12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by lineman, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    upload_2018-1-3_20-53-49.png That's better picture didn't load first time.
     
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  2. Tim Stevens

    Tim Stevens Member

    As I mentioned above, my grandfather, William Stevens, was a sergeant in the 12th Devons. Amongst his papers and personal effects, I have his diary from 1944 which I am currently transcribing. He made a diary entry every day for the three months he was in Normandy from June to September. I am posting the first couple of pages here in the hope they may be of interest. If they are useful and interesting to people let me know and I will post more when I have the time.

    1944
    June 4.
    “Still waiting. Lovely day. Everyone very cheerful. Hope to be on leave next month.”
    June 5.
    “Given the details and set sail. We are on the way.”
    June 6.
    “D-Day. What a convoy. Thousands of ships. Lovely weather, not a bit rough. Just like a cruise. No trouble.”
    June 7.
    “Off the coast of France 2 miles. Sun shining. No planes, only our own. Just like a holiday. Occasional shelling from our warships just to keep the party lively, otherwise all quiet.”
    June 8.
    “Third day of offensive, landed at 1 am. What a landing, air raids, flack, snipers, paratroops and mines. Otherwise very quiet. Dive bombed at 9 pm.”
    June 9.
    “4th day. Been busy today, diving in and out of slit trench. Shelling, strafing, dive bombing and mortar fire. We certainly get a variety.”
    June 10.
    “Started day well, under mortar fire from 6 o’clock. Attack beaten off, rest of day quiet or fairly so.”
    June 11.
    “6th day of offensive. Fairly quiet, occasional shelling. First casualty to my platoon, Sgt Abrams. Heavy shelling in morning.”
    June 12.
    “7th day of offensive. Lovely day. Such a day was made for love not war. Our people putting down a heavy barrage.”
    June 13.
    “8th day. Pl. Cmd. wounded, I take over platoon. I have asked God to help me lead them right. 3 ORs wounded.”
    June 14.
    “Quiet today, nerves settling.”
    June 15.
    “Had two letters today, the first since I have been here.”
    June 16.
    “Another tough day, more bombing. Living in slit trench most of the time.”
    June 17.
    “Occasional mortar bombing and sniping, otherwise quiet, too quiet.”
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Tim,

    Just trying to sort out some E Coy photos and getting confused in the process. I noticed at the Pegasus Archive there is a photo said to be the NCOs of D Coy.

    Possibly NCOs Pegasus Archive.jpg

    Would the fellow seated next to the tall officer on the right be your grandfather? I can see some resemblance. There is an Officer similar in appearance also shown seated towards centre of the E Coy photo pointed out earlier. Here's a compare:

    Compare Officer E Coy.jpg

    So the speculation is rather than D Coy this is may be NCOs of E Coy or possibly an E Coy platoon photo?

    On June 13th your grandfather wrote in his diary:

    “8th day. Pl. Cmd. wounded, I take over platoon. I have asked God to help me lead them right. 3 ORs wounded.”

    Assuming your grandfather was with 26th Platoon (Anti-Tank) during Normandy the Officer referred to here could be Lieutenant Leslie J. "Trappy" Trapnell. From the Normandy nominal roll for the 12th Devons.

    "WS/Lieutenant L. J. Trapnell, 229750, Wounded, Evacuated"

    There is no date given unfortunately, nor is he mentioned in the WD. The Officers of E Coy need to be identified from available photos. Anyway some thoughts, though I'm not entirely sure if they are on the mark.

    Regards ...
     
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  4. Tim Stevens

    Tim Stevens Member

    Hi Cee.
    No, that is not my grandfather in the D coy photo. Very interesting regarding lieutenant Trapnell, thanks for that.
    I was wondering if the senior officer in both company photos is Lance-corporal Dick Sweetland? There is certainly a resemblance. Perhaps he was going between his various companies having his photo taken? Photo below, and link from the Pegasus site.

    Lance-Corporal Dick Sweetland



     

    Attached Files:

  5. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Tim,

    I'm inclined to think the tall man seated centre with tie and swagger stick is an Officer. I've found in past searches it's easy to be fooled by a moustache as it does tend to make men look similar. We've discussed this photo before in the longer 12th Devon thread here.

    12th Battalion the Devonshire Regiment

    Regards ...
     
  6. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

  7. reddevon

    reddevon Member

    Phillip Reinders- a good link to a great page, thanks for posting
     
  8. AkelvinS

    AkelvinS Member

    New Member....I am seeking info on LCpl Ronald Tarr , believed Member of 12th Battn Devons. I know that he was in the Glider force attached to the Pathfinders who left RAF harwell just after midnight on DDay. Did he leave from Harwell ?I know he landed at his LZ at about 03.30 , and on exiting , started to demolish obstacles with plastic explosives. He later was involved at Breville where I think his CO was killed by a fragment from the church tower when a shell hit it. Any info would be welcome AkelvinS
     
  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi AkelvinS and welcome,

    L/Cpl Ronald Tarr is listed in the 12th Devons Normandy nominal roll as Pte Tarr R., 5628992.

    I'm not sure if the following Officer is connected to L/Cpl Ronald Tarr or just a coincidence.

    One member of the 12th Devons who went in on a Divisional HQ glider out of RAF Harwell was Lt. John Kittow who acted as a Liaison Officer with the 6th Airlanding Brigade HQ. I'm uncertain at this time if he left on glider chalk number 87 or 89. CN 87 came down prematurely near Worthing and all on board later flew out of Harwell on CN 151a on Operation Mallard. Whereas CN 89 which carried Brigadier the Hon. Hugh Kindersley and War Correspondent Chester Wilmot landed on LZ N at approximately 3:30 A.M., June 6th.

    Lt. John Kittow is listed in the 12th Devons RoH.

    "12/06/44 - KITTOW, John Basil Edward - Lt - 23"

    The WD for the 6th AL Brigade tells of us of Lt. Kittow's death during the Battle for Breville.

    "12th June 1944
    2140 - Colns grey smoke, BREVILLE 137741. Coln smoke and fire at 138739. Fire broken out 129754. Visit from Brig of 154 Bde. Lt KITTOW seriously wounded. Later died. Pte REDDALL killed."


    Check the 6th AL HQ war diary (2 pages) for "Kittow", there are several references to him. As it turns out not all the information is correct and it can be quite confusing.

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2018
  10. AkelvinS

    AkelvinS Member

    Thanks Cee for info on Ron Tarr...I knew him through family connections .he died about 20 years ago. Wish I had asked him more about his war. He lived around Newton Abbot and was "volunteered " for attachment to OBLI as part of 6A/L Bgde. He flew out soon after The Para Pathfinders , just after Midnight on morning of 6June . He said they were all s/scared but nobody said so ! He blew down obstacles as soon as he landed, so must have trained as a sapper ? I thought he said he took off from Culham , but I always had doubts about that since that base was primarily RNAS , I kno w now I Think it w as Harwell.. can U confirm ?he did tell me the name of the officer who was killed at Breville but I can't remember but I do recall that he was killed by a stone chip dislodged by a shell which hit a parapet close to where he was sitting in a chair out in the open. I am new to this Forum so if you can supply any more of his war record I would be glad to hear it. AkelvinS
     
  11. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    AkelvinS,

    If he was involved in the Battle for Breville he would have belonged D Coy of the 12th Devons. Their CO, Major John Bampfylde, was killed in the vicinity of the Church in Breville. In post # 46 Carol quotes her father Pte Frank Dougan:

    "At Breville, Major Bampfylde was killed by a shell. I was by the church in Breville and Major Bampfylde was opposite me. I think it was a shell blast that killed him as I don't recall seeing any wounds on him. Major Bampfylde was a very good commander. I saw him sometimes in his slippers. He led from the front, if he was doing, he expected you to do it which we did."

    Take a look at the D Coy group photo, he might be seen in one of the rows.

    The gliders leaving for Normandy from Harwell early morning D-Day included three belonging to the 9th Para Bn Advance party, one from the 224 Para Field Ambulance Advance party, twenty with the 6th Airborne Division HQ and a FOO group belonging to the 5th Brigade.

    My thinking is if he went over at that time he would probably have been on one of the gliders connected to the 6th Airlanding Brigade - CNs 87, 88 or 89. As you can see in the their WD Lt Kittow was assigned to assist Major M Darrell-Brown of 2 Oxf & Bucks after landing. As mentioned the Darrell-Brown glider didn't arrive in Normandy on Operation Tonga. The book "Operation Tonga" by Wright and Shannon lists the glider pilots for the 3 gliders.

    Operation Tonga by Wright & Shannon.JPG

    Sorry I can't find Ronald Tarr at the moment among the available information I have which is not unusual as not all ORs were named.

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2018
  12. AkelvinS

    AkelvinS Member

    Thanks Cee , I think Ron Tarr did make L/Cpl...probably later on. You have provided me with a lot of info....Iam now into finding pics on Photo Galleries .....can't be sure but found one of him I think , I didn't meet him till he was 60 plus , and time changes us all! If you find any more pls let me know.....Regards AkelvinS
     
  13. AJC Box

    AJC Box New Member

    Like so many others I am trying to find more details about my late father's (J.C. Box) service with the 12th Battalion Devonshire Regiment from D Day onwards. I have his war record and it shows he was transferred to the Devonshire's just before D Day but his record has no indication of his involvement in D day itself. However, he always maintained that he had spent the day sitting on the wing of his glider (Horsa) awaiting rescue, and had subsequently been hospitalised for minor injuries received during the ditching. This account is confirmed by his brother, who is still alive, and the Pegasus Archive has him listed as being involved on D Day as a Lieutenant with the 1st Reinforcements Company. I wonder if his glider was the one mentioned by CEE earlier:
    "On D Day 'A' Company, 12th Airborne Battalion The Devonshire Regiment, led by Major J Rogers, were flown into Normandy from Faringdon Airfield by glider. They took off at 1915 hours; one glider crashed into the sea about 8 miles off the coast of France.

    He also served in the Ardennes over Christmas 1944 and then for the Rhine Crossing (at Hamminkeln, I believe) and the march across Germany, during which he witnessed the horrors of Bergen Belsen Concentration camp. After the war he was sent to Palestine where he completed his parachute training and ended his service as a 'Red Devil'. I have supplied photos to Paradata of the officers of the 12th battalion in 1944 and some of him and others in Palestine and will be happy to provide them here if they are likely to be of interest.

    Sadly, at some stage during the 1960's he disposed of his uniform including the Red Beret, and a luger which his brother tells me had been taken from a female German guard at Bergen Belsen.
    The D Day omission is a real mystery for me and my siblings: can anyone explain why his record makes no reference to him being sent out on D Day even though he always claimed he was involved (albeit at a safe distance in the Channel!) and given that the Pegasus Archive lists him as being involved. I would welcome the thoughts of anyone who has any understanding of these issues.
     
  14. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi AJC Box and welcome,

    If I am reading it correctly you claim your Father's service records shows no embarkation date for the Normandy Campaign? Nor do I see him in the 12th Devons nominal roll for Normandy. He does, as you say, appear in the order of battle as belonging to the 1st Reinforcements Company as Lieutenant J.C. Box. There is a reference to him in the 12 Devons war diary during their period in Germany:

    "24th April 1945
    Place: Stadorf

    Coys commenced trng and maintenance was started on the Bn eqpt. A Cadre was also commenced for Junior NCOs, organised by Major E.J. WARREN and commanded by Lt J. BOX. NCOs of the Recce Pl were the instructors."


    The following men, part of A Coy out Fairford on Operation Mallard, were on glider, CN 189, that went down in the Channel on D-Day evening:

    'CQMS Dunphy (KIA), Pte. Nicholls (KIA) Pte. Palmer (KIA), Sgt. Budd (P/W), Pte. Broom (P/W), Pte. Batchelor (P/W)"

    Both the glider pilots were killed on impact with the water according to one account. The glider quickly sunk. Three of the Devon men drowned and the other three drifted ashore in a dingy that was dropped to them and eventually taken prisoner.

    There were a number of gliders on both the Tonga and Mallard Operations that were forced to ditch in the sea. I'll dig around to see if there are any that could be likely candidates.

    Regards ...
     
  15. AJC Box

    AJC Box New Member

    Hello CEE, and thank you for such a quick response.

    Yes, you are correctly reading my query, his service records do not make any mention of the Normandy campaign despite the fact that he and his brother always described how he went out in a glider and landed in the Channel. His record does show his involvement in the Ardennes and the Rhine Crossings, after which he moved eastwards as confirmed in the war diary entry for 24th April which you found; many thanks for that. I will await the outcome of your research into the Tonga and Mallard Operations with interest. Very many thanks for your help on this matter.
     
  16. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    AJC Box,

    As far as I can see only one glider crashed into the sea on Operation Mallard and that was CN 189 as already pointed out in the post above.

    The Shannon and Wright book, "Operation Tonga", has the following gliders that ditched in the Channel in the early hours of D-Day. Most of the incidents are covered by accounts of those who were involved.

    42 - N - †S/Sgt Brabham, J. †Sgt Lightowler, E. - Drowned when glider came down off coast.
    67 - V - †S/Sgt Marfleet, W. K. †Sgt Haines, V. - All on board drowned when glider crashed off Normandy coast.
    79 - N - S/Sgt Wilson, P. J., ‡Sgt Harris, H. - Came down in sea off Worthing.
    87 - N - S/Sgt Kirkman, L., Sgt Laycock. C. - Came down in sea off Worthing.
    99 - N - †S/Sgt New, R. G., †Sgt Gibbons, J. R. - Drowned when glider crashed into the sea
    123 - N - †S/Sgt Howe, W., †Sgt Shannon, W. - Came down in sea off Cabourg
    126 - N - S/Sgt Mackenzie J., Sgt Argyll, M. - Landed on LZ (actually landed in sea)


    For the most part the men on Chalk numbers 42, 67, 99, 123, and 126 either died from drowning or drifted into the Normandy coast to be captured by the Germans. Only one man, Bombardier R. Letherbarrow, the sole survivor of CN 99, was rescued by a motor launch.

    Of the two gliders (CNs 79 and 87) that were alleged to have come down in the sea off Worthing the fate of CN 79 is covered quite well by the accounts of glider pilot S/Sgt Philip ‘Tug’ Wilson and Flying Officer Geoffrey Lockwood the Commander of the air-sea rescue launch that eventually found them after initially being sent to the wrong location. All the men were rescued after a considerable time standing on the glider. Minor injuries of cuts and bruises were suffered by a few men. The men on board were Signalmen belonging to Divisional HQ.

    "Cpl. Elliot, Sgm. Diamond, Sgm. Robinson, Sgm. Donnel"

    I can't find any information on the ditching of CN 87. The glider belongs to the cluster of CNs (87, 88 and 89) which is covered in the 6th AL Brigade HQ war diary with a great deal of contradictory information. What we do know is the glider that carried Brigadier Kindersley arrived in Normandy as did the one with Col R.G. Parker on board.

    Major J. Drummond 2/ic of the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles was one of the passengers of CN 87 which came down near Worthing. From the 1st RUR WD:

    "Appendix 'L'

    On reaching the concentration area the Commanding Officer (Lieut-Col RJ Carson) went to Bde HQ in order to obtain the latest information. The original [plan?] envisaged the Battalion 2 i/c (Major J. Drummond) landing with advanced Div HQ on the night of D-1 and being well in picture when the Bn arrived. This was not to be [as?] the glider made a forced landing at WORTHING at 0300 hrs and the 2 i/c returned to the Bn in time to take part in the rather trivial excitement of taking off for the invasion twice within 24 hrs."


    My impression is that rather than ditching in the Channel they were forced down on land near Worthing? The list of men said to be on board CN 87:

    "Lt-Col. Lovegrove (CRASC), Maj. Darrell-Brown (2i/c 2ndO&B), Capt/Lt. Shelley (CO Def Pln), Lt. Hemsman, Maj. Drummond (2i/c RUR) Pte. Radford (RASC), Nick (RASC), 2x RURs, 2x Signallers, a Sapper, CSM (C Gds), 2x P Corps, 15 Ors."

    This group later left from RAF Harwell on CN 151a during Operation Mallard and can be seen in a short film clip entering their glider.

    The Arnhem section of the Pegasus Archive has some information on S/Sgt Cedric William Laycock one of the glider pilots of CN 87. It claims he carried Major-General Richard Gale to LZ N near Ranville which I don't believe is correct. His log book shows there were 25 passengers on his glider without mention of a ditching or a forced landing.

    I may have missed something or made the wrong interpretation but at least you have a start in your search for the gliders that came down in the sea.

    Regards ...

    Added - CN 126 Tonga
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2018
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  17. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi AkelvinS

    I came across a brief reference to Ron Tarr in Eddie Horrell's account of his glider landing on Op Varsity. He meets a number of his platoon members after making his way to Hamminkeln:

    "By this time the fighting was easing off; Bill Pratt turned up slightly wounded, Wally Briggs and Ron Tarr also. Now we were beginning to find out what had happened to the glider carrying our platoon and all our stores ..."

    It depends on how you interpret what follows concerning the glider that carried Horrell's platoon Officer, Lt. Charles "Babe" Cox, who was killed on the ground after being struck by another glider coming into land. Could Ron possibly have been on the same glider as Cox?

    Some information on Lt Charles Hubert Cox, a Canloan Officer posted to the 12th Devons with links to ParaData etc.:

    Lt Charles Hubert Cox - KIA March 24,1945

    What is interesting here as well and something I completely missed when looking for information on Lt. John C. Box above was the fact he witnessed the death of Lt. Cox as well.

    Lt. John C. Box - ParaData

    Regards ...
     
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  18. AkelvinS

    AkelvinS Member

    Thanks Cee.....very interesting....Ron Tarr did tell me he'd been injured ..flesh wound ,...How I wish I had pumped him for as much as he could remember....Theyvwere all heroes....can you imagine some of today's specimens doing that ?
     
  19. Hi, Sorry I have just seen your old message. Please do copy.
    Regards
     
  20. AkelvinS

    AkelvinS Member

    AkelvinS to Cee......going back to Ron Tarr and. Eddie Horrells account of meeting up with him after the Varsity drop.....I never heard Ron refer to having been aboard a glider that was hit in mid-air , catching fire as a result , so I'm doubtful that he was on the same glider as poor Lt. Cox . His memory of events was very clear , and such a horrific couple of events should surely have featured in his stories ? Still it is possible and he perhaps chose to pass over it ? If you find out any other references to Ron I would like to receive them. Thanks AKS
     

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