James Dempsey McAlpine 7th Bn Cameronians

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Bosse, Mar 18, 2019.

  1. Bosse

    Bosse Member

    Hello!
    I´m doing research about the 7th Bn Cameronians and the battalion´s actions during the period October 1944 to May 1945.
    A distant relative of mine was killed in action during the battle for Alpen (Alpon), Germany, in March 1945 and I wonder if anyone here knows anything about him and the battle he took part in.

    The information I have this far is:
    Name: James Dempsey McAlpine
    Born: 1912 (32 years old when killed)
    Dead: 9 March 1945 in Alpen (Alpon), Germany
    From: Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire
    Parents: John and Mary Dempsey McAlpine
    Brother: Andrew McAlpine, 2nd Bn Cameronians (killed 14 March 1941)
    Unit: 7th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
    Rank: Rifleman
    Servicenumber: 3253421
    Buried: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

    I appreciate all the help I can get.
    Thank You!
     
  2. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Some excerpts from Mountain and Flood (History of the 52nd Lowland Division):

    52nd Lowland Blackkock & Veritable 035.JPG 52nd Lowland Blackkock & Veritable 038.JPG 52nd Lowland Blackkock & Veritable 039.JPG 52nd Lowland Blackkock & Veritable 036.JPG

    Vestiges of the demolished railway bridge at Wesel (on the 2nd picture the town of Wesel on the opposite bank of the Rhine River is in the background):
    Wesel Rail Bridge March 10' 45.jpg 021.JPG
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
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  3. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    During October into November they were involved in the fighting to clear the Scheldt Estuary and the clearing of Walcheren Island.
     
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  4. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    The Battalion history with the entries for 9th March and Roll of Honour page

    Alistair

    1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg 4.jpg
     
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  5. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Map (German) bridgehead Wesel (taken from C.B. MacDonald "The Last Offensive").

    USA-E-Last-VII.jpg
     
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  6. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

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  7. Bosse

    Bosse Member

    Thanks for the photographs, they are very helpful!
    It´s difficult getting hold of those old books and the ones you find online are very expensive so I appreciate your help very much.
     
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  8. Bosse

    Bosse Member

  9. Bosse

    Bosse Member

  10. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    British Army Casualty Lists 1939-1945:
    McAlpine.jpg
     
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  11. Bosse

    Bosse Member

    Thank you!
    Do you have any idea what function the handwritten numbers have?
     
  12. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Afraid not, but I'm sure someone on this forum will have.
     
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  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  14. Bosse

    Bosse Member

  15. Uwe Sewing

    Uwe Sewing Member

    Guten Abend. Die Karte ist wahrscheinlich nicht ganz korrekt. Die 102. US-ID erreichte am 3. März 1945 den Rhein in Krefeld. In diesem Bereich ( Red Arrow ) befand sich eigentlich das 137th oder 320th US Infantry Regiment / 35.US ID inkl. 784.Tk.Bn
     

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