3535141 Frederick Henry 'Chalky' WHITE, DCM, MM, Loyal Regiment attached 1 SAS

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by peter marshall, Apr 25, 2010.

  1. peter marshall

    peter marshall Junior Member

    Cheers Arnhem,
    Harry could you post your picture please, and many thanks for the info

    Pete
     
  2. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Earlier I posted a very good piece on Chalky but lost it in posting,finger trouble at my end,no doubt.Its a pity that there isn't software available that would retain material etc when incidents such as supply failures and other basic mishandling occurs.

    However I will post it again.
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Harry, With big posts I type it up first in a Word Document then cut and paste it across just incase.
     
  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Peter sorry for the delay,I'm having to use an external card reader for these photographs.

    Here is the photograph of Chalky White safely back in the Morvan maquis camp after being wounded in the left arm in what is regarded as an action packed incident on the road to Lucy sur Yonne in which Roy Bradford and Andy Devine lost their lives.Chalky was ushered to safety by the maquis interpreter and hid in corn stooks to avoid the pursuing Germans.

    Two 6lb antitank guns were dropped to the SAS in the Morvan and Chalky is shown with one of these.I think this antitank gun was obsolescent earlier in the war but was adequate for operations in the Morvan as the Germans in the area did not possess tanks.No doubt someone will have further knowledge of this weapon.

    As I said before the photograph is not particularly distinct but is sufficient to record the events in the Morvan.(Eric Adamson via Ian Wellsted)

    Incidentally the Germans had quite a number of Poles and Russians serving with them in the Morvan who quickly deserted their units as the going got tough.Some did this after killing their German officers.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. peter marshall

    peter marshall Junior Member

    Harry

    Sorry i havnt replied sooner. Thanks for the picture and information . Is it taken from the book you mentioned ' SAS with the Maquis'. I will have to try and get a copy.

    Thanks again

    Pete
     
  6. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Harry

    Sorry i havnt replied sooner. Thanks for the picture and information . Is it taken from the book you mentioned ' SAS with the Maquis'. I will have to try and get a copy.

    Thanks again

    Pete
    Peter, I just looked in my copy of 'SAS with the Maquis' and that pic is indeed from said book, also have another pic very similar to the one Arnhem posted but this is Chalky with two other SAS guys could be the same day but he has not got medals up only ribbons could well be taken at Buck palace.
     
  7. peter marshall

    peter marshall Junior Member

    Thanks wtid45

    I have found a copy on e bay, which will soon be mine.

    I have seen the other photo you mention its out of a book on WW2 insignia, uniforms and equipment, (my copy is not to hand at the mo, because I am in the middle of moving so i cant remember the exact title) and it was indeed taken outside buckingham Palace.

    I copied this picture when I new him mounted it and got Chalky to sign the mount.

    He did tell me there was another photo of him with an officer (who was killed) that the Germans got hold of and used it in a 'wanted' style poster. I also remember him saying that every time he had a picture taken with someone, particularly an officer , they always seemed to get killed, and he became a bit of a 'jinx'

    Thanks again

    Pete
     
  8. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Finger trouble as indicated.

    What is the method of cancelling an unready post?
     
  9. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    The "SAS in the Morvan" is one of the best publications one can read for informed accounts of SAS action behind the enemy lines.

    Having passed throught the place we decided to have a holiday there in 1995 where I found a great deal of evidence of Maquis group evidence and SAS involvement.I took a number of photographs and then after returning to the UK found Ian Wellsted's publication.I sent these photographs to Ian Wellsted, who it transpired,had retired to New Zealand and received a friendly letter in return.He said he had been in the Moran in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the operation.It looks to me that Chalky White did not attend the anniversary.Probably illness kept him away.

    The following year with had another holiday there and I was able to visit all the locations that Ian had mentioned in his book.We located the grave of a young Frenchman, "Socrate" who headed his own Maquis and who Ian knew very well.Of Socrate,Ian said, "he was a fearless fighter and a true patriot" and more tributes to him are found in the book.

    Regarding "Then and Now".The photograph of a group of the SAS drinking marc ouside the estaminet with the landlady at Ouroux adjacent to their parachuted jeep is easy to find but the estaminiet is now a normal house.It was easily recognised in that the distinctive corner stones have been retained.

    The maquis cemetery is still there in the forest,the location of the Maquis/SAS vehicle park.I'm not sure if the maquis plots contain the dead but the RAF graves still there are empty.The crew were on a operation to Dijon when they were brought down in maquis territory.The maquis buried them in their cemetery but about 1961, their remains were transferred to the war cemetery in Nantes,some 200 miles away to the west.

    Regarding the operation involving Chalky White and the deaths of Roy Bradford and Andy Devine on the road to Lucy sur Yonne,apparently a memorial was erected a few years ago at the spot where they were killed in action.
     
  10. kev_c

    kev_c Junior Member

    Fred was my Nana's cousin. My Dad passed away a few weeks ago and in his possession was an album containing photos of Fred. When I get back from holiday I will scan and upload them.
     
  11. nick_frost

    nick_frost Junior Member

    Hi

    I am Chalky's grandson, and it's very nice to hear him being talked about on this forum.

    I, along with my mother and sister, took Chalky's ashes to the Maquis cemetary in Morvan. In rather typical SAS style, we suruptitioulsy planted a small tree and scattered his ashes there.

    I have seen on the internet a picture of a plaque that is now there, which was very moving to see. We spent a fabulous couple of days with the Maquis bernard, another local Maquis unit which began with a 'C' if i remeber correctly and French SAS. I think we did this in June 1999.

    I'd love to see any pictures any of you may have of him, and any snippets of information.
     
  12. popeye1975

    popeye1975 Junior Member

    Chalky White was an immensely brave soldier of whom Paddy Mayne himself had the greatest respect.And for that alone he can have no greater epitaph
     
  13. peter marshall

    peter marshall Junior Member

    Kev C

    I would love to see more picture of Fred

    thanks in advance

    Pete
     
  14. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Army Number: 3535141
    Rank: Corporal
    Name: Frederick Henry WHITE, DCM, MM
    Unit: Loyal Regiment attached 1 Special Air Service Regiment


    London Gazette : 14 October 1943
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36209/supplement/4547/data.pdf
    The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East: —
    The Military Medal.
    No. 3535141 Corporal Frederick Henry White, The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (Manchester).

    London Gazette : 27 January 1944
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36349/supplement/518/data.pdf
    The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy: —
    The Distinguished Conduct Medal.
    Lance-Sergeant Frederick Henry White, M.M., Infantry (Urmston, Manchester).
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2020
  15. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Last edited: Jun 24, 2020
  16. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Last edited: Jun 24, 2020
  17. Nicola Miller

    Nicola Miller Member

    I think I have a few photos of him. Once I get on my laptop I will post them on this thread.
     
  18. Nicola Miller

    Nicola Miller Member

    I think the one that says "Philips" is actually him, my grandfather may have got muddled up. I could be wrong though!
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  19. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    He's not on the LRDG nominal list for 31 Aug 1941 so must have joined after.

    All the best

    Andreas Screen Shot 2022-08-15 at 9.23.08 AM.jpg
     
  20. nickfrost

    nickfrost New Member

    the first two are chalky, the last picture is someone else
     

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