4460271 Pte Jack SAXBY, 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment: KIA 03/08/1944

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Ben Trueman, Jul 16, 2022.

  1. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Hi guys, my names Ben I'm 57 and live in Lincolnshire. I served in the RAF for 27 yrs and currently drive petrol tankers for a living. Ive been interested in both WW1 & WW2 since I was a young lad, something I inherited from my Dad. Ive recently (2 days ago) found out where my Dads Uncle was killed and originally buried in WW1. Something my Dad had been trying to do for over 50yrs. Thankfully there are people on other sites (The Great War (1914 - 1918) Forum) who have vast knowledge of the war and where to find information, and without their help I would not have got far.

    The reason for joining was on a similar mission. My partners Grandfather was killed during WW2, on the 3 Aug 1944 during Operation Overlord. His details are 4460271 Pte Jack Saxby South Staffordshire Regt. He is buried at Fontenay Le Pesnel War Cemetery, France. What I'm trying to find out is information on where/how he was killed.
    If anybody can help, point me in the right direction I would be most grateful. We are hoping to travel to Normady in Aug, to visit his grave. We will also be travelling to Ypres, in Belgium to visit my Great Uncles grave at Hooge War Cemetery. [​IMG]
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Welcome to the forum
    Other members will give you more detail if the possibly can about his regiment and advice on the war diaries

    firstly apply for his service records details in this link
    Get a copy of military service records

    You require proof of death which you can use the certificate in the link below
    Date of Birth
    £30
    there is a long wait at the moment but well worth the effort

    PRIVATE JACK SAXBY
    Service Number: 4460271
    Regiment & Unit/Ship
    South Staffordshire Regiment

    2/6th Bn.

    Date of Death
    Died 03 August 1944

    Age 27 years old

    Buried or commemorated at
    FONTENAY-LE-PESNEL WAR CEMETERY, TESSEL

    I. B. 7.

    France


    • Country of ServiceUnited Kingdom
    • Additional InfoSon of Robert and Lillian Saxby; husband of Annie Saxby, of Woodley, Cheshire.
    • Personal InscriptionI LOVED YOU IN LIFE I LOVE YOU IN DEATH YOU ARE MINE TO REMEMBER I'LL NEVER FORGET

    Download certificate



    Pvt Jack Saxby (unknown-1944) - Find a Grave...
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Last edited: Jul 17, 2022
    4jonboy, Wobbler, dbf and 1 other person like this.
  4. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Do you know for certain that he was KIA? Just checking because sometimes the possibility of DOW is overlooked.
    (If you're unsure perhaps someone could check Casualty Lists to confirm.)

    Noted also that there is no Concentration report for your partner's Grandfather, like he never had a temp. field grave elsewhere.
    See also - 1944 War diaries for 11th Btn West Yorkshire and 2/6th South Staffordshire regiments

    Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery, Tessel | Cemetery Details | CWGC
    "The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944. Fontenay-le-Pesnel War Cemetery contains the graves of men who died in the fighting to the west and south-west of Caen in June-July 1944. There are particularly large numbers of graves of the South Staffordshire, East Lancashire, Royal Warwickshire Regiments, and the Durham Light Infantry. The cemetery contains 460 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. There are also 59 German graves."

    If circumstances are all you're interested for now, a copy of the battalion's War diary would def be the best way forward in time for your planned trip - even if no mention is made of Pte Saxby by name, there should be details of what the battalion was doing and where.

    If no one here has a copy of the war diary to share, this is the file reference for TNA, Kew
    2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment | The National Archives
    Reference: WO 171/1378
    Description: 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment
    Date: 1944 Jan.- Aug.
    (If you cant get there yourself, there are forum members who regularly go to the archives and who can supply copies at very competitive prices.)

    For an overview: 59th (Staffordshire) Division in WWII

    Good luck with your research.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2022
  5. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Just one KIA report.
     
  6. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Welcome Ben, all the best with your research, you’re in very good hands here.
     
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  7. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Guy's,
    Thank you so much for your help. I'm unsure wether he was killed in action or not, I supposed we assumed he was because of what was going on.
    "Do you know for certain that he was KIA? Just checking because sometimes the possibility of DOW is overlooked."
    Sorry not sure what this means?
     
  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Ben

    KIA
    Killed in action

    DOW
    Died of wounds

    Meaning injured then later died
     
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  9. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Of course it does, all those war films were wasted on me.

    Thanks
     
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  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    In any case, Tony kindly confirmed the casualty status for you. So, if you get a hold of a copy, the war diary for his date of death, or days before, should hold some clues for you. If any are filed, be sure to check that month's Appendices as well, - these usually contain more detailed info. Sketch maps can sometimes be discovered in files.
     
    Ben Trueman likes this.
  11. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

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  12. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Thank you
     
  13. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

  14. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Just to add to what has already been said, the casualty lists have a number of different categories, these are; wounded, missing, died, died as a result of accident, died of wounds, missing believed KIA, POW, missing believed POW etc etc, in this case 'killed in action'. As you will see the lists are just that, a list, and give no more details, as advised the war diaries will tell you what was happening at the time. Other sources could be regimental histories or individual's accounts, but diaries probably best.
    Saxby.jpg

    ps. don't ask what 716 means - no one knows!
     
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  15. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Thank you
     
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  16. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    Jack was in the Hereford Regiment from 13th March 1940, stationed at Hoylake, Cheshire, where he was a driver. He and his regiment were sent to France on the 27 th June 1944. On the 9th July 1944, he and what remained of his regiment were transferred to the South Staffordshire Regiment; as their own had been almost wiped out. He was KIA in Calne, France, on the 3rd August 1944, aged 27.
     
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  17. Ben Trueman

    Ben Trueman Member

    I'm wondering if Calne is actually Caen as I can't find Calne!!.
    A bit like, Koln - Cologne in Germany !!
     
  18. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  19. DAVID PEACH

    DAVID PEACH Member

    Hi
    On 3rd August 177 Bde (of which 2/6th were part) were still around Noyers Bocage and did not advance into it until 4th August - 59 Div History excerpt below:

    "By 3rd August there were indications of a considerable enemy withdrawal on the 12 Corps front and 59 Inf Div was ordered to drive ahead, 53 Inf Div taking over some ground on the extreme left from 177 Inf Bde. 197 Inf Bde at once advanced to seize the high ground just north-east of Villers Bocage, on the road thence to Noyers. There was little active resistance, though the enemy had left enough small rear parties to be troublesome. Mines, both anti-personnel and anti-tank, were more of a problem (the writer has a vivid recollection of an almost completely disintegrated Churchill lying at the bottom of a dip in the road).
    By 1500 hrs on 4th August a company of 2/5 L.F. went into what the R.A.F. had left of Villers Bocage, which was found deserted by the enemy. 176 Inf Bde passed through, the leading infantry mounted on tanks. 59 Recce Regt were launched for the first time in their proper reconnaissance role on the divisional front. And 177 Inf Bde occupied without effort and passed beyond the bloodstained objective of Noyers. "

    117bde were still in place North West of Gavrus (line Bretvillette to east of Noyers)where they had been since Pomegranate 2 weeks before. So on 3rd they were being relieved in place in order to Advance into Noyers on 4th after evidence of German withdrawal and then on to Villers Bocage on night of 4th and 5th. So they werent involved in any particular "action" on this date.

    Without relevant war diary pages its hard to say how he became a casualty - He may have been a casualty form shellfire or snipers as the Germans withdrew or a mine. Another possibility is that he was one of the 19 ORs missing from Pomegranate on 16/17 July and his Body was discovered on 3rd/4th August as the brigade reoccupied Noyers (with no resistance). Either way he is likely to have been a casualty in the area of Noyers (Now Noyers-Bocage). He may well have DOW in Caen.

    I only have war diary pages for 16/17 July and a full report on pomegranate by 144 RAC. Lots of detail but no names of casualties. I dont have anything for the period after.
     
    Ben Trueman likes this.
  20. DAVID PEACH

    DAVID PEACH Member

    Ben
    Re above - 1st Battalion Herefordshires were in Normandy and in action near Tourmaville/Gavrus on 27th June 1944. They did receive replacements on 23rd June but continued to fight as a unit until 1945.

    2nd Battalion Herefordshires was on home service from 1939 and was broken up in March 1944 - troops being sent as replacements to other regiments in June and early July and finally disbanded 14th July 1944. The battalion was on the Isle of Wight when this happened (guarding the Pluto pipeline installation) but had been in Northumberland in April 1944. My guess he was with 2nd Battalion and as a driver probably on the road a lot. He would likely have been sent to a replacement depot in Normandy and then sent on to 2/6th as you stated.

    He would have ended up with 2/6th South Staffords as 177 Bde was badly mauled in the battle for Galmanche (operation Charnwood on 8/9 July) . They entered Pomegranate on 16/17 July seriously understrength, some platoons only 30-50% of strength. That was after receiving replacements from a variety of regiments in the previous week. My assumption is that Jack was one of these.
     

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