Airborne glosters

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by ALLAN PRICE, Feb 10, 2012.

  1. ALLAN PRICE

    ALLAN PRICE Member

    hi guys,after seeing gravestones at Ranville cemetary of a Gloucester Regiment soldier attached to Army Air Corps,and speaking to former regiment veterans who said that just pre D-Day members of the regiment were seconded to The Parachute Regiment for the invasion.
    My questions are....does anyone have any ideas on this as we cant find any info at all!
    Would they wear Glosters capbadge on maroon beret,airborne or Glosters badges on BDs?
    any info or pointers will be great,my mate got the address of the veteran and wrote to him last year but no reply so unsure if he's still with us....(didnt think to ask at the time...o_O)
    cheers guys,
    Al
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

  3. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hello Allan,

    You can align the death dates of the men listed by wtid45 with the 8th Parachute Battalion's war diary on the Pegasus Archive. They all died during the period of the break out from the bridgehead and the pursuit of the Germans to the Seine. One possibility is that The Gloster boys could have been reinforcements as the 3rd Brigade had sustained heavy losses of men by middle August 1944.

    On August 21st there's the short entry:

    0800 - Reinforcements arrive from England.

    This would have been a particularly chaotic and dangerous time as the new men would have been thrust almost immediately into battle.

    It should be noted though that several of the 6th Airborne battalions had each received up to 100 light Infantrymen prior to this in July from the Second Army Reinforcement Pool. I'm not sure what the dress and insignia policy would have been for reinforcements arriving from other units.
     
  4. squeakyclean

    squeakyclean Member

    Hello Allan,

    It should be noted though that several of the 6th Airborne battalions had each received up to 100 light Infantrymen prior to this in July from the Second Army Reinforcement Pool. I'm not sure what the dress and insignia policy would have been for reinforcements arriving from other units.

    I'd be interested in finding out how these lads would've been badged up and kitted out. As presumably they wouldn't have been parachute qualified then they wouldn't have had cap badge or wings? But would they have had Denison's etc? I've done a wee bit of Googling and come up with nothing, it might be time to hit the books!?

    Matt
     
  5. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Matt, I've likewise googled like hell searching for something definitive with no luck.

    July 3rd was the day the 5th Brigade battalions took on significant numbers of reinforcements. The 3rd Brigade's top-ups occurred more towards mid August. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion had their own reserve training unit, but chose to go with infantry from the reinforcement depot. So far I have troops from the Glosters, South Wales Borderers, King's Shropshire Light Infantry and Canadian Officers.

    It makes me wonder as well about helmets. It always struck me as curious that in the line of paras crossing the girder at Pont L'Eveque there were a couple with helmets that were definitely not para ones. Otherwise they seem kitted out with para garb. I'll add a cropped attachment.

    Out on a limb as usual ... Chuck
     

    Attached Files:

  6. squeakyclean

    squeakyclean Member

    Cee

    An excellent photo, full of lovely bits n bobs! Definitely a mix of Mk2 helmets, smocks and para trousers.

    I can't imagine that scale of issue on airborne helmets were running low in 1944? You'd think the para trousers would be the first thing to go!

    Matt
     
  7. roodymiller

    roodymiller Senior Member

    I once discussed the photo of the paras crossing the girder with a 13 para veteran. He said it was the only time he recalled seeing a war photographer. He also spke about the reinforcements they received from the 21st army pool in July. They came from many different units and wore thier own equipment and helmets etc. Many after returning to England in sept 44 took their jump course and stayed on as paras. The reinforcements that arrived on the 20th August were from the airborne reserve companies and were hence all paratroopers... My uncle was one of these...

    Hope this helps.
     
  8. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Thanks Andrew,

    That's very helpful and hopefully goes a long way to answering Allan Price's original query.

    With regards the Pont l'Évêque shot it may well be members of the 13th Battalion as you say that is depicted there. I don't know?

    The only other claim I 've come across is one made by the son of Pte. Thomas (Tommy) Kelly who was with the 7th Battalion (L.I.) the Parachute Regiment. Unfortunately you can't link to his story directly but if you go to 6th Airborne.Org and under history click on "Memories of a 7 Para Veteran" you will find his account.

    He writes:

    The picture below shows Pte. Kelly and other paras crossing a make-shift bridge in the destroyed town of Pont Leveque during that day's advance.

    Make of that what you will. I've tried to contact the son, but his email address has gone dead.

    Regards ...
     
  9. ALLAN PRICE

    ALLAN PRICE Member

    thanks for the replies chaps,getting closer to an answer i think!
     
  10. arnhem2280

    arnhem2280 Member

    Allan

    I have a list of 8th Para Btn reinforcements who arrived with the battalion during Normandy.

    There are quite a number from the Glosters and S. Lancs as well as one or two from other Regiments such as the Borders, Royal Berks and Ox and Bucks some of who were definitely with the battalion by July 1944. From the list it appears they all came together as those with surnames starting with A and B went to A Coy most of those begining with C went to B Coy and the remainder were split between HQ and C Coy.

    Hope this assists with your query.

    Cheers

    Arnhem
     
  11. ALLAN PRICE

    ALLAN PRICE Member

    Allan

    I have a list of 8th Para Btn reinforcements who arrived with the battalion during Normandy.

    There are quite a number from the Glosters and S. Lancs as well as one or two from other Regiments such as the Borders, Royal Berks and Ox and Bucks some of who were definitely with the battalion by July 1944. From the list it appears they all came together as those with surnames starting with A and B went to A Coy most of those begining with C went to B Coy and the remainder were split between HQ and C Coy.

    Hope this assists with your query.

    Cheers

    Arnhem

    would it be possible for you to send me a list of the Gloster chaps please mate?
    email is: airborneAL67@aol.com
    we also have one of the ladies from Duxford archives digging a little for us on this so hopefully we can get some more info!
    thanks again chaps!
    Allan
     
  12. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

  13. ALLAN PRICE

    ALLAN PRICE Member

    no,not me mate!but it is my mate Mike from the same re-enactment group.
    we'll be at IWM Duxford in March and hoping to trawl thru' the archives.
     

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