4th Wiltshire Regiment - PLEASE HELP

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Salfordian, Feb 21, 2012.

  1. Salfordian

    Salfordian Junior Member

    Hello


    I have a relative who died in Holland in 1944 called Glyn (Glyndwr) Jenkins. He was a Lance Corporal with the 4th Battalion of the Wiltshire regiment. His service number is 14701325. He died aged 18 on the 22/09/1944. He is buried in the Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery.


    Would anyone have any records to say anything about him? Or indeed what the Wilts were doing in that area? I assume its part of Market garden, but I also know that most buried in Bergen-op-zoom CWGC were part of the Battle for Walcheren (Operation Infatuate), but cannot find and Wilts ref to that on the net.


    I would be grateful if you could help with anything - please email me on steveh1968@hotmail.com


    Cheers


    Steve
    North Manchester Battlefield Society
     
  2. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Steve
    You need to go to the MOD website and download a form to apply for your relatives service record it will take 6-9 months and cost £30.00

    Also go to the portal area of this website and near the footof the left hand side is a war diary search engine use this to search for the 4th Wilts war diary for 1944.

    If you cannot get to the National Archieves then members on this forum operate a copying service for a modest cost
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    From my copy of the transcribed war diary from The Wardrobe.
    The Wiltshire regiment in the Second World War - 4th Battalion - The Wardrobe

    22/9/1944 - Meldert, Belgium
    Bn moves of in Div convoy for advance into HOLLAND with the intention of holding posns in area of DEVENTER (Map sheet 2a and 3a -z 90)
    On reaching VALKENSWAARD (E40) the coln was halted owing to the enemy blowing a bridge North of EINDHOVEN which was quickly repaired and the coln allowed to move on via ST. OEDENRODE (43) , UDEN (354) to area North of GRAVE (E 65) where bn conc for the night arriving at 0200 hrs.
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Steve,

    There are 5 battalion war diaries covering the whole of WW2. This is the one covering the period you are interested in:

    WO 171/1394 4 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) 1944 Jan.- Dec.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  5. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Steve

    I was given this information by a Dutch friend who his an expert on the Wiltshire Regiment. Hope it helps.

    According to the 129 Bde, 43 Wessex Division Roll of Honour, L/Cpl Jenkins of B-Coy was killed at Valburg, just north of Nijmegen-Netherlands. According to “The Maroon Square” (4th Wilts in NW Europe 1939-1946), at that time, during the so-called “Battle for The Island”, 4th Wilts was trying to break through to Elst in order to reach the 1st Airborne Division perimeter north of the Rhine. Unfortunately this was to no avail. His final grave in Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery may be explained by the fact that after the War, No. 80 Graves Concentration Unit was based at Bergen op Zoom. They may have exhumed Jenkin’s remains from his Valburg field grave and transferred them to the newly established Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, some 130 km’s to the SW. The same goes for Pte G. Vile and Pte P.A. White who were also killed at Valburg.

    John
     
  6. Salfordian

    Salfordian Junior Member

    Thank you all !
     

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