9th Bn Durham Light Infantry

yea makes sense because albert was clay worker aswell the rest were farmers as was my grandad

 

Where would I find what ship the 9th battalion sailed on to gold beach?

 

For a starter, here are the D-Day landing tables for 151st Infantry Brigade, Gold Beach: D-Day : Normandy 1944 - GOLD BEACH : British Troops

The 151st Infantry Brigade included the 6th, 8th & 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry and supporting units. All are annotated in the landing tables.

Best,

Steve.

 

Thankyou once again last question would there be any pictures?

 

How many were in each battalion? Sorry

 

Here's the battalion diary entries for the day he died. Drop me a message if you'd like a copy of the 1944 war diary, I'll throw in a free copy of the NW Europe Durham Light Infantry Missing Men file as well.

 

That' incredible so much information on here I'm so very grateful

 

To tie in with what is already provided regarding the fighting 4/5th October, he and many others were initially buried in Jonkersbosch Old Cemetery, which I assume was closer to the town, before being reinterred in the CWGC cemetery in 1947.
As it was a burial in a town cemetery, it seems more in keeping with dying of wounds at a field Hospital or similar set up in the town, rather than a field grave for battlefield casualties. Not much consolation, but he died among comrades and with the best medical attention, not left in a field.

You can't easily see it in the photo, but his headstone inscription chosen by the family was
"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember him" - which no doubt was heard a lot last weekend

 

Approximately 36 Officers and 809 other ranks in a British Infantry Battalion in 1944: see structure table here: http://www.britishmilitaryhistory.c...ument_pdf/2_-Infantry-Battalion-1944-1945.pdf

On D-Day the Battalion would likely be at full-strength but due to attrition; killed, wounded/evacuated, wounded, PoW and missing, it likely fought most of the time needing replacements and so at understrength.

Edit: From D-Day to VE Day the 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry lost 230 men killed. Wounded were usually a rate of approximately 3 to 1 man killed, but some of the wounded would have returned to the fray when mended.

Best,

Steve.

 

The fighting of 50th Div around Bemmel in October 1944 is described in the thread on the Nijmegen Bridgehead, elsewhere on this forum:

NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944

Or as far as the operation of the 9th DLI is concerned:

NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944

 

That's good to hear thankyou very much for the info my grandfather will enjoy reading all this

 

Thankyou very much

 

Hello Steve,

Just a 'heads-up' that Pieter (stolpi) has now added Pte. Albert A Tucker to the RoH at message No. 43 of his Nijmegen Bridgehead thread, here: NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944

Edit: There is a click through there to Albert's Commonwealth War Graves Commission certificate.

Many thanks to Pieter!

Best,

Steve.

 

Brilliant thankyou so much

 

Is there also a copy of the 9 DLI war diary covering 14 jan 1945-25 jan 1945? Then they were involved in the battle of the Roer triangle in operation Blackcock.