1944. As mentioned previously about 49 Recce casualties in other posts on the forum, this unit rarely mentions casualties suffered.
Thanks so much. The War Diary is very disappointing. From the Roll of Honour in the Journal Tpr J Bishop was wounded on the 16th but his Squadron isn't specified. So I guess the circumstances of poor old Gordon's death will never be discovered now. Charles
I notice from the concentration document for Sgt. Pickford on the CWGC, that he was originally buried at Cristot. Does this offer up any detail on where he may of fallen?
Looking at some of the locations mentioned in the war diaries it would appear that the original burial location was something like 53 km to the West of where the regiment was operating:
The guys named on the Graves Concentration Report were all those killed from 49 Recce between 2nd and 16th August other than Tpr (temp Cpl) J Smith who for some reason was buried at Le Blanche Herbe. Maybe he died of wounds at a medical facility. I would guess the Regt went to Cristot for a rest and took their dead comrades with them.
I've researched a number of casualties, that do not make sense. For example, men that were Kia in Holland, but buried in Belgium. Some questions will never ever be answered.
I can tell you Sgt Pickford was in the same troop as my grandfather (who was also from the Grenadier Guards.) Sgt Pickford joined Number 14 Scout troop on 2.6.42.
i've just come across this in the C Squadron Campaign Diary. Quatre Puits- August 16th Moved to Quatrepuits. Recce troops advanced to river DIVES. Sgt Pickford killed and Tpr Bishop wounded by mines whilst investigating a crossing. The diary is in the Porthcawl museum (which is currently closed but will reopen hopefully in the spring) along with a lot of other C Squadron material on display.
