Richard Douglas Sutcliffe DSO, OBE, TD - Royal Artillery

As part of my research on the Lloyds Banking Group war memorials, I'm currently looking into this man:

Lieutenant Colonel RICHARD DOUGLAS SUTCLIFFE
D S O, O B E, T D

49705, Cdg. 69 (10th Bn. The Royal Fusiliers [City of London Regt.]) Searchlight Regt., Royal Artillery
who died age 50
on 16 April 1941
Son of Dr. Joseph Sutcliffe and Diana Frances Sutcliffe; husband of Lily Louisa Sutcliffe, of Chalfont St. Giles.
Remembered with honour
AMERSHAM CONSECRATED CEMETERY

I've managed to find a fair amount of information about him, but the one thing I've not been able to determine is how he died.

I have a note he died on war service, and another staing he was killed in action, but as he is buried in the UK I assume he died here. I've tried searching online newspaper archives but somehow there's nothing at the time of his death at all. Not even a death notice.

Does anyone have access to a war diary or a unit history that might give some information on the circumstances of his death?

 

I can't help with how he died, except to say that as he does not appear to have a death cert in the non military GRO deaths index, he should appear in ARO2 - GRO War Death Army Officers Indices (1939 to 1948), part of the British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials record set on findmy past.

This is the Army Roll of Honour 1939-1945 which at least confirms he died in the UK:
Name: Richard Sutcliffe
Given Initials: R D DSO OBE TD
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Death Date: 16/04/1941 (16 Apr 1941)
Number: 49705
Birth Place: London (not otherwise specified)
Residence: Sussex
Regiment at Enlistment: Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: United Kingdom
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

If it helps with the location of 69 Searchlight in 1941, this link is to Charles Leslie Caley of that unit, who died when falling from a truck at Norwich on 8th January 1941.
CHARLES LESLIE CALEY - Ipswich War Memorial

The unit is also covered by this record set at findmypast.
London volunteer soldiers, 1859-1955
London volunteer soldiers, 1859-1955 | findmypast.co.uk

There were letters of Administration granted following his death, maybe they show place of death. The index just says "died on war service" which is standard in those records for anyone who died while serving in the forces in WW2, reguardless of how/where they died. Cost is £ 1.50 from here.
Find a will | GOV.UK
This gives his address as Little Chalfont, near Amersham, and I did wonder if this was where he was billeted, but I now see his wife died in Bucks in 1969.

When he received his OBE in 1939 he is still Col of 10th Royal Fusiliers (presumably just before conversion to R.A.), so I would expect the Royal Fusiliers Museum at Tower of London to have some info. If open, maybe they will help answer a brief query about a former CO.

Travers

 

A few photos from my collection of his headstone and Amersham War Memorial

This taken 2018


This taken 2010

Also from the Amersham War Memorial

 

Photos of Richard Douglas Sutcliffe - Find A...

 

From Casualty List 491
Killed in action. Night 15/16 Apr 41.

Tim

 

Tim

 

Looks like this is the War Diary you need:
Reference: WO 166/3088
Description:
ANTI-AIRCRAFT COMMAND: SEARCHLIGHT REGIMENTS: 69 Searchlight Regiment (SL).

Date: 1941 Mar.-Dec.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew

Tim

 

Later amended on list No. 555 to "Date of death should read 16.4.41", His initials were incorrect, have submitted a correction.

 

By coincidence there is another thread which may be worth checking, as it refers to Home Guard deaths at Mitcham, Surrey the night of 16-17/4/1941. See: Remembering Today 19/4/41 A.F.White Home Guard 57th Surrey (Mitcham) Bn.

 

Had another go at a web search for 69th Searchlight & found that in April 1941 although based in London its war station was East Anglia. In this role it was part of 41st (London) AA Brigade.
3rd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment - Wikipedia
41st_(London)_Anti-Aircraft_Brigade