There are two guardsmen named on the War Memorial in Dumfries and in both cases their entries on the CWGC Register do not show a battalion. Could this indicate that they were Prisoners of War when they died? They were: JOHN McCALL, Lance Sergeant, 2695616. Died 28 December 1941 and buried in Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya. and JOHN BELL McKERRON, Guardsman 2697193. Died 9 November 1943 and buried in Minturno War Cemetery, Italy. Ken
Hi, You may want to have a look through the transcript of 1941 2nd SG War Diary produced by forum member Diane (DBF) via the below link - You will see 2nd SG were well west of Benghazi in late Dec 1941 during the rapid Operation Crusader advance. They were in the vicinity of Agebadia. IMHO it is more likely L/Sgt McCall was a battle casualty. POW's likely evacuated further westwards. My father taken POW 22rd Dec 1941 with 3rd CG near Antelat and was in Naples by 1st Jan 1942. Bear in mind possibility L/Sgt McCall could have been attached to another unit. Steve Y http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/57752-war-diary-2nd-battalion-scots-guards-jan-dec-1941/?view=getnewpost
Hi Ken, McKerron's Will is available to down load at Scotlandspeople website for 10 credits or £2.50. You can purchase 30 credits on line for £7 or £5.50 at your local library (if your in Scotland).
CWGC only list the info that the MOD or in those days the War Office give them. Many soldiers are listed on CWGC with just the regiment like Durham Light Infantry, Royal Artillery or Scots Guards. Not listing the unit within any regiment has no significance at all other than CWGC were never told what it was by the reporting department.
Have looked at 'Ancestry' records and there is no record of either of these men being a POW, there is however some details for John Bell McKerron to suggest that he was born 8 Nov 1919 in Dumfries and that he died of wounds.
Thank you for all your comments folks. Really helpful. I've also just realised that the two men are named on the WW2 section of the War Memorial in Kingholm Quay; a hamlet on the River Nith just downstream from Dumfries. Ken
Further to Tony56's post a family tree for him has this info: John Bell McKerron Birth 08 November 1919 in Dumfries, Dumfries-shire, Scotland Death 09 November 1943 in Of Wounds at Anzio Beachhead, WWII Also in one of the stories it states: First Name: John Bell Initials: J B Surname: McKerron DOB: Circa 1919 Age: 24 Birth Town: Dumfries. Resided Town: Dumfries. Nationality: British Date of Death: 09/11/1943 Information: SON OF DAVID AND WILHELMINA MCKERRON, OF KINGHOLM QUAY, DUMFRIESSHIRE. Rank: Guardsman Service Number: 2697193 TD edited to add. Ken - I would assume from the above that this person was not a POW, in response to your initial question
Ken. My money would be on Gdsm McKerron being killed on Monte Camino supporting 6 GREN GDS. The attack on Monte Camino by 201 Guards Brigade involved 3 COLDM GDS attacking the village of Calabrito and 6 GREN GDS then passing through them to capture Monte Camino. 2 SG were in reserve. The 3 COLDM GDS attack stalled in front of Calabrito but it was decided to launch 6 GREN GDS up Bare Arse Ridge towards the top of Monte Camino anyway. 6 GREN GDS got someway up the Ridge but were stopped in their tracks by Germans on two pieces of high ground that dominated their progress - Point 813 and Point 893. The Gsdm could not get beyond what was subsequently called Grenadier Wood and took horrible casualties in the cold and freezing rain. As a result of 6 GREN GDS stalling, F Coy 2 SG were sent up Bare Arse Ridge to assist. They merely got caught by the same two German positions and went nowhere. I suspect that Gdsm McKerron was killed in that action by F Coy. Regards FdeP PS. I am out in Minturno in Sep 15 running a battlefield tour so if you would like a photo of Gdsm McKerron's headstone do say and I will get you one.
With regards to Tricky Dicky's note that Gdsm McKerron was killed at Anzio, I think that that is incorrect. Anzio did not start until the night of 22 Jan 44. FdeP
The Roll of Honour in the SG History confirms that both men were serving with the 2nd Battalion SG. Lance Sergeant McCall is named as one of 30 casualties that day and specifically as killed in action. Guardsman McKerron is not named within the text for the 9th but it was noted that the bn suffered many casualties that day owing to a combination of spandaus, sniping and mortar fire. They were indeed on Camino. Should he have died of wounds, there is no telling from info in public domain when he sustained his injuries. +25 year rule applies for copy service records from Wellington barracks, should you be interested; they take considerably less time to reply than MOD. I agree with Drew, CWGC entirely reliant on info supplied to them, (though some battalion entries can be incorrect too due to scanning error. e.g. One chap being recorded as 6bn IG, never any such thing.). Quite a few SG, and other Guards regiments have men listed on CWGC with no bn. WDs, Regimental histories - rolls of honour, will often fill in the gaps.
Many thanks again everyone. Drew & dbf - I was sort of aware of the "missing" battalion issue but was also aware that it does happen when men died "away" from their unit (in hospital, at home, etc.) but I wasn't sure in it applied to PoWs. Andreas & FdeP - thank you for the battle details, although I note that the casualty details in the War Diary in Libya are very specific so the fact that McCall isn't mentioned is puzzling. TD - I never trust family trees! Well, not always! Well, sometimes! Cheers Ken
Ken He might have been evacuated while still alive and then the paperwork didn't catch up? All the best Andreas
