Hi, Hoping that there may be an Irish Gurards specialist out there ? Researching a Lt GEORGE GIPPS ROMER of the 2nd Bn IG who according to the CWGC died on the 17th Aug 1940. The 2nd Bn was back from Dunkirk by then and stationed in Dover. I have checked the IG WW2 history and it does not state that Lt Romer was either wounded in Dunkirk or action at Boulagne or even at home in the UK. As mentioned by the CWGC I guess he died of something related to the war ? Can anyone help provide any info on him or perhaps any record of what he died of ? Many thanks. Alan
Motor accident. Scroll down to see extract from The Times. Old White Lodge - 1912 Photo of grave and as a young man & in IG uniform here. Old White Lodge - 1912
Alan, I created the website History of The Sycamores and Old White Lodge in Farnborough, Hants that talks about the history of the Romer family and I'm keen to find out more about him - can you help me? What is your interest in 'Gipps' Romer as he was known? Chris
Hi Chris, I am starting to compile a short book for the church at Binfield Berks, of all the men on the war memorial. The aim of the book is to help create some real needed funds for the church and secondly, no one has done such a history on the men who died in WW1 / WW2 and conflicts since. Gipps is recorded on the memorial for 1940 and then I found the family plot in the cemetery nearby. I found your site after being informed of it on the forum and it has helped me add some info to the book on Gipps, which I hope is ok. Ideally I would like to include a picture of the man for illustration next to some details on him. Would it be ok with your permission to include the picture of him in uniform (painting) or could you help with another picture in uniform ? The book is trying to be completed by Novembers Remembrance day parade / service at the chuch, so a long way to go with 59 ww1 names and 40 + names for WW2. Rgds, Alan
Hi Alan, can you send me a private email through the site as I can't figure how to do it or strangely I don't have permission to send you one for some reason! I'd rather not post my email address here unless I have to. Thanks. Chris
Chris, sorry about that, you need 5 posts before you pass beyond 'recruit' status and gain access to Email & PM systems. I'm afraid it was something we had to institute a few months back following some determined spamming from new 'members'. Give me a second & I'll sort you out . Cheers, Adam.
Second Lieutenant GEORGE GIPPS ROMER 95230, 2nd Bn., Irish Guards who died on 17 August 1940 Son of Lt.-Col. Malcolm Romer and Evelyn Louisa Romer, of Bracknell. Remembered with honour BINFIELD CEMETERY http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/irish-guards/38811-orbats-irish-guards-2.html Old White Lodge - 1912 Wisden - Obituaries in 1977
Casualty Second Lieutenant ROMER, GEORGE GIPPS Service Number 95230 Died 17/08/1940 2nd Bn. Irish Guards Son of Lt.-Col. Malcolm Romer and Evelyn Louisa Romer, of Bracknell. Buried at BINFIELD CEMETERY Location: Berkshire, United Kingdom Cemetery/memorial reference: Grave D. 114. Person Page George Gipps Romer b. 25 July 1919, d. 17 August 1940 George Gipps Romer was born on 25 July 1919 at St. George Hanover Square, London, England. He was the son of Malcolm Romer and Evelyn Louisa Gipps. He died on 17 August 1940 at age 21, in a motorcycle accident while on duty. He gained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the Irish Guards.
Personal Number: 95230 Rank: Second Lieutenant Name: George Gipps ROMER Unit: Irish Guards London Gazette : 4 July 1939 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34642/page/4568/data.pdf The undermentioned Gentlemen Cadets, from the Royal Military College, to be 2nd Lts. 1st July 1939:— FOOT GUARDS I. G'ds.— George Gipps ROMER.
From 2nd Battalion Irish Guards. Companies withdrew to the new position which lay astride the light railway running down through Boulogne at 10.30 hours. Battalion Headquarters followed approximately one hour later, and No. 1 Company moved back from its post in the village somewhere about 11.45 hours. This post of No. 1 Company had proved invaluable. They had been in close contact with the enemy for nearly two hours at a range of not much more than 30-50 yards. Throughout that time the posts had exchanged bursts of fire one with the other, and all attempts to outflank No. 1 Company’s position had each in turn been defeated. In my opinion, the holding of this post by No. 1 Company, which might quite easily have been somewhat demoralized by the very heavy losses which the Company had suffered, reflects the very greatest credit on Capt. C.R. McCausland and 2/Lt. G.G. Romer, and on the other ranks who held the post. I was very apprehensive as to whether they would be able to withdraw from such close contact without further heavy losses. The fact that they were able to do so shows thar they must have made the fullest and most effective use of the ground. And from 2nd Battalion Irish Guards. Sergeant ARMSTRONG, 2nd Battalion IRISH GUARDS On the 22nd May my Company, No. 1, landed at BOULOGNE about 12 noon. We proceeded to take up a position on the left of the Battalion. My Platoon, No. 2, was on the left, commanded by 2nd Lieutenant ROMER. We had on our left the railway and river, the WELSH GUARDS begin on the other side of the river, but eventually we did not see any of them. Having taken up our position about 4 o'clock we proceeded to dig in. Mr BUTLER's Platoon was on our right about 150 yards away and an Anti-Tank gun commanded by Corporal McNAMEE was on our left. While we were digging in there was a certain amount of shelling but the fire appeared to be chiefly directed against the Anti-Tank gun position. (Supper came up about 7.30). Just before it got dark we saw some enemy tanks on the road in front of us to our right. These tanks remained in the vicinity for some time and then eventually, as far as we know, went back. The most of their fire was directed at the Platoon on our right. We were subjected to a certain amount of artillery fire during the night. Any movement during the night out of our post was not possible owing to fire from a machine gun which was close to us. Mr. ROMER went back to Company H.Q. during daylight and we did not see him again. At dawn, we endeavoured to sent a runner back to Company H.Q. but anybody who got out of the trench was immediately shot at and as far as we could see we were more or less surrounded. We tried to retreat to Company H.Q. but were unable to do so. There were no casualties in our Platoon up to this time. The position of our Platoon was behind tall hedge with a very bad field of fire. About half-an-hour after dawn, just before it got quite light, some Germans came through the hedge on our right and machine gunned from our immediate right about 60 yards way a very heavy fire on the post, whilst a party of Germans attacked us on foot from our right front ( a party of 30 or 40 Germans). When we were captured, P.S.M. HAYES took his badges and rank off and I, myself, having Sergeant's badges, was taken away by a German to be interrogated. As far as I know, Mr. BUTLER's Platoon on our right was, at the time we were captured, still being attacked.