830294 Gdsm. Richard SHAW, 3 Coldstream Guards, missing 15 June 1944

Hello experts on this battalion.

To put my post into context, on 15 June 1944 the 3 Coldstream Guards, 24 Guards Brigade, 6 South African Armoured Division were in Italy, on their way north from Orvieto (which had been cleared the previous day) and approaching Chiusi on the Trasimene Line.

I am currently researching all servicemen missing between 14 June - 21 June and commemorated on the Cassino Memorial and am interested to know where Gdsm. Shaw might have gone missing.

Does anyone have a copy of the 3 Coldstream Guards' War Diary for June 1944? I really only need the 15th.

I have checked on GWGC details for Bolsena War Cemetery, where most of the men from 6 South African Armoured Division who died in this period are buried, to see if any other Coldstream guardsmen were killed on the same day as Gdsm. Shaw, but there aren't any. The first casualties date from 24 June.

Thanks in anticipation,

Vitellino

 

Vitellino

According to the records, Gdsm Shaw was posted missing in 1942:



but had actually been taken prisoner:



At some point in 1944 he escaped and was killed:






He had originally joined the Royal Artillery:



Hope this helps.

 

Likely captured at the fall of Tobruk.

Steve

 

He seems specifically linked with Donald Robertson, Scots Guards
Guardsman ROBERTSON, DONALD. Service Number 2696523. Died 15/06/1944. Aged 24
2nd Bn. Scots Guards
Son of Donald and Diana B. Robertson, of Dennistoun, Glasgow.

so, is there a possible Known Unto God Scots Guards burial, perhaps adjacent to an Unknown Coldstream soldier?

"Someone" must have provided the information about these men, and there may be more to find.

 

Their two stories are very similar:

 

Thank you very much all the above contributors. I think we might be getting somewhere

Gdsn. Robertson is also on the Cassino Memorial with the same date of death.

According to WO 321/21 both guardsmen were being held in PG 53 Macercata/Sforzacosta (call it what you will) at some stage.

According to the CWGC records two unknowns were brought into Bolsena War Cemetery from the Civil Cemetery at Bagnatino. Bagnatino doesn't exist but Bagnaia near Viterbo does. I'll follow this up,

Vitellino

 

Thanks. I might just obtain one of these files.

However, I have established that the two men taken to Bolsena from near Viterbo were airmen so I can eliminate them.

I have just had a look at the War Crimes files and there's nothing obvious there. If these two were killed as escaped POWs they were still behind the lines on 15 June so I might just trawl through the War Cemeteries' concentration forms. As I write, I am remembering the killing of recaptured prisoners on the march from PG 82 Laterina in that same week of June 1944. Some of them, without names, are buried in the war cemetery at Arezzo...

 

He may well be in this report, thanks

I might however send for this:


Reference: WO 311/1263


Description: Shooting of allied prisoners of war near Castel Rosa, Italy, June 1944

The problem is that I can't locate Castel Rosa

Vitellino