2701058 Guardsman D. J. McKenzie, 2nd Scots Guards?

Looking for some help please.
I'm trying to make sense of the CWGC entry for
Douglas John McKenzie – age 21 – Guardsman (2701058) 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards.
Died 30 January 1944 and named on the CASSINO MEMORIAL.

My problem is that I understood the 2nd Battalion left Italy in September 1943 and I have a local newspaper report of a letter sent to his mother from the Company Commander with some details of his death at Anzio, where I understood that the 1st Battalion fought.

Is this a typo/scanning error or were there 2nd Battalion men at Anzio??

Ken

 

Tricky one.

At the time, 2 SG were on the Garigliano having just crossed on 17-18 Jan 44 as part of 201 Gde Bde. They were in the area of Tremensoli which is near Minturno.

Meanwhile, 1 SG were in the middle of a break out battle as part of 24 Gds Bde just north of Aprilia at Anzio.

Both events could have resulted in him being blown to bits by artillery such that his body could not be identified - hence the Cassino Memorial.

Regards

Frank

 

Thanks for that guys.
Using the filters on CWGC it seems that 41 SG men were killed on 30 January
and only one is 2nd Battalion ("my man")
35 are buried in Anzio War Cemetery and one in Anzio Beach Head War Cemetery.
Three are named on the Cassino Memorial (again including my man) and two are buried in Cassino War Cemetery - one from 1st Battalion and one with no Battalion shown!

So it does look like Douglas was a 1st Battalion man.

Ken

 

Ken.

This is the operation that, if he was in 1 SG, he was killed in.



24 Gds Bde were ordered to advance from the north of Aprilia to the chequered line that I have marked on the map. 1 IG left, 1 SG right and 5 GREN GDS in reserve. They were to reach the chequered line and then 2 Inf Bde were to pass through and secure the road and rail junction at Campoleone - just below the word 'attack'.

Unfortunately, an officer from HQ 2 Inf Bde, who was recceing this task, was caught by the Germans and he had the whole battle plan on him. As a result, the Germans knew that 24 Gde Bde were coming. Neither battalion reached the chequered line by morning and then German armour had a field day. Both battalions lost huge numbers of men.

If you would like to see this attack, I am taking a group to Anzio on 13-16 Jun 19.

Regards

Frank

 

The casualty lists are not of any definitive help. The Scots Guards are one of the few units that regularly do not record the individual battalion (the 2nd Bn casualties are similarly recorded when at Salerno). It is easy enough to establish the battalion when only one is in theatre but this wasn't the case with the Scots Guards as 2nd Battalion certainly did not leave Italy in September 1943 - off the top of my head I think it was March 1944.

Incidentally, while cross checking the casualty lists with the CWGC battalion info I have noticed lots of discrepancies between the battalions listed on the casualty lists and those on the CWGC website (the many Queen's battalions at Salerno being a very good example). I am tended to believe the casualty lists as there were collated far nearer the actual event. They were also subject to continual review and correction.

 

My money would be on him being in 1 SG at Anzio.

F

 

Mine too!

 

Thanks again guys. I feel much happier to accept that he was a 1st Battalion man.

Gary - I took the info about the 2nd leaving Italy in September 1943 from the Scots Guards Museum web site, but looking at the text again it seems to me that the dates are all a year out (should be '44)

Cheers
Ken

 

Ken, on the Scots Guards web site the entire war in Italy seems to be out by a year - Salerno Landings in 1942, Anzio in 1943. Although they do get the year of the Normandy landings correct.

 

Gary.

You are right. Out by a year.

F