14605545 Philip Eynon BANKS, 62 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery: 11/06/1944

I've inherited some letters written between my uncle and our family. My uncle was killed in France on 11 June 1944. He was a gunner in the RA but as I'm a novice I'm unsure as to his regiment title which I need to find the war diary giving details of what happened in France.

A letter to him when stationed at Eastbourne states: Gnr P E Banks 14605546, 247/62 Regt RA.
The letter giving notification of his death states: 146055546 Gunner P E Banks Royal Artillery (Field) in North West Europe Theatre of War
His Soldier's Will states: 14605545 Private 71st P.T.W
A returned letter was addressed to: Gunner P E Banks, "I" Troop 247/62, Anti Tank Reg, c/o Army Post Office

We initially thought he died immediately but, reading letter from his pals in the regiment, it seems he was alive and talking to them the last they saw of him.

 

Think you might need to look at this thread - 62 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - War Diaries (and anything related)

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Philip Banks
Given Initials: P E
Rank: Gunner
Death Date: 11 Jun 1944
Number: 14605545
Birth Place: Carmarthenshire
Residence: Carmarthenshire
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947
Name: Philip Eyon Banks
Age: 19
Birth Date: abt 1925
Death Date: 11 Jun 1944
Cemetery: Bayeux War Cemetery Fr. 1058
Burial Country: France
Father: Henry Charles Banks
Mother: Eveline Muriel Banks
Regimental Number: 14605545
Region or Memorial: France

TD

 

It will be 62 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery. If you are really lucky, 247 Battery (there were four batteries in an Anti-Tank Regiment) might have their own war diary.

 

Re the war diaries members on here will copy for small fee.
Also apply for his service records Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK



Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery - Roll of Honour, 1939-47

BANKS, PHILIP EYNON
Rank:
Gunner
Service No:
14605545
Date of Death:
11/06/1944
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Royal Artillery
62 Anti-Tank Regt.
Grave Reference:
XI. F. 6.
Cemetery:
BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Henry Charles and Eveline Muriel Banks, of Llandebie, Carmarthenshire.

 

Phillip Eynon Banks, Gunner, 14605545, Royal Artillery. Phillip was the son of Henry Charles and Eveline Muriel Banks, of Llandebie, and served in the 62nd Anti Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery. Phillip landed with his unit, 1st Corps, on D-Day, 6 June 1944, on Juno beach, and as part of 1st Corps was attached to the 3rd Canadian Division. It consisted of 245 and 248 batteries with M10 self propelled 17 pounder anti-tank guns, and 246 and 247 batteries which were equipped with 17 pounder 'towed' guns, and had the bad luck to come up against the 12th SS Panzer unit (Hitler Jugend) in the region of Caen and Carpiquet airport. Phillip was killed in action not long after the landings, on 11 June 1944, aged only 19. He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, France.
Llandebie War Memorial

 

Gunner Banks' casualty card states that he died of wounds.

 

Wow! Thank you so much everyone! When he died the only person who could go over and see the grave site was my aunt, only 16 at the time, quite a journey for somebody who had never left Wales. I have been over and taken photos of his grave for them. Reading the letters has given another dimension to the family.

Thanks again, I shall print all that out and explore the War Diary link. Another eye opener was a letter to my grandparents from a French girl who was writing from a Sanitarium in the Alps, to apologise for not being able to light a candle on Phillip's grave on All Saints Day. As it was written in French it had never been read until it was given to me!

 

His CWGC documents state his Regiment and show the map reference coordinates for the location of his original burial at Reviers.

 

If you are interested in where in Normandy he was actually wounded, bear in mind that, because he Died of Wounds, it is likely that his initial burial will have been close to the Field or General Hospital where he died and which could therefore be some way from where he was wounded. Similarly, remember that the CWGC card shows the Date of Death which was not necessarily the date he was wounded.

 

WO 171/946 247 Battery 1944 June- Dec

You need to ask Drew5233 to grab a copy for you - http://ww2talk.com/index.php?members/drew5233.6786/ he's often a Kew copying files

TD

 

Thanks TD

Hi Jen-Just shout or send me a message if you need a hand with any of the war diaries.

Regards
Andy

 

Thanks Andy and TD, I looked at the war diary posted above but couldn't find his name in the wounded or killed lists. In one of his last letters he said he was fine apart from a bit of sea sickness so he disembarked in France ok.

Thanks for all the help and explanations, the fog is clearing now!

Jen

 

Jen

It is highly likely that he will not be mentioned directly by name, this was normally Officers only, however you should be able to work out, if the diary is detailed enough, the location and time of the incident that lead to his wounding - its as close as anyone can come after 70+ years.

TD

 

Oh, I see, I'll have another look then. Thanks for that.

 

Your uncle was reported on British Army Casualty List No. 1489 Dated 4 July 1944.

Expeditionary Forces / North West Europe /France
Died of wounds
Royal Artillery
14605545 Banks Gnr PE / 62 A.Tk.Regt. / Date of casualty 44.6.44

 

Thanks too to Bamboo43 for the burial records. I hadn't thought about their original burial place although it's obvious that they were buried then removed to the Bayeux cemetery.

History unfolding in front of me.

Jen

 

That's interesting, thank you - are the lists available online?
Jen

 

Right, I've printed off next of kin form and an SAR, will now go and fill them in and send them off.

 

If you want to home in on the various map references let me know: I've got period maps at 1:50000 scale for that area. Would then be easy to look up how it looks at the moment via Google Maps etc. Might also be worth searching for the location of the various Field/General Hospitals in the area: details of which one he was in will likely be contained in the Service Records when you receive them.

 

Yes please to the map references.