14565139 Sapper Leslie TAYLOR, 1048 Port Operating Company, Royal Engineers: 25/06/1946

Remembering Today

Casualty Details | CWGC
TAYLOR, LESLIE
Rank: Sapper
Service No: 14565139
Date of Death: 25/06/1946
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 1048 Port Operating Coy.
Panel Reference: Panel 7. Column 2.
Memorial: BROOKWOOD 1939-1945 MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of William and Alice Taylor, of Charlton, London.

 

Cairnryan Ammunition train explosion 25 June 1946

 

I am researching another soldier from the 1048 PO Coy - details below - I am particualrly interested in finding out more details of the incident that led to 11 men from this unit being killed on the same day - 3rd August 1944. As a family wer have been to his grave in deliverande and are visiting again next June for probably the last time.
George Alfred Pearson - 13034621
George Alfred Pearson was born in Sheffield in the third quarter of 1913, first child of James Henry Pearson and Annie Elizabeth (nee Herring). Later the couple lived at
26 Green Arbour Lane, Thurcroft He was married in Rotherham in 1935, and the couple had four children and lived at 1 Granville Street, Laughton Common.
George enlisted in the Army, service number 13034621, and was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, 1048 Port Operating Company. He died on 3 August 1944, one of eleven men from the unit that died that day. He was 31 years old and is buried in La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres, which is about 8 miles north of the strategic town of Caen in Normandy, France.

Any information and help gratefully received

Chris Neil

 

The eleven men lost by 1048 Port Op Coy that day are listed here:
Search Results | CWGC

The cause was apparently "ammunition explosion", but the unit war diary should provide more details.

1048 Port Op Coy was part of 8 Port Op Gp, whose war diary may be found here (WO 171/1425):
8 Gp. | The National Archives

Michel

 

Thank you so much I have sent off for the relevant pages from the war diary

Chris

 

Hi Michel

Is it possible to establish when the 1048th Port operating company would have left England and where they would have left from?

Chris