3852948 Richard Lawrence O'CONNELL, MiD, Army Catering Corps attached 1 Loyal Regiment: 23/04/1943

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by dbf, Jun 27, 2022.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Army Number: 3852948
    Rank: Private
    Name: R L O'CONNELL, MiD
    Unit: Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)


    London Gazette : 20 December 1940
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35020/supplement/7190/data.pdf
    The names of the undermentioned have been brought to notice in recognition of distinguished services in connection with operations in the field. March-June, 1940.
    THE LOYAL REGIMENT (NORTH LANCASHIRE).
    3852948 Pte. R. L. O'CONNEL.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2022
  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Private Richard Lawrence O'Connell | War Casualty Details 3852948 | CWGC
    PRIVATE RICHARD LAWRENCE O'CONNELL
    Service Number: 3852948
    Regiment & Unit/Ship: Army Catering Corps
    Secondary Unit, Regiment attd. 1st. Bn. The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
    Date of Death: 23 April 1943
    Age 33 years old
    Buried or commemorated at MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY
    Grave Reference: 17. A. 9.
    Location: Tunisia
    Additional Info Son of Michael and Margaret O'Connell; husband of D. B. O'Connell, of Hendon, Middlesex.
    Personal Inscription THANKS, PAT. YOU REST IN PEACE THAT I MAY LIVE IN PEACE. YOUR LOVING WIFE DOLL
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2022
  4. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Excerpts from my draft copy Too Close For Comfort.

    Guariat el Attach
    On Good Friday, 23rd April 2nd Infantry Brigade put in their attack as planned.
    The Artillery were deployed in no mans land and the Regiment played is full part.

    The Barrage opened and 2 IB began the combined attacks for the assault on the Africa Corps
    2IB crossed the Tunis Medjez Road to take the high ground Guariat el Attach known as points 174, 156 and 144 overlooking Montarnaud and the main road.
    A simultaneous attack was to go in from Medjez to take Grich el Oued and the high ground beyond.
    78 Division were to attack and capture Long Stop Hill which completely dominated the whole area across which the advance would be made while 4th Division would to come up via Goubellat to capture Peter’s Corner and secure the main road.
    The Indian 4th Div then advanced through 1 Div lines to push the Germans back from the last high ground before Tunis.
    6th Armoured would then push up the main road to link up with the 8th Army moving along the flat coastal land.
    The General Officer Commanding was of the opinion that 1 Division would have the bloodiest fighting for the first 48 or 72 hours upon which the final outcome of the Tunisia Campaign would depend.
    This was the Good Friday message with which the 2IB and the 67th FOO’s went into battle.

    The Plan
    The Gordons to attack point 144 on the right with Major Shepherd and Lt France.
    The Loyal’s to attack 156 with Major Kerr and Lt Rose.
    The 2nd North Staffs to attack 174 with Capt Whitehouse and Lt Hartley.

    The FOO’s went forward over Banana Ridge with the infantry at 0200 crossing the main Tunis road
    moving up to point 101.
    They then split 265 left, 266 right and 446 centre.
    Almost immediately the complete HQ party of the Loyals was blown up including their Commanding Officer
    Lt Rose went to support the Loyals on the left flank, supported by tanks to attack Point 156.
    The Loyals had suffered the most casualties their B Company being very badly cut up.
    In the afternoon the Bosche deployed their dive bombers against the forward troops.
    Major Kerr and Major Shepherd distinguished themselves by their control of the artillery and by nightfall were exhausted but still going strong.
    Major Kerr was recommended for a DSO and Major Shepherd an MC
    They were eventually Mentioned in Despatches.

    You wouldn't expect a cook to go into battle, he was most likely to be in the HQ Party unless their RHQ was shelled, strafed or bombed.
    Perhaps the OC liked a brew up before going in to the attack.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2022
    dbf likes this.
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    His number - 3852948 - falls within Loyal Regiment allocation 3846001 - 3902000
    And he's listed in 1940 for a mention specifically under Loyal Regiment
    Subsequently CWGC has him in 1943 as ACC attached to 1st Loyals.


    Someone wanted him there, or he wanted to be with them, or both. Too much of a coincidence surely ...?
     
  6. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Probably an error by the burial party or CWGC admin. I've seen it before on occasions. the HQ party were blown up so there may not have been much to recognise.
    The only other cook being killed that I came across in 1st Div was Private Burden buried in Faenza War Cemetery.
    They came under fire in Badia di Susinana, the cooks exited the canvas cookhouse to dive into a trench and a shell followed them into it. The cookhouse was largely undamaged.
     
  7. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    It just occurred to me that RA are not the only ones with OP's (Observation Post's) The RA Battery Commander is usually in the Infantry Battalion Commanders Command Post often itself an Observation Post were they can watch the battle developing. Perhaps the Commanders assistant was termed an OC a/c. same as the RA OP a/c (OP Assistant).
    Perhaps the Grave Registration people mistook the handwriting for ACC and it was then later written as Army Catering Corps. Does that not make sense?
    The Loyals Commander was killed when the HQ was blown up so his assistant would have also have been killed in the explosion. They seemed to have been remarkably naïve, it was their first major battle. They appear to have used an old German position as HQ which was boobytrapped, probably by mines.
    The 67th 265 Bty Commander Major Kerr was lucky not to have been there as due to a shortage of officers he went up as the leading FOO.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2022
  8. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    From what I've seen early war cooks were part of a unit (Infantry Battalion, Artillery Regiment etc) but with the formation of the ACC in 1941 they seem to have been transferred (for admin purposes at least) to the ACC although often still seemingly to carry on as part of their existing unit - I think it was basically to standardise feeding methods and improve training, I have a fair few "record of service" cards where you can see men's unit changing but looking into the detail their posting stayed the same. I hope that makes some sense
     
    Uncle Target and dbf like this.
  9. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Cheers Alistair, that certainly does make more sense of his circumstances.
     
    AB64 and Uncle Target like this.
  10. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    You are spot on there Alistair. Who would expect a bundle of pay books to reveal so much information, an excellent collection of books and the very important record cards.
    ACC were a growing concern as many men seem to have moved in and out of their ranks on paper. A neighbours father was in the RA in India but when the "separation" took place he came here as a Sergeant Cook but spent time at Oswestry RA training camp with the guns as they needed experienced instructors. In 1944 the infantry ran short of replacements so cooks were often taken into their ranks to fill gaps. No doubt it took time for the admin to keep up with these changes to familiar names and faces.
    The case of O'Connell may have come about due to a huge number of men going sick in the 1st Div. reinforcement camp. They had been in a few actions, lost a few men, so needed to fill gaps.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2022

Share This Page