6976983 Sgt Frank McALEER, DCM, 6 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: 08/05/1943

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Alisonmallen, Jun 19, 2018.

  1. Gary Tankard

    Gary Tankard Well-Known Member

    I read this while I was down at Kew so had a look at the report mentioned and thought I'd post it here for reference:

    Mcaleer.JPG
     
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  2. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Oh thank you this is just fantastic to read. I am hoping that somewhere there may be mention of whether he found Ernie or not. I think he did. I have sent Frank McAleer a private email but this is fascinating thank you again
     
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  3. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Attached Files:

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  4. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Absolutely incredible and I am going to replay as I think Ernie was on it the dark haired sergeant running up the hill but unsure so will see. I will send to my mother also just in case. I really hope Sgt McAleers nephew sees this. Thank you very much indeed!
     
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  5. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Absolutely incredible and I am going to replay as I think Ernie was on it the dark haired sergeant running up the hill but unsure so will see. I will send to my mother also just in case. I really hope Sgt McAleers nephew sees this. On reflection whilst the sergeant at the end looked like Ernie I realised the film was March - he had been killed by March sadly. I think there is another shot of Sgt McAleer kneeling to talk to someone. Thank you very much indeed!
     
  6. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

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  7. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

  8. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Film footage is amazing I just wish it had been taken a month earlier and Ernie perhaps would have been on it! Just fantastic for the McAleer family though. Not heard from them so still hoping. Thanks again
     
  9. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    The Derry newspapers reported Ernie missing in action and a while later confirmed KIA. I think it was after the war though that his father got a letter from Churchill agreeing to help locate the grave. I know he was moved from the original burial place but we dnt know if he was taken prisoner that fateful night and then died or was definitely killed in the raid. Who buried him?
     
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  10. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    I wonder if the IWM are making another effort to get some of these short films up on line? Just last week I bumped into two new Chindit 1 additions, one for a new veterans audio memoir and the other showing survivors from Operation Longcloth recuperating at 19th Casualty Clearing Station at Imphal. Some great footage there, if only 2 minutes worth.

    Must be something in the air!!
     
  11. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Such a shame those involved probably never saw them. I still look at footage in case my grandfather pops up. He was near Ernie at Medjez and he and another got the nazi flag down from the rail station there which is still on display in the SWB museum Brecon
     
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  12. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    I noted some additional oral accounts from that time - one a 7hr one, which I'm currently listening to !!
     
  13. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Ok will try there was no sound on anything so assuming you didn’t hear anyone either on clips sent
     
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  14. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    No audio on the film but just referring to a oral account of a Skins'/Faughs' officer from Mar '43 to '47.... No reference to our direct interest here.

    Wilton, Arthur John (Oral history)
     
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  15. FrankMcaleer

    FrankMcaleer New Member

    Wow, my dad is going to love seeing all this additional information. I apologize for not being around. it's very touching to see that footage. I will try to get my dad to respond as soon as possible!
     
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  16. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    To everyone who has helped me find Sgt McAleer’s family thank you because it is just amazing! The i formation is incredibly valuable.
     
  17. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Thank you for updating the forum, it is always nice when originators come back to report that their research has been successful.
     
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  18. CatherineLee

    CatherineLee Member

    Hi there, just a word of thanks for information I've learned on here, following on from Ali looking for info on Ernie Reid, a great friend of Frank's. Sgt Frank McAleer was my mum's uncle, the baby of the family and it was fantastic to see so much about on him on here. My mum's mother (his sister) died when she was only 33, my mum was 8, and although she met her Uncle Frank a few times, and had very fond memories of him, she didn't really know very much about him. One thing she did remember was that her mum and family were eagerly awaiting his return from the army, and were extremely proud of him being awarded the DCM, only to receive a black-edged telegram telling them that despite surviving various things that had happened to him, he had been run over and killed in a tragic accident. I showed my mum the old film footage of him in the training exercise and she was overjoyed to see him, she's now 84, and has always thought about him and told us about him over the years. Thanks again
     
  19. Alisonmallen

    Alisonmallen Well-Known Member

    Hoping you are all well up there Catherine. My husband a postman got mild COVID but thankfully is ok. Best wishes and take great care to all members on ww2 talk
     
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  20. CatherineLee

    CatherineLee Member

    Hi Ali, we're all fine here. I'm visiting my mum today (from a distance!) it's her birthday, she's 84. Hope your husband is feeling better now. Did you ever manage to find out any more info about Ernie? Catherine x
     
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