Hi guys, I am trying to locate the war diaries and personal stories of soldiers in the 53rd Division, for the period of 8-16 september 1944, on or around Fort2 at Wommelgem, Antwerp, but I stumble upon some issues: I cannot find any war diaries in the directory for the next units: 116th (Royal Welch Fusiliers) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA 13th Medium Regiment, RA 244 Field Coy, Royal Engineers I have located two personal diaries of officers in the 1st Manchesters in the online search engine of the IWM collections, but I don't know if I can order them via the IWM. Anybody who can help me out? Other sources for the WD of the units? Maybe RE museum for the field company? Anybody who has some information on these units? Anybody who has ordered from the IWM via mail? Anybody passing there who can have a look for me? I know, many questions, but I've never done any research on British units.
Swiper, have you got a list of all regiments etc that were in the 53rd Welch Recce Div in August 1944 by any chance?
There was no such thing as 53rd Welch Recce Div. 53rd Recce Regt was part of 53rd Welch Div. I think we explained that before.
116th L.A.A Sept 8th-16th 1944. lots of Allied air activity reported for obvious reasons My Father was in 116th LAA
If anyone has access to the war diary for 1/5th Bn, Welsh Regt for the period 20 Aug thru 1 Nov 1944, I'd be very interested in obtaining a copy. My cousin was posted into that unit as a casualty replacement and the requested period covers his time with the Bn. Many thanks, Mark
Hi I am trying to find out the movements, service no, anything really about my ex father in law. All I know is his name, Arthur Woolley from Stockport. He was married in 1941 and his cap badge appears to be 53rd Welsh, have also discovered a Monmouthshire combination cloth badge.there is also a book of photographs given to him at the end of the war which would appear to show fighting through from Normandy to crossing the rhine, I have only had a brief look at this. There is a family story that he was among the troops that liberated (or soon after) Belsen, but I can find nothing to substantiate this. Any help at all would be very much appreciated thank you
Hello Alistair most families have a story that their relative was in or near Belsen at the end of the war. Anyway apply for his service records you dont require his service number.Date of birth and death certificate will do. Get a copy of military service records regards Clive
Hello Clive, thanks for your rep[y, I have the forms to fill in but I wasn't sure if I had enough info,every internet search I have tried so far has turned up nothing.
Hello all, I am trying to find information related to my uncle's, Edmund Gorkiewicz, fate. The last my family heard of him was a postcard in summer 1944 and only two years ago we discovered that he died on 21 September 1944 in Eersel being in the German Army (which we also had no idea about, we are Polish and my uncle volunteered in September 1939 for the Polish army and was subsequently taken POW). Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) informed us that he was in the Stab III Bataillon Grenadier-Regiment 937, 245 Infantry Division when he died. I am posting here because as far as I managed to make out on 21 September Eersel was already liberated by units of the 53rd Welsh Division (?), so my uncle must have died in Allied hands. I wanted to ask for pointers for literature to operations around that time and place and if maybe by the off-chance there is something in the War Diaries, other documents (from some Dutch sources it seems that my uncle was the only person in German uniform to be buried at the Roman Catholic cemetery in Eersel)? I would appreciate any pointers. Best regards Krzysztof
Son of Franciszek Górkiewicz and Leokadia Górkiewicz (née Jeszka). Brother of Eleonora and Ryszard. Edmund was a High school student until 1939. St.Kp.N.E.W.20-1053- Buried Eersel cemetery. Reburied 21/04/1957 Ysselsteyn. Information from the The Polish Institute of National Remembrance: Information on persecution Source: Polish Red Cross POW: survived camp: S POW number: 2313 POW release date: 1940-06-12 additional information: ADENDORF The "P" patch means that he was a forced labourer of Polish nationality in Germany. For some reason Edmund joined the German Army. It's not known if he was forced into it, or as a Volunteer. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55448854/edmund-g_rkiewicz
Ronny: Then, you are the second person, that I know who has documented all the the graves there .. CL1: Thank you, some of the photos of Edek on findagrave are from us. Actually that is how we found out about Edek's fate in 2016, when a random google search for him hit his findagrave site that was created by Fred. Before that, no one had any idea what happened to him, he just had disappeared in 1944 and all queries e.g. to the Red Cross hit a blank wall.
On Twitter just spotted this: His Twitter name:@ReassessHistory His website: Jonathan Ware - Military Historian