Anyone with relatives in the SRY - Sherwood Rangers - on here?

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by Ramiles, Feb 25, 2016.

  1. karlmcd

    karlmcd Junior Member

     
  2. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
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  3. karlmcd

    karlmcd Junior Member

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  4. karlmcd

    karlmcd Junior Member

    Day Two
    After walking back to the hotel from the French/Irish bar in Bayeux, a ten minute walk that took slightly longer for some reason, bed was about 0300.
    Up at 0900, for ' mounting up' was to be in thirty minutes.
    This morning everyone was wearing either their Blues or blazers with SRY ties, bowler hats, berets.
    We mount up, or get on the bus, and head towards the coast to La Hamel where we are to attend a ceremony to remember those men who sat in midget subs just off the beach for two days, as pathfinders for the engineers that would blast obstacles clear for the landing craft and dd tanks. We arrive just as Royal Marine ceremony is ending. The RMs had lost several men in and around La Hamel. We get off the bus to find that there is a very heavy wind blowing along the beach. The sky is dark and threatening, but the sun breaks through. The sea is an incredible colour like jade and looks inviting. The waves are high.
    The midget sub ceremony takes place led by the Mayor of Hamel, and an Australian whose father was one of the submariners.
    Incredibly windy with the occasion slash of rain. The only shelter is behind WD35 where the new SRY plaque is already in place.
    Standing on the eastern side of the bunker there is complete silence and no wind.
    Finally at 11am the SRY, families, friends and guests gather around the former gun emplacement which had caused so much damage exactly 73 years earlier.
    I position myself on the ground directly in front of the crowd and the plaque and ready myself to video the unveiling live on FB.
    Then I turn to my left and see Tpr.Graham Stevenson!!!..I don't believe it !!.. I'd only ever written to Sherwood Ranger vets before and spoken with One on the telephone several times in the nine months previously (David Render) but here is one live in front of me!..and who's he with..?!.. Karl König..a former 21.Panzer Div vet and now an honorary Sherwood Ranger!. I don't have time to think.. Padre Mark Chester starts the ceremony, there are speeches by the Mayor and the Lord Lt of Nottingham and the Regiments Colonel, Melvyn Colville and the plaque is unveiled marking the spot where the Regiment had landed that day 73 years ago.
    Then it rains, but who cares. The ceremony ends, I snap away at the Regimental Royalty.
    "There's Stevenson, there's Konig..." I say to a cpl of the lads... A SSM asks the Colonel to introduce me to them. Don't worry he says, were all going to lunch together.
    So we mount up and drive the short distance to Asnelles town hall where the Mayor has laid on Champagne , wine and a buffet.
    We all bail in. Its like a family reunion. Everyone is in great form. I'm blown away. I don't know which way to turn but I need to charge my phone and I see a socket directly behind Stevenson's chair. I grab a couple of glasses of champagne and sit beside him. I introduce myself, and say why I'm there and who my grandfather was. We just chat like we've known each other years and share a laugh, and several glasses of wine, we don't talk much about the war but I show him a photograph I colourized of him and he's impressed and tells me of the day he had the photo taken in Egypt. I'm chuffed as he's says he'd completely forgotten about that day and says he'd had a few beers and even nicked the photographers Fez, (there's a picture of him wearing it). Seems Tpr. Stevenson was quite the lad and a wee bit of a trouble maker. I also didn't know that he was Sgt.George Drings driver in the desert. But we chat away and its great. Karl König is beside me, I also introduce myself and he is such a nice chap (for the enemy ha), he's from Hamburg and loves horses. The wine flows and everyone is chatting and milling about.
    While I'm chatting to Karl I hear over my shoulder ' That's Stanley Christophersons daughter over there..' My heart skips a beat.
    The COs daughter?!. My grandfather served in HQ squadron under him, I've always cherished the letter he wrote to my grandmother about her husband, I've read it over and over so many times in the last thirty years. Sorry Karl, Panzer vet or not, I'll talk to you later mate !!. I ask for a Ranger to introduce me to Sara-Jane Christopherson. No probs. And I shake her hand and explain myself. She is absolutely lovely and is as equally delighted to meet me as I am to meet her. Have you met Michael Golds family ,she asks pointing them out sitting beside us.?!
    My head spins. Major Gold commanded B Squadron, he was an original in from the start, he'd been wounded in Geel, losing an eye, practically at the same time my grandfather was killed, a tank away. I'm introduced to his son and daughter, they are brilliant..we yap away, and they say, have you met Michael Parish's daughter Emma? She's sitting beside me. Oh hello, how are you?
    Parish served with the Regiment from the start and was captured on Crete,escaping the Germans he evades them for three months living with goat farmers. She says Daddy wrote a book, I'll send you a copy.!! I got it two days ago!!..
    We all chat away. Who is this funny Irishman who seems to know all about our fathers I'm sure they're thinking, but I don't care, between gulps of wine (English Wine!!) and bites of cold meats we exchange emails and have a laugh. I forget about my phone which is still charging behind Stevenson.
    More food is served, the main course apparently. And a slide show about the history of the Regiment is shown and narrated by Col.Jonathon Hunt, lovely man.
    I skip it and go out for air. I'm not the only one. There's a discussion in the hallway about how the serving members need to get involved more, and Crete seems like a good idea to get them to retrace the Regiments retreat from the enemy as part of their training. Its in the pipeline.
    The event breaks up and we mount up slightly buzzing.
    We drive to the town of Rots to visit the DDay Academy, a museum of sorts.
    It is really a very big barn stuffed with all sorts of vehicles, weapons and even a cpl of plane wrecks. Its basically one mans collection. Its impressive.
    Karl König poses with an MG34 for me while telling me about his second day in the desert.
    A Hurricane flew down and strafed his tank. So.. "..I took the machine gun from zee mount and from zee hip I fire it at the fucking plane from on top of mein turret, and it blows me backwards to the ground off the tank, zee crew are under zee tank, they say, Konig you fool, don't fire at zee fucking plane , you will only bring attention to us. And so, it was my first experience!!"
    There's only so many guns one can handle so myself and two Rangers walk into the village to find that famous alley way where the 12.SS were photographed just before they came up against the Canadians.
    The place is so familiar it felt like we were there many tines before.
    We take a few snaps and head back to mount up and then back to the hotel.
    Its a free evening but most of us head back to the bar in Bayeux for eats and many lovely beers.
    We have a great laugh and the lads make me feel like one of them.
    What a day.... Twenty four hours after I first fall into my room, i do it a second time, on top of the world.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
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  5. karlmcd

    karlmcd Junior Member

    Pictures
     

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  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Oops ;-)

    I was actually going to post this link here first - but then I noticed the ref. in it to "A" Squadron of the SRY and thought it might fit in an SRY "A" Squadron thread already on here... Then I actually read it and it does have more general SRY detail, as well as mentioning he went into "B" Squadron SRY during the European campaign. Apologies
    :blush:

    There's a fairly extensive biography, with WW2 picture - of a Sherwood Ranger

    - A Squadron - (Later "B" - edit - Rm) Trooper Thomas Harper -

    ....recently posted on Facebook here: The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 1939-1945

    Ps. Just noticed - I think it says "A" squadron in Africa, but then posted to "B" Squadron SRY during the European campaign.
     
  7. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  8. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  9. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  10. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Recently seen on youtube:

    "Former Enemies Best Friends Minidocumentary"

    Published on 8 Dec 2018
    The story of Charley Koenig, 21st Panzer Division, Africa Corps, and his friendship with the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Tank Regiment Desert Rats he fought at the Mareth Line in Tunisia, March, 1943.


     
  11. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

  12. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    There's a bit of SRY in this...
    BBC iPlayer - Lost Home Movies of Nazi Germany - Series 1: Episode 2

    Around the 46min-47min mark - in Normandy etc.

    "Christmas in Germany 1941 is an unsettling time. Food is scarce, the weather is freezing and news from the front line in Russia is causing Germans to realise the war is a very long way from over. The stage is set for the second half of the conflict.

    Through the home movies and diaries of ordinary Germans, this film charts Hitler’s dreams crumbling and the moral reckoning the German people must now face. It reveals the stories of people battling to save their families from deportation to the death camps, while others endure the horrors of ever more deadly bombing raids, all set against a backdrop of propaganda and false hope pouring forth from Nazi high command.

    In Russia we meet a doctor who throws himself into the firing line at every opportunity, not to win glory but to save his wife and three young children from deportation to the death camps in the east, while in Dresden a Jewish diary writer struggles to deal with ever-mounting restrictions and deportations.

    We also meet some of those forced to live under German rule, including extraordinary footage of a group of Jews living in hiding just a mile from Anne Frank, and a family in Normandy enjoying a bucolic summer before they find themselves on the front line when the Allies take on the German troops on the Atlantic Wall.

    The film then moves to the endgame of the war, the choices faced as the net tightened and the crazy efforts to fight to the bitter end even as all hope is gone
    ."

    See too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4824022490/permalink/10157891630512491/
     

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  13. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/4824022490/permalink/10157936760922491/

    Horrocks.jpg

    "Presented to Lt-Gen Brian Horrocks by the SRY Regiment upon their disbandment in January 1946. This leather bound book contains the signatures of 32 Officers and 538 ORs with several photographs showing the SRYs various roles in WW2, a photo of Horrocks and signed by him also. It also contains the original watercolour and ink drawings of the SRYs routes across North Africa and Europe drawn on board by Capt.Stuart Hills and pasted into the covers, these later were reprinted in the 1952 history book, a copy of which accompanied the book"
     
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  14. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Re. Rupert William Dudley; 4th Baron Leigh

    "The Peerage" ref. page: Person Page

    IWM - Baron Leigh (Rupert W Dudley) - tablet

    Has...

    RUPERT WILLIAM DUDLEY / 4th BARON LEIGH 1908-1979 / 11th HUSSARS (P.A.O.) 1928-1936 / ROYAL GLOUCESTERSHIRE HUSSARS / 1938-1944 / NOTTINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY / (SHERWOOD RANGERS) 1944-1945 / MARRIED TO ANNE DAUGHTER OF / ELLIS HICKS BEACH 1931-1977 / IN WHICH HE WAS VERY FORTUNATE.

    Some entries in the SRY war diary:

    21st August 1944 - Major the Lord Leigh arrived to assume 2 I/C of the Regiment.

    20th October 1944 - Major Leigh (2 i/c) visited the 13/18th Hussars on the “Island” with squadron reps: since we take over their role on the 21st. Capt. W. Wharton and Cpl Newton left for England on eight months wireless instruction course and the Colonel went to Brussels on 48 hours leave.

    28th October 1944 - All tanks were checked by representative from R.E.M.E. + they gave us a most excellent report on the condition of our tanks.
    The 101. U.S. Airborne Div shortened their line a little. This division is extremely active on its patrolling and suffered fairly heavy causalities through enemy anti-personnel mines.
    Major Leigh, Major Holman, + Capt. Houghton went to Antwerp on 48 hours leave.

    9th November 1944 - The Regiment loaded on transporters and left WINSSEN in the afternoon for long night march south. Major Leigh and recce parties left at 0830 hours.

    10th November 1944 - The Regiment arrived at ASCH at 0330 hours where Major Leigh and recce party met them. Went on to SCHINNEN where we found billets. The Col: went round squadrons and attended 214 Bde. Brigadier visited RHQ and plan was changed. Col: + I.O. went to 84 Div (U.S.) who are the new Div we are supporting under 30 British Corps.

    7th January 1945 - Universal service held for those who had been killed in the GEILENKIRCHEN battle. The padre preached an excellent service. Cpt Walker joined the regiment also 7 N.C.O.’s picked by Maj. Lord Leigh ??? the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. Colonel ??? at 8th Armd Bde, in the evening Maj. ??? came to discuss the fire place for operation “Blackcock”.

    27th January 1945 - Operation “Blackcock” now completed for 8th Armd Bde, regiment ordered to return to Holland for rest. Maj. Lord Leigh left with recce party to look for billets.

    1st February 1945 - Regiment moved to MOLL in Belgium. The long march was carried out on tracks and it ??? Snowed ?? most of the way. Maj. Lord Leigh harboured regiment in comfortable billets.

    20th February 1945 - Training programme started, Major Lord Leigh left the regiment and was accompanied to BRUSSELS by the adjutant. Canadians were counter attacked south west of CALCAR. Colonel and Major Holman dined with C Company.

    There is a (later) picture here : The Manor of Hunningham

    At: The Manor of Hunningham

    FB_IMG_1605113533996.jpg



     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2020
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  15. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Re. Sergeant G. (Gerry) Murphy - Royal Signals - attached to the SRY (2 x MID)

    I think, perhaps that this might be "him" in the London Gazette...

    Notices | All Notices | The Gazette...

    There are a couple of mentions of his number, I think, in the London Gazette...
    SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 13 JANUARY, 1944 p264

    Mentioned in dispatches - Royal Corps of Signals. 2351242 Sergt. G. Murphy.
    SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 22 MARCH, 1945 p1556

    Mentioned in dispatches - Royal Corps of Signals. 2351242 Sergt. G. Murphy.

    And he appears here (below) as Mentioned in Dispatches - Royal Signals - attached to the SRY - if they are the same individual - 2351242 Sergt. G. Murphy.

    Albeit, I guess that it's not certain (yet)... merely a "perhaps" possibility...

    FB_IMG_1646681859264.jpg

    FB_IMG_1646681863892.jpg
     
  16. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    "Sherwood Yeomanry" get a mention around 3 mins in... "a foot Regiment with a very fine tradition" - arrows all over their dress uniforms (Hancock on Sid James's war) curiously.

    Like a lot of similar errors they were perhaps meant to say Sherwood Foresters (which was an infantry regiment) but Hancock fluffed the line and instead said "Yeomanry", regardless Hancock is trying to persuade the vicar that Sid wasn't in prison uniform at the time during the war... ;-)

    Hancock's Half Hour - Series 5 - The Unexploded Bomb - BBC Sounds

    The same episode is also on YouTube (sound only) - although at 4mins 30 here... and it may have a slightly different script to the BBC Sounds version above.

     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2022
  17. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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