2/7 Middlesex Regiment Anzio

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Danila, May 18, 2011.

  1. Danila

    Danila Member

    Hi
    I am doing researches to find information for the son of Thomas Joseph Ling who fought and died in Anzio. His father was caporal in the 2/7 battalion Middlesex Regiment, wounded 29 February 1944. Shipped home on Her Majesty's Hospital ship Alba, He died and was buried at sea on 4/4/1944, age 33. These are the only information at disposal. I would like to trace the footsteps of his regiment/battalion in Anzio, to see the movements in Feb. 1944 as his son will be coming next September. Who should I contact to have pages of the regiment war diary, The. National Archive in London? Is possible to find the records on line or should one go to London to get records. I would appreciate if anyone could help me.
    Thanks
    Danila
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    This should help to start off with.
    2/7th Battalion, 1939-1945

    Will be a bit difficult to pinpoint where he was , as they were equiped with Vickers MG and Mortars and were in support of various units of 1st Div.
     
  3. Tab

    Tab Senior Member

    At times it is worth just typing in on the google search and see what turns up. I found the war dairies for these regiments by doing this for WW1 and traced were my uncles were killed
     
  4. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Hi Danila,
    The war diaries are kept at the National Archives at Kew and can be seen and copied there.

    Here is a list of all 2/7 Middlesex diaries from WWII. Obviously not all of these will be of interest to you though.

    WO 166/4463 INFANTRY: 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own). 1939 Sept.- 1940 July
    WO 166/4464 INFANTRY: 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own). 1940 Aug.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/8809 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1942 Jan.-Dec.
    WO 166/12629 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 Jan.-Apr.
    WO 169/10264 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 May- Dec.
    WO 170/1440 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1944 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 170/5048 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1945 Jan.
    WO 169/20070 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1945 Feb.- Dec.

    WO 169/10265 'A' Brigade Support Group 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 May- Dec.
    WO 169/10266 'B' Brigade Support Group 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 June- Dec.
    WO 169/10267 'C' Brigade Support Group 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 May- Dec.
    WO 169/10268 1 Company 'C' Brigade Support Group 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1943 June- Oct.
    WO 170/1441 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), Rear 1944 Jan.- June
    WO 170/1442 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 'A' Support Group 1944 Jan.- Apr.
    WO 170/1443 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 'B' Support Group 1944 Jan.- Apr.
    WO 170/1444 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 'C' Support Group 1944 Jan.- Apr.

    Lee
     
  5. Danila

    Danila Member

    Thank You to everyone

    I know is not going to be easy but I will try to help him ad if I get any useful information I will let you know.
    Thanks once again for your help
    Danila
     
  6. Emanuel1940

    Emanuel1940 Member

    Can anyone help in sourcing the following war diaries please?

    WO 170/1443 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 'B' Support Group 1944 Jan.- Apr.

    WO 170/1440 2/7 Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) 1944 Jan.- Dec.

    I am researching one particular man here Francis "Frank" Louis Abbott who landed at Anzio.

    Can anyone help identify the men in the photo attached? Frank is standing second from right third row.

    Frank was in North Africa before Italy and set up a cricket pitch out there.

    Many thanks as always.

    Daniel.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    I would also be very interested in knowing what 2/7 Middlesex were up to on 4 March 1944 - I'm researching an officer wounded that day whilst serving with them but have no idea where or in what circumstances this happened.

    Cheers

    Skip
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Daniel - I can copy them for you at 10p per page. Just click the red link below in my signature for all the details, terms, yawn, small print etc. on the service I offer forum members. Be warned though - Some of the WO 170 Series war diaries can be quite thick - Isn't that right Diane :lol:
     
  9. Emanuel1940

    Emanuel1940 Member

    Cheers Drew,

    I'll send you an email.

    All the best,

    Daniel.
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    What's his name?
     
  11. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    Hello Drew5233,

    His name was - Lt Stanley David James GRIMSDALE 262178. Commissioned into the 2/7 Middlesex Feb 1943. Arrived N Africa late that May. Wounded in Italy 4 March 1944. Later killed whilst serving with the RSR in Athens.

    Cheers

    Skip
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Looks like the war diary may be your best bet. I've just checked the Regiments history by Kemp and he's not listed. It's worth pointing out that other officers are listed that were wounded around that time.
     
  13. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    OK thanks Drew - appreciate you checking. Will have a look at the diaries when next at Kew.
     
  14. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Skip

    You should know that the 56th division was having a hard time in dealing with a major attack by our old friends 4th Paras - 26th Pzs and 29th PG's who were a tough bunch- and by 4th March 56th Div were fairly exhausted and were being replaced by 5th Div ...and casualties were very high - on both sides so many were KIA and wounded that particular day.....56th Div were sent off to Egypt to refit and recover shortly after this battle - to return in time to be hammered again at Gemmano in the Gothic line...

    Cheers
     
    Gary Tankard likes this.
  15. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Tom.
    2/7th Middlesex were 1st Div not 56th.
    In photo in post #1 you can see 1st Div white triangle on some of the chaps .


    . - See more at: http://www.vickersmachinegun.org.uk/units-middlesex.htm#sthash.NZj5CcP5.dpuf
     
  16. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Owen

    the time here is now 1:41 a.m. - so I am just ready for bed and have been known to make the odd error...but the 5th Div were landing that day to take over the Anzio front from 56th Div until Rome was "liberated ' and both 1st and 5th Divs went up the east coast in complete ignorance of what Clark was planning.....

    and so Good night and God bless you
     
  17. Skip

    Skip Senior Member

    Tom and Owen - thanks to both of you as both of your insights are useful. Tom - yours for background activity at the time (cheers) and Owen - yours for a lead into future research.

    As ever I'm glad I asked,

    All the best

    Skip
     
  18. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Owen/ Skip

    am now fully awake once more and note that at that time - while the Middlesex were nominally 1st Div support troops - they were actually detached to X Corps troops under a vague Recce outfit

    - so blame whoever wrote up the Order of Battle for March '44 - while I tackle a clean up job in the kitchen after some of the family visited yesterday to celebrate our Thanksgiving day..or at least get

    rid of the empty bottles of Neirstein - before the cleaning lady gets here or I shall never hear the end of it...

    Cheers
     
  19. Tim Lee

    Tim Lee Member

    My Father Ron Lee (pt) was in the 2/7 middlesex at Anzio and later in Palestine, his Bren gun carrier / machine gun platoon were in the thick of the action in support of the Gordon Highlanders on the front line possibly in the region of 'smelly farm' dispatched on a motor cycle to collect signals my father was twice blown off his motorcycle the second time being injured and ending up in a dressing station itself under artillery fire - he survived but all his platoon were subsequently killed and captured . I still have a copy of a poem written by one of his mates Ben Borley. Hope this information is of some use ?
     
    dbf likes this.
  20. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Its shame that Daniel has not been seen on the forum for a while & that goes for Tim Lee.Its rather interesting on my part what threads you come across whilst looking for war diaries of 1 Buffs, 18 Brigade of 1 Division in the Anzio Campaign. I've not seen the image that was posted in #1 before & its not likely to be known why it looks has if it may be a part image? That's for another time. I've numbered some of the chaps in red:Some of which i'm not 100% sure. I'm going off a book that has driving licence pics.
    3..jpg

    1) 140009 2nd Lt Francis Louis Abbott joined the 2/7 MX on the 27.07.1940. He was a War Substantiated Lt as of 27.01.42. He joined 'B' Sp Group as O.C. 9 Platoon on the 06.10.43 & he was known for (setting up a cricket pitch in N.A.!) Its in a book that i have on the regiment. 2) Lt. James Hill was another O.C. 9 Platoon: Probably after Lt. Fred Wallwork who was killed in early Feb.
    3) is C.S.M. Bob Hebden: a correction is needed.. Hill came after Bob Hebden on the 13.02.44.

    4) Looks most like T/ Capt. C.S. Goulding who was promoted to A/ Major and took over command of No. 3 Coy (MMGs ) of B Support Group.Source; 2/7 Middlesex War Diaries. 5) 113934 Captain E.M. Bruce, 2/i.c. B Sp Group.6) is Capt. D. Mckidd. Not 100% sure about 7). I think its Capt. Dudley Asling? The images below does pull the heart strings. 8) looks has if I've seen him before. May be able to come back with answer.
    2..jpg
    1..jpg
    Its taken me a while to have a read through the diaries of all the 2/7 MX War diaries in the Anzio Campaign, but it its worth it. I will follow up with other diaries of 3 Brigade in time!
    This chap does get a mention or two in the "C" Sp Group of the 2/7 Middlesex.

    Stu.
     

    Attached Files:

    • 3..jpg
      3..jpg
      File size:
      225.5 KB
      Views:
      9
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
    Tom OBrien and minden1759 like this.

Share This Page