After a chat with dbf regarding my casualty service book thread I'm going to start a similar thread on my Guards Regiment service book, so here goes. Alistair
The first one was featured on the casualty thread. 219025, Lieutenant Robert Mitchael Drake, 6th Grenadier Guards, born 16/7/21, enlisted 20/2/41, kia 10/9/43 Killed by an MG bullet to the head leading his platoon in an attack on the Tobacco factory on the Montecorvino to Battipaglia road Details from “Esprit De Corps" by W.A.Elliott of the Scots Guards CWGC :: Casualty Details From the stevenageatwar.com website " Through the day and night No.3 Company fought it's way forward, eventually reaching a network of lanes north of Verdesca where a hail of bullets and hand-grenades brought the advance to an abrupt halt. At dawn the company again attempted to advance and became involved with a group of German tanks and infantry in half-tracks. It was at this point, whilst at the head of his platoon, that Robert Drake was killed outright." edit: rank & CWGC link added
Again from the previous thread 2739914 Idrys Woodwall Thomas born 16/7/11, enlisted 13/7/44 , died 15/2/45, age 33 5th Wiltshires (43rd Div) CWGC :: Casualty Details At this time the Battalion was involved in Operation Veritable Although he was service with thw Wiltshires at the time of his death his number is from the Welsh Guards block
2695210 Jack YOUNG, Scots Guards (I think initially 2nd Battalion but later 1st), he was wounded 23/4/43 and taken POW 03/02/44
2625121, Herbert Lewis Knowles WILLIAMS, Scots Guards - his training seems to have been tank related (RAC gunnery course and driver/opeator) so I think he was 3rd Battalion.
2741014, John Felix RICHARDS, Welsh Guards, Mr Richards lied about is age to enlist before the War ended, post War he was upset by the sights he saw in Palestine and left the Army early - however he later joined 21st SAS in the early 50's, and later was an officer in the Dental Corps - he recently passed away and I have been in touch with someone who knew him via a rugby club in Wales. I think his Army career could have some interesting twists and turns.
2663631 Harold Ivor KINGE, his number is in the Coldstream Guards block, it also came with a certificate saying he was a member of teh Coldstreams
As far as I know these ar all my Guards ones, any extra info on any of them is welcome. Thanks Alistair
Alistair Thanks for posting these up together. A fine collection. Will be checking the names against my notes.
19 - 23/4/1943, 1st Battalion SG The Scots Guards, David Erskine, page 130 On the 19th April the Eighth Army began its attack in the coastal sector and forced the enemy to withdraw into the hills north of Enfidaville. The approaches to Enfidaville were heavily mined, and in trying to find a way through with a carrier patrol Lieutenant N. deP. Henderson-Scott, who had carried out a daring personal reconnaissance the previous day, was killed and Lance-Sergeant J.N. Fraser seriously wounded. The Battalion eventualy got into the village about a mile and a half to the north. In the meantime Lieutenant Weir had pushed on with a carrier patrol and not only inflicted many casualties on the enemy but cut the main road to Bou Ficha about five miles north of Enfidaville and prevented it from being mined. The remaining carriers had by now been centralised in two platoons under Battalion Headquarters, and carrier patrols under Lieutenant N.H. Barne, M.C., and Lieutenant Weir were again active the next day, and, in the face of heavy shellfire, caused further casualties to the enemy, including the capture by Lieutenant Weir's patrol of two men and a vehicle from an O.P. Both patrols brought back valuable information. Patrols were again active on the 22nd and 23rd April, and in the evening of the latter day the Battalion moved forward preparatory to attacking the Djebel Hamadet es Sourah. That advance coincided with the opening of the First Battalion's advance on the Medjez sector. pages 214-5 1 - 4/2/44, 1st Battalion SG On the 1st February they handed over their positions around M 25 to a battalion of the 504th U.S. Parachute Regiment, and, in broad daylight, moved forward a thousand yards to positions on the Vallelata ridge, with the inevitable result that they were accurately shelled and very soon the Companies were found less exposed localities on the same ridge. Thus the general position at the beginning of February was that the 3rd Brigade attacking Gold Flake was halted astride the road north of where it was crossed by the railway to Campoleone. The Irish Guards, south of the railway, held positions to the west of the road, on their left the Battalion was on the Vallelata Ridge with the American Parachute Battalion to its right rear about M 25; and the Grenadiers behind it along the line of the State Express embankment west of Carroceto. Behind the Grenadiers the North Staffords, detached from the 2nd Brigade, held the Buonriposo Ridge. Shelling was heavy and almost continuous, and there was a steady drain of casualties, which included Lieutenant D.G.S. McMurtie killed. Frequent minor moves added to the fatigue. The more fortunate had some sort of shelter, howsoever squalid. "Other inmates [of a dugout occupied by five people] are a white rabbit, which we rescued from some rubble, and a very raucous, bomb-happy hen which was in residence when we took over It will insist on sleeping on our beds in turn, an untidy and messy habit. We did kick it around more than somewhat, but it seems to prefer this to braving the big world." By the 3rd it was clear that the attempt to break out of the beachhead had failed, that the initiative had passed to the enemy, and that powerful counter-attacks were imminent. Wire and mines were hurriedly procured, and shortly after midnight the first assault came in. It fell upon the Irish Guards and the Gordons. The left-hand company of the Irish Guards was eventually overrun and a wedge driven so far behind them that thenceforward the road near M 25 was under small arms fire. On the right the positions held by the two forward Companies of the Gordons were lost, and the Irish Guards, virtually surrounded, came under heavy fire from that now exposed flank, and the whole 3rd Brigade was cut off. But the Irish Guards held on and a counter-attack by the London Scottish of the 56th Division, which was now arriving in the beachhead, retook the Gordon's position, and the 3rd Brigade was able to withdraw into reserve followed by the Irish Guards. 2695210 Jack YOUNG, Scots Guards (I think initially 2nd Battalion but later 1st), he was wounded 23/4/43 and taken POW 03/02/44
Revisiting this thread with a few more 2739383 Herbert Theodore POWELL, his number falls in the Welsh Guards block