Albert James Jones 5th bn the Wiltshire Regiment

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by AJ Jones, Jan 25, 2013.

  1. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Hi,



    I'm the great son of Albert James Jones known as "Joe", who served in the 5th bn the Wiltshire regiment during WWII. My granddad stayed in Germany after the war where he died in 1990 near Celle (Lüneburg Heath) Since I was too young to have a "real" converstaion about the war with him I would like to know more about his time during the war. I have read some of the books that are available about the Wiltshire Regiment but perhaps I'm lucky and there is someone out there that knew him.
    Any information is appreciated

    Thank you very much
    Chris
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Chris and welcome to the forum. Good luck with your research.

    I would recommend you apply for a copy of his service records from the MoD and I've listed the units war diaries below if you can get to the National Archives. Owen knows a fair bit about the Wilts so he should have some info for you.

    WO 166/4739 INFANTRY: 5 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's). 1939 Nov.- 1941 Dec.

    WO 166/9017 5 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) 1942 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 166/12774 5 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) 1943 Jan.-Dec.

    WO 171/1395 5 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) 1944 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 171/5291 5 Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) 1945 Jan.-Dec.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  4. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello Chris and welcome to the forum

    Lesley
     
  5. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Hello and welcome
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  7. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Hello Owen and thank you to everyone for the kind reception to the forum!

    I've got the books by Martin McIntyre and Patrick Delaforce. There is one picture in the book by McIntyre on page 95 that shows some members of the regiment walking up to the Seine. My mum and I belive that he (Albert James) could be the man holding the machine gun but we are not sure whether he was indeed a section commander. Any help as to who the people in the picture are would therefore be helpful.

    This week I went to the memorial and museum at Bergen-Belsen and I began to wonder whether my grandad had actually been there. My mother told me that he never really talked about the war and from what I've read about the 5th Wilts he must have seen terrible things during this time. Living in Germany today I feel deeply greatful for what these man endured so that we can live in a democracy today. That is why I believe it is important to remember them.
     
  8. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    My mum and I belive that he (Albert James) could be the man holding the machine gun but we are not sure whether he was indeed a section commander. Any help as to who the people in the picture are would therefore be helpful.


    The foto can also be found at the Wardrobe's homepage

    http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/dyn/collection/P025181.jpg
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Cant help with that pic , sorry.
    I do suggest the following those.
    5 Wilts war diary.
    The Wiltshire Regiment in the Second World War - 5th Battalion - The Wardrobe Rifles Berkshire Wiltshire Museum Salisbury

    Bn history.
    The 5th Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment in North West Europe June 1944 - May 1945 - The Wardrobe Rifles Berkshire Wiltshire Museum Salisbury
    I have a copy of the original on disc sent to me by another member on here, nicks.

    This book by a member of the Bn.
    Conscript at War - The Wardrobe Rifles Berkshire Wiltshire Museum Salisbury




    edit: a couple more books.
    Assault Crossing by Ken Ford.
    ken ford - assault crossing - AbeBooks

    43rd Wessex Division at War by Maj-Gen Essame.
    wessex division essame - AbeBooks
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  11. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Thanks for the picture Owen it's much better quality. The books you recommended also look interesting, I will try to get hold of them as soon as I can.
     
  12. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    I've now read the "Assault Crossing" a very interesting read, that does put things into perspective, thanks again Owen. Do you think that the regimental records or his army records would name his company, too?

    Moreover, I'm still wondering whether a private could actually be a section commander, since I still believe that the man in the picture could be him. Unfortunately it does not give any featurtes of his face. For comparison I have uploaded his picture as my profile picture. It was probably taken in 1945 or 1946.
     
  13. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    This is the picture.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Daniel Boylan

    Daniel Boylan Member

    Hi Chris,
    My Grand father (Edward 'Ted' Nessling) served in the Wilts 5th Regiment, he was wounded twice and finally taken out of action at the battle of Caen July 1944. I know that his last action resulted in his injuries and his friends passing. Have you found any further information on your Grand father? Do you have any pictures handed down to you?

    Best regards
    Daniel
     
    AJ Jones likes this.
  15. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Hello Daniel,
    good to hear from you! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any other information and in terms of photos I only have the one that shows him. I actually did not expect any response anymore, so I am very happy to see that there is somebody out there doing the same thing as me really. I wish you the best of luck with your research. I will have a word with my mother and see if she can find some other photos.
    Best regards,
    Chris
     
    Daniel Boylan likes this.
  16. Daniel Boylan

    Daniel Boylan Member

    Hello Chris,

    Thank you for your reply, I've managed to find a lot of info through the war diaries of the 5th Bat Wilts - however they do have some 'grey' areas. I have the original telegram sent to my grand mother regarding his wounding in action - they actually reported he had died in action but this was later followed up with a 'Critically Injured' telegram a few days later (please see attached) This allowed me to zero in on the battle of Caen in July 44. I do know that he was with 2-3 friends when they got hit (artillery) unfortunately his friends did not survive. I did know my grandad, he passed when I was 14 I am now 44. He was a great man, despite his injuries I only remember him standing tall with a smile, very kind and full of a 'young heart' i.e he just 'MADE' Christmas when I was a kid!! But as you'd expect he never truly spoke of the war. Through his service records I have posthumously acquired his Dunkirk award - although I have been told from both my dear departed grand mother (equally amazing woman) and my own mother that he was at Dunkirk I cannot find any Wilts Regiment diary that supports this.. so the plot thickens!!!

    I wish you all the best in your search for answers and I hope, like me, you will pass them on no matter how small.

    Kind regards
    Daniel
     

    Attached Files:

  17. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Had a word with my mother this morning and she gave me some other fotos.

    IMG_20181104_0001.jpg bunker.jpg beach.jpg IMG_20181104_0002.jpg
     
  18. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Hi Daniel,
    the way you describe your grandparents reminds me a lot of mine. They loved children and we had the time of our life when we were at their place. They took me on a visit to England when I was eleven in 1989. I remember my grandad telling me then that he was stationed near Dover before the invasion began in 1944. He never mentioned anything about Dunkirk and this was a topic in the family since one of his brothers in law was captured there and taken to Prussia as a prisoner of war.

    My granddad is the one on the left in the first photo. One of the other man is called Tommy Fagan, my mother said that he used to live near them in Egham Surrey where my English family is from.
    Do you recognize anything in these photos? They were probably taken somewhere in Normandy, especially the last one might be helpfull to identify the place, since it shows this statue of a fisherman.
    Best regards
    Chris
     
  19. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

    Now that I had a look at these photos I realize that he has got two stripe on his left sleeve that means that he was a corporal, doesn't it? Then he could well be the section commander in one of the pictures, couldn't he?
     
  20. AJ Jones

    AJ Jones Junior Member

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