Lt Jack Lauder's Platoon of A Company 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment on D-Day.

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by John Farrar, Nov 24, 2020.

  1. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Jack's son Colin and I are embarking on a project to find the families and relatives of Jack's D-Day platoon. Jack was wounded on the beach during the assault and took no further part in action. Both my late Father, Jonah Drake Farrar and his younger brother Arthur were members and sadly Arthur was killed almost immediately he stepped onto the beach. My father was wounded on 18 September 1944 during the Operation Market Garden by which time the 1st Battalion was part of the Guards Armoured Division. Does anybody know of any of their colleagues families or relatives. By November 1944 only Pte. Jimmy Brett and Cpl. Kenneth Heath of the original platoon were on active service with the Battalion.
     
    Owen likes this.
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    This is a good place to seek help and exchange information. Others may come along as their specialist knowledge and skills can help. Applying for their service records is a must, even if there is a long delay currently. Just snet your a link that helps generally.
     
  3. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Thankyou so much David, Colin and I appreciate any assistance in our endeavour to track down any relatives of the Platoon. Stay safe and STYS regards John
     
  4. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello John,

    I have no information on anyone’s family members, so can’t assist with your mission. However, I thought it pertinent to point out that the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment were never part of the Guards Armoured Division. They were part of the 231st Infantry Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division from circa 24 September 1943 for the duration. They may well have been temporarily under command of the Guards Armoured Division for a particular mission or short period of time; this sort of thing did happen.

    All the best with your search!

    Steve.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2020
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    They were "under command of the Guards Armoured Division"
    I looked in the Hampshires history.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Good morning Steve

    They were under the command of the Guards Armoured Division for the Operation Market Garden offensive and prior to that were after D-Day and the clearing of Normandy they were under the command of the 11th Armoured Division.
     
  7. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    The 231 Brigade moved around. It started out on Malta as part of the defense force there and joined 8th Army for Husky. Later in 1943 it became an organic part of 50th Division, moved to the UK with the 50th, and remained with it until the division was broken up/suspended in the late autumn of 1944. "Under command" is not quite the same thing as being an organic part of a formation and the disticntion is an important one. The 50th, for example, had 8th Armoured Brigade under command for operational purposes on D-Day and intermittently on and off for various tasks thereafter. Yet 8th Armd Bde remained an independent organization and it served "under command" of other formations besides the 50th The 231 Bde may been briefly under command of 11th Armd and Gds Armd for specific operations but it was never a formal part of either and should not be so considered.
     
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  8. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    That is correct.
    Thankyou.
     
  9. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Good afternoon TTH

    Please find attached some documents that I have that may give you some idea of where we are at.

    I have been in contact with the Royal Hampshire Regiment's Museum and have received copies of the relevant Chapters of the Battalion's WW2 History that pertain to my late Father's service with the 1st Battalion from his compulsory transfer from the 11th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment whilst he was in the ME in February 1943 until he was wounded during the Operation Market Garden offensive. These are Chapters 12, 17, 18 and 20.
     
    Owen likes this.
  10. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Hello again TTH

    I have now converted two docx. files to pdf so that I am able to send them to you.

    Regards

    John
     
  11. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    If I was you I'd put all those names on this thread with their army numbers & that way search engines will pick up on them.
    You can find their numbers on the CWGC entries for the dead & the Casualty lists for the wounded.


    Lt Jack Lauder and his Platoon of A Company, 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment, May 1944

    Left to Right Standing

    L/Cpl H V Wannell – posted to 7th Hampshires before D-Day. Died of wounds 13 July 1944
    Pte G Ansell – wounded
    Pte Webber
    Pte R A Butt – killed D-Day
    Pte L Bampton – wounded
    Pte D Freeman Pte W H Bell – killed D-Day
    Pte F W Clarke – killed D-Day
    Sgt B R Sargent – wounded 11 August 1944
    Pte Oz Bailey
    Lt J E F Lauder – wounded D-Day
    Pte T A Edwards – killed 11 July 1944
    Pte R Prouten – captured 13 June 1944
    Pte K Heath – still with Battalion October 1944
    Cpl Johnson
    Cpl D E Rose – died of wounds D-Day
    Pte Dowling – wounded
    Cpl L J Caines – wounded 15 June 1944

    Left to Right Sitting

    Pte A E Christopher – killed D-Day
    L/Cpl L Dyer – killed D-Day
    Pte J Stroulger – wounded D-Day
    Pte Burchell Cpl G Slade – awarded MM on D-Day, killed 4 October 1944
    Private F Britton – killed D-Day
    Pte Walker Private A Farrar – killed D-Day
    Private J Farrar – wounded 18 September 1944
    Private Cooper
    Private Jimmy Brett – still with Battalion October 1944
    Private E Loader – killed D-Day
    Private Allen
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2020
  12. John Farrar

    John Farrar Member

    Thankyou Owen

    Regards

    John

    P.S. I am also going to use the National Archives that cover WW2 viz "Find my past".
     
  13. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    If you have not already considered this, there are online trees both public & private on ancestry & other family history sites, with a personal message system. I have had some luck in the past with this method.
     

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