1st Battalion, East Lancashire's April 1945

Would anyone have a copy of this diary? I'm researching the service history of Lance Corporal Eric Rigby who died whilst serving with 1/East Lancs on 26 April 1945. He is buried at Becklingen Cemetery. It would be nice to know the circumstances that lead upto his death. Thanks.

Regards

Jonathan

 

I have attached an excerpt from the East Lancs regimental history that covers the two days, April 25th and 26th, 1945. At the end of the book, in the role of honour, is the following listing:

L/Cpl Rigby E 1st Bn Rotenburg, Germany 26 April 1945

 

Dryan, I would appreciate any details that the Regt History contains on either the below individuals or the actions that the Bn's where in at the time.

Phil

COSTELLO, JAMES, Lance Corporal, 14613076, East Lancs Regt, 1st Bn, aged 21, 4th September 1944
NAYLOR, JOHN CHARLES, Private, 3656195, East Lancs Regt, 5th Bn, aged 24, 16th July 1944
PRICE, JOHN, Lance Corporal, 3776570, East Lancs Regt, 1st Bn, aged 24, 4th July 1944.

 

Thanks to both Owen and dryan for the information. Very much appreciated.

Jonathan

 

I'd be grateful if anyone can help with a query connected with research on my Dad's war memoir. He wrote several notes about the fall of Hamburg and he was being brought up to the front as a reinforcement from England. It seems he caught up with the main E Lancs regt close to Hamburg but there the sequence of events is a little confused and my best interpretation is that he joined the battalion then, even though some cease fire discussions were taking place, "we took part in a few actions clearing the enemy out of strong points. Then we crossed the River Elbe on a pontoon bridge which the engineers had put across. Hamburg fell without a great deal of hassle – the Germans were on their last legs." Is it likely that they would still be fighting if negotiations were taking place?
Were the East Lancs the first battalion to enter Hamburg?
Thanks in anticipation
Paul
PS For completeness, I'm showing below an extract from my Dad's memoir which I've cobbled together from three version he wrote when he was alive. Is my interpretation of the sequence of events credible?

"
The whereabouts of the East Lancashires was quite unknown to me. We were told they were, ‘Somewhere in Germany’, which was very vague and nobody told us what to expect - once again, we were only numbers in the infantry.
During the third week of April, we packed our kit for yet another move, as we thought, towards the action - no-one ever told us how the war was going and no radio was available, and the worst of it was that nobody seemed to know what to do with us. We travelled northeast through the flat countryside of Holland and, crossing the River Rhine, were soon upon a scene so familiar to those brave men of the paratroops - Arnhem, the graveyard of many brave young men and of Market Garden itself.
About three miles further on we came to a halt at some large barns on a Dutch farm. Here, we were to stay for the night, sleeping on the straw, which covered the ground, but first a good meal had been brought up to us and then guards, including myself, were placed at intervals around the area. The two hours on guard and four hours off passed quickly.
We had to be up early and were feeling dishevelled, having slept with our clothes on, but a quick cold wash and shave soon livened us up. After we’d had breakfast, we collected our small pack, which contained our personal things. Our rifle never left our sides. If our kit was stolen, that was one thing, but our rifle was something else. After a roll call, we climbed aboard our trucks and continued on our way, still not knowing a thing about what was happening, just like so many parcels being delivered; why couldn’t somebody tell us something? We were completely in the dark, until the next day.
We came to a halt in a clearing and an officer from the East Lancs addressed us, saying that negotiations were taking place about a cease-fire - no wonder it had been so quiet everywhere. Another roll call took place and then the officer explained to us about our joining the East Lancashires, and assigned us to different companies of the 1st battalion. Then, surprise, surprise, we were actually told where we were – it was near Hamburg, which we could see in the distance.
So, we joined the battalion and took part in a few actions clearing the enemy out of strong points. Then we crossed the River Elbe on a pontoon bridge which the engineers had put across. Hamburg fell without a great deal of hassle – the Germans were on their last legs.
I decided, now the war was about to end, to settle down in my new regiment. I had survived. I had peace of mind, and knew that it was only a matter of time before I would be going home to a life I had left so many years ago. I was now Bill Cheall 4390717 HQ Company, 1st Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment, and bound for a new experience. We were given a talk about our responsibilities and conduct towards the civilians and then the order came for us to move forward and take up occupation duties.

 

Here is the information in the Regimental History of the East Lancs for the dates for the three individuals you have mentioned:

 

Here are the other two files for July 16th, 1944.

 

Here is the information in the Regimental History of the East Lancs for the dates for the three individuals you have mentioned:

Dave, many thanks. Excellent info.