Hello everybody, I have a Question. I have been adopting a ww2 grave in Adegem Belgium. The soldier/grave i adopted is from Lance Corporal Frederick Robert Anstey. Died on 6 Juli 1940 Age 30 years 2nd Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment Service Number 5179708 We dont have any more information/Photo's or anything. Perhaps you could help me with my search to the soldier i honour a few times every year by standing still at their sacrifice and put some flowers on his grave! Thanks for youre time so far. Greetings Jurgen van de Coolwijk The Netherlands
Good evening and welcome to the forum. Lance Corporal Frederick Robert Anstey was reported as missing on 14 June 1940, along with a large number of his comrades. This was subsiquenty amended to killed in action on 6 July 1940. His entry with the CWGC is: Casualty It is possible to purchase a copy of his service records: Get a copy of military service records Good luck with your research, hopefully a family member will learn of your dedication to this soldier. Regards
Hi Jurgen There are several family trees for him on Ancestry, but no photos I'm afraid UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Frederick Anstey Given Initials: F R Rank: Lance Corporal Death Date: 6 Jul 1940 Number: 5179708 Birth Place: Gloucestershire Residence: Gloucestershire Regiment at Enlistment: Gloucestershire Regiment Branch at Enlistment: Infantry Theatre of War: France and Belgium Campaign, 1939/40 Regiment at Death: Gloucestershire Regiment Branch at Death: Infantry Presumably he died of wounds - is there a hospital near you that was used in WW2?? I can if you wish contact the owner of a tree on Ancestry For info Frederick Anstey - Public Member Trees - Ancestry.co.uk TD
That would be great Tricky Dicky. I can ask my contact in Adegem where his grave is if there was a hospital near the spot. Its for me 1,5 hour drive to there. But it's the only thing we can do, so we travel the country, i have 6 adoption graves so far.
Effectively the BEF had left Europe as it was by early June 1940, yet he died in July 1940, hence my thoughts that perhas he died of wounds I will send them a link to this thread and see what happens Appreciate what you do TD
Hi Jurgen, found them on the FindMyPast website: Sign in to your account | findmypast.co.uk Pleased to help. Thank YOU for what you are doing.
Hi I don't suppose you could let me have the complete Missing Men File from 2nd BN GR...My grandfather L/Cpl Archie Bertram Kaye will be on it. Do you have more on the Coy Rolls...am trying to collate more details and see if I can work out what Company and hopefully Platoon he was with. We think we may be able to confirm his date of death to June 2nd...due to being able to link him to the Lt Fane Group through Cpl Eldridge who witnessed his death at Malo-Les-Bains in an Air Attack. Thanks in advance.
Thanks very much...great info to have. Would love to see the Company Rolls from that time...am hoping to find some info through the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum. Am also trying to find out more about 5181626 John Eldridge MM...
Going back to Lance Corporal Anstey, as has been mentioned on the Adegem Cemetery thread, he was originally buried at Klemskerke. The BEF casualties who were there are from varied units and dates which suggest a hospital, but I have a
Thanks Kyle...Harkness has been able to send through the files I was after and Drew has previously sent through the Gloucestershire Regiment Missing Men File...am getting there, but still would like to confirm the Coy, as I only know he wasn't in A or D at this stage...as I have seen the Roll for those two. I believe it's likely he was with B...with a chance he could have been C or HQ.
Anstey was first buried at Klemskerke churchyard. The other Gloucestershire Regiment (2nd Bn) member buried at Adegem is WILSON, John Thomas. He was first buried at Belgium Military Cemetery in Westvleteren. I'm looking for the service records of these 2 soldiers and war diary files, May and July 1940 to study and apply to my project commonwealth-adegem.com.