I finally got a pretty good scan of a photograph I found of my uncle and other officers that was probably taken shortly after the 48th Div. reassembled in Cornwall after Dunkirk. Major Philip Malins, who was with #517 Petrol Coy. recently told me he doesn't recognize anyone but my uncle, Lt. R. Kent Green, standing in the second row fifth from the left. Uncle Kent moved from the Petrol Coy to an Ammunition Coy about that time, however. Ms. Becks Skinner at Airborne Assault/Imperial War Museum thinks this photo was taken early in the war and most of the men in the front row served in WWI. She thinks the officer in the front row, 6th from the left might be Major General F.A.N. Thorne, but can't find any photograph of him with which to compare this one. I would greatly appreciate help in identifying anyone in the photograph and ideas about when and where it was taken. Thanks, Barbara
I'm strictly from 'Other Ranks' stock which makes dating photographs of officers in Service Dress a little awkward. However, I'd be surprised if even the new junior officers would have worn a Field Service Cap for a formal photograph prior to Dunkirk and the rhododendron foliage suggests the grounds of a country house (on acid soil, so quite possibly Cornwall) which would have been a typical officer's billet after Dunkirk. Pre-war formal photographs have more usually a Victorian barracks background. I suspect that your mid 1940 Cornwall hypothesis is probably the correct one.
Here is a pic of Thorne with some info not sure if its the same guy but the 48th Divison fits., Sir Augustus Francis Andrew Nicol "Bulgy" Eldest son of late Augustus Thorne, DL, JP, London, W1. Married (1909) Hon. Margaret Douglas Pennant (died 1967), daughter of 2nd Baron Penrhyn; three sons, three daughters. ° °Scots at war papers 20.09.1885 Dornhurst, Sevenoaks, Kent - 25.09.1970 Spynie Hospital, Elgin [buried in Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire] 2nd Lt. 02.03.1904 [13980] ... ... Maj.Gen. 26.10.1938, seniority 23.12.1937 A/Lt.Gen. 08.06.1940-06.05.1941 Lt.Gen. 07.05.1941 Gen. 02.01.1945 (retd 08.04.1946) KCB, 1942 (CB 1939); CMG 1919; DSO 1916 & 2 bars; DL Berks MID 20.12.1940 Oder of Polonia Restituta 2nd Class 08.10.1943 Commander, Legion of Merit (USA) 08.11.1945 Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (Freedom Medal) (Norway) 17.10.1946 02.03.1904 commissioned, The Grenadier Guards ... - ... ... 26.10.1938 - 17.10.1939 General Officer Commanding, London District 18.10.1939 - 07.06.1940 General Officer Commanding, 48th Infantry Division (Southern Command & British Expeditionery Force) 08.06.1940 - 07.05.1941 Commander, XII Corps (Kent, Home Forces) 08.05.1941 - 11.05.1945 General Officer Commanding, Scottish Command 09.05.1941 - 15.06.1945 also: Governor, Edinburgh Castle 1945 Commander-in-Chief Allied Land Forces, Norway, and Head of the SHAEF mission to Norway 14.11.1950 - 17.04.1951 re-employed: for service with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence 23.05.1951 - 18.11.1951 specially employed: for service with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence Literature: Donald Lindsay, Forgotten General : a life of Andrew Thorne (1987) World War II unit histories & officers
Wonderful - a detective with a sense of humor. I like your identification of the rhododendron, which I hadn't thought about. The Cornwall connection is from the name of the photographic studio Opie Ltd., Redruth, printed on the cardboard mount for the photograph, and Major Philip Malins letter to me telling me the 48th was assigned to defend the Cornish Coast after it reassembled. Thank you for helping me confirm the early 1940 date. Thank you, Barbara
Thank you WTID45 for the photograph and information about F.A.N. Thorne. The information fits, but it's really hard to say if the photograph does. The man in my photo has a big mustache and his service cap obscures his eyes. I can't tell if he could be the same person as in your photograph, which is frustrating. I'll try unithistories.com to see if I can sort photographs by Division and find some other matches, though that seems labor intensive. Any other ideas would be very welcome! Thanks again, Barbara
