I'm Trying to gather some more infomation on my Grand Uncle Coporal Kenneth Walker who died during the battles on the Gothic Line (aka Rimini Line, Green Line & Operation Olive) What I know so far:- Name: KENNETH WALKER Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Welch Regiment Unit Text: "A" Coy., 1st Bn. Age: 24 Date of Death: 09/09/1944 Service No: 4858452 Grave/Memorial Reference: VI, A, 6. Cemetery: CORIANO RIDGE WAR CEMETERY Country: Italy Locality: Rimini and I know the battalions movements whilst in Italy 3 September 1943 Landing at Reggio, Italy 5 September 1943 Pellaro 19 September 1943 Rotundella October 1943 Taranto November 1943 Mena Camp, Alexandria, Egypt 1 January 1944 MECTC Kabrit 20 January 1944 Ataga 14 February 1944 Beni Yusef camp, Gizeh 10 March 1944 Kabrit 2 April 1944 Mustapha Barracks, Alexandria 9 April 1944 Amiriya 24 April 1944 Mustapha Barracks, Alexandria Sidi Bishr camp 12 July 1944 Embarked from Alexandria 17 July 1944 Arrived Taranto 28 July 1944 Tivoli, Rome 3 September 1944 South of River Foglia 6 September 1944 Morciano 8 September 1944 Croce 13 September 1944 San Marco and Casiccio But I would like to know if there are any books or pictures of the regiment in this period as i am working on my Families War History and trying to get as much infomation as possible so its not lost. (Photo's of Kenneth to follow)
Rickster - Having trouble deciding who the 1st Welch were with on their first entry into Italy at Reggio - then back to Egypt - returning to Italy - obviously with 46th Division at Coriano Ridge where your great Uncle died on the last day of the battle for Croce when they were involved - the "Battle of Gemmano" which can be googled - has mention of them at Croce......their war diaries will help you out on all that ... Cheers
1 Welch were in 168 Bde of 56 Div. 56th (London) Infantry Division - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia That's about all I can help with. this is ref number for war diary at TNA, someone maybe able to copy it for you. WO 170/1488 1 Welch Regiment Covering dates1944 June - Dec. We have a thread that refers to them being in a beach group somewhere from 2008. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied-units-general/15197-1st-welsh-regiment-21-4-45-a-2.html post #46 post # 48 [/QUOTE]
The Battle for Croce During the night between September 4 and 5, the 56th Division (Gen. Whitfield) moved off toward Croce the 167th and 168th Brigades, supported by the tanks of the 7th Armoured Brigade. The sector was defended by 290th Regiment of the 98th Division, and by the fire of the guns of the 100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment deployed on the hill of Gemmano. The battle lasted for five days; five days of bloody attacks and counterattacks carried out at short quarter house by house, door by door, which costed hundreds of casualties and the loss of dozens of armoured vehicles. The battle for Croce ended on September 9, when the 1st Welch took Ca'Menghino. Gemmano 1944. Part 1 : the Gothic Line and the Operation Olive
Owen /Sol - I am lucky to recall what happened yesterday - or was it monday - let alone what happened during 2008 - strangely the memory is good for the Italain period and I had forgotten that 56 th Div moved over to Croce when 46th were knackered there -Stu Hamilton in his "Armoured Odessey" from 7th Armoured bde was jumping around there as well - The Bays from 1st Armoured also took a pasting there - I was too busy a couple of miles to the east at San Martino with 4th Div between us - getting slaughtered in the Artificial Moonlight..fun days indeed ! Cheers
Rickster - Having trouble deciding who the 1st Welch were with on their first entry into Italy at Reggio - then back to Egypt - returning to Italy - obviously with 46th Division at Coriano Ridge where your great Uncle died on the last day of the battle for Croce when they were involved - the "Battle of Gemmano" which can be googled - has mention of them at Croce......their war diaries will help you out on all that ... Cheers Got the information form the Welch Regiment fact sheet The Royal Regiment of Wales
I have no pictures of my Uncle in his Welch Regiment uniform but i thought I'd share these pictures of him in his Leicestershire Regiment uniform) Including a clipping from a Newark-On-Trent Newspaper
And finally in closing this is a letter home to his brother Leslie Walker written on the 25/11/42 whilst the 1st Welch Regiment were based at Alexandria; South Barracks, Khartoum L/C K. Walker 4858452 ‘A’ Coy, 1st Battn The Welch Regt M.E.F Dear Les & Bunty, So glad to be hearing from you again, its nice to know that you still remember me, and I am so pleased to know that everyone at home are well and in the pink. It’s very hard for us out here to realize how things are back there, but a letter always consoles our anxiety, so you can guess how we appreciate any form of letter, up to receiving yours and other letters. I have been having a thin time as regards mail and I was beginning to wonder whatever was the matter at Home. However, I have heard from Home, Fred & yourself. And you all seem to be OK, so I guess there’s no worry. I am sorry if my letters are falling off, but I don’t want you to be offended because I have so many to write in so little time, and I really am a very busy man nowadays. Quiet recently I have heard from Wilf, he is OK, fit and well although he seems somewhat ‘Browned Off’ with life. For myself I am also well, no need to worry about me I can assure you, so tell Pop to get moving, so we can Christan the new suite. By the time you get this I suppose the Christmas atmosphere has faded away, I am damn sorry I wouldn’t be there, but without doubt I can guess all of you got together for the annual reunion, - gosh, what would I give for five minutes of the that time. So Stan threw in his lot with the RAF eh? Well I won’t say what I think but wish him all the very best, and lets hope it won’t last to long, then I will really tell him, take a Tip son! We still get plenty of fruit Bunt, and the weather is much the same it will seem comical sweating in the boiling sun on Xmas day. Well how’s the Army treating you Cpl, still slogging away or have you reached Sgt/Mjr. Yet. But your Army is the best Les, any change of a transfer? How’s life treating you Bunt, still making a hobby of raising kittens? It seems hard in you people back home, with the coupon system, everything such a price too, but never despair it will be worth it in the long run. What do you think of the little show out here? Not so good for Jerry this time eh? I believe we have got the ball rolling at last. Well you lucky people I must pack in now before space gives out so for the present Cheers! Best wishes & all the luck in the world, Your loving brother Ken
Hi Rickster, Pages from the War Diary of the 1st Welch relating to 9 September 1944, when K Walker died. Lot of men killed that month.
Ramacal / Rickster During that month - Aug 25th - Sept 23rd 1944 of 0peration Olive on the Gothic Line - 8th Army lost 14,400 killed and who knows how many were wounded and captured. In the vicinity you can find seven cemeteries with an average of 2ooo graves in each. We all had our share and if you zoom the photo of the Coriano Ridge Cemetery - you can see the Maple leaves on many of those graves, from both the 1st Infantry and 5th Canadian Armoured divs. As General Holsworthy of the 4th Indian Division said - it smells and looks like another Cassino -he would know of that - and he was right ! Cheers
I've learned so much recently about the battle of Gemmano & Croce where my Grand Uncle Fell, and would like to say thanks for the input and information i've been given. I am now plannng to go to Coraino Cemetery in 2013 and to visit Croce and stay in Rimini as it would be nice to see it myself...
Rickster I wouldn't advise staying in Rimini as Riccione(Ritchey-owney) is only 3 kms away from the cemetery - and the taxi drivers come back for you if you give them a time- Croce and Gemmano are also nearer. I made two mistakes on my last visit ..... 1) - Flying from Stanstead with Ryanair - Ancona -train back to Riccione... 2) - Going on the anniversary in September - that's when the Monsoon starts - kept me hotel bound for five days .... Ryanair was a hoot - they are saving the trees by NOT issuing tickets - instead they issue NINE pages of instructions for YOU to cut down some trees..... The cemetery is awesome- and beautifully kept by a part time team of eight gardeners who cut all the grass etc on thursdays - then the local Coriano School allocates each class - every year a section to look after- and as you know children are merciless and not a weed in allowed to flourish. As you perhaps know already we defeated the 1st Paras - 26th Panzers and the 29th Pz Grens there- but their descendants keep on winning the battle for the deck chairs on the beach.... Cheers
