Awards to DLI Soldiers serving in other units of 46 Division

Discussion in 'Durham Light Infantry' started by Cpl Hadaway, Nov 26, 2021.

  1. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    I've been looking at a thread devoted to Salerno and fatal casualty Captain F S Smith, commissioned DLI, died 22/9/43 serving with 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters after transfer from 16 DLI.

    Waldron West War Artist

    One of the DLI officers associated with him by the original poster was Lt F W Crane. Having established Crane's identity, it occurred to me that maybe he and the several other DLI officers and men like him, who ended up with other units in Italy and were subsequently honoured for their gallantry, should have a thread of their own. So here's a start:

    Crane, Lt Kenneth William Raphael, 269441, DLI.
    Commissioned DLI, EC, 2/4/43.
    Transferred from 16 DLI to 5th For, 16/9/43.
    Reported wounded, Italy, date not reported, circa 12/43, bn not specified.
    Previously reported wounded, date not reported, now reported dangerously ill, 16/12/43.
    Corrected: wounded date should read 3/12/43.
    Awarded Soviet award, LG 11/4/44, Medal for Distinguished Battle Service, LG Supplement dated Fri 7/4/44.
    Then serving with 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters. Award listed in The History of 46 Division.
     
    PaulE likes this.
  2. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Excellent Corporal, a man after my own heart. Although that and other of my organs and pipework, are really to be avoided if you wish for a long life.
    Frank S Smiith may also have given more than credited for but the only Award that could be given post mortem was
    I believe, the VC.
    It would be interesting to see exactly what happened on that hill.
    I am a bit out of it, at least for a while.
    EC denotes Emergency Commission as were all Wartime Commissions, as Sandhurst Academy had closed.
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2021
    Cpl Hadaway likes this.
  3. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    A couple more DLI officer awards that fit the 46 Division theme and a couple that constitute thread drift into 56 Div and elsewhere in Italy. Links should bring up National Archives citations:

    Addis, Capt Thomas Frederick Herbert, 247173, DLI.
    Awarded MC, Italy, serving with 'A' Coy 2/5th Leics, actions on 22-23/9/43.
    LG 8/3/45, recorded as 'Addis Addis, Capt Thomas Frederick.'
    Corrected 1/11/45.
    Recommendation for Award for Addis, Thomas Frederick Herbert Rank: Lieutenant ... | The National Archives

    Stalley, 2nd Lt Clifford, 323180, DLI.
    Reported wounded, Italy, 1/9/44, bn not specified.
    Awarded MC Italy, serving with 5th Sherwood For, actions on 31/8/44 and 2/9/44.
    Recommendation for Award for Stalley, Clifford Rank: Lieutenant Regiment: ... | The National Archives
    Page 797 | Supplement 36928, 6 February 1945 | Lond...

    Carney, 2nd Lt Bernard, 295663, DLI.
    Commissioned DLI, 16/10/43,
    Awarded MC, Italy, for actions with 2/6th Queen's Royal Regt on 3-4/3/44, LG: 15/6/44.
    Page 2852 | Supplement 36563, 13 June 1944 | London...
    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7350081

    Ferry, Capt Collin, 295526, DLI.
    Commissioned DLI, 9/10/43.
    From Gateshead.
    Reported wounded, Italy, date not reported, circa 2/44, DLI bn not specified.
    Corrected: date of casualty should read 20/2/44.
    Awarded periodic MC serving with 1 KSLI, Italy, several actions, cited from Anzio in 2/44, where wounded.
    LG 13/12/45:
    Page 6075 | Supplement 37386, 11 December 1945 | Lo...
    Recommendation for Award for Ferry, Colin Rank: Lieutenant Service No: ... | The National Archives
     
  4. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    This is the DCM award to Sgt Leopold Arthur Hunter, 4450411, awarded for his actions with the 5th Sherwood Foresters in Italy in 1944.

    Hunter4450411DCMSherFor.JPG


    http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36928/supplement/797/data.pdf
    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7352433

    According to the London Gazette Hunter was from South Shields. Given his Army number, it would seem that Hunter enlisted in the DLI around 1933. The Imperial War Museum has an interview with a solder whose Army number is only four numbers away, so we can assume Hunter's very early DLI career at least, would be similar to that outlined in Sgt Thomas Wilson's interview

    Wilson, Sgt Thomas, 4450415, 1 DLI.
    Reported wounded, Middle East, Western Desert, 7/12/41.
    Reported missing, Aegean, 3/10/43.
    Captured with 1 DLI, Kos, 10/43.
    50180, 357.
    Enlisted 1933. Previously worked at Horden Colliery.
    Interviewed by IWM:
    http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010876
    Photograph Sunderland Echo, 16/12/43, p 4:
    'Sgt T Wilson DLI, 79 Thornton St, West Hartlepool, formerly of 9 Normandy St.....prisoner of war in German hands.'

    So, and this is the reason for my abiding interest in these 46th Division awards, the fascinating issue which will possibly, only be resolved by his service records, is WHEN did Hunter join the 5th Foresters and what was his previous service in the DLI? I'm not asking for the answer here, just posing the question, but it's an issue every one of these 'non DLI' 46 Division awards and casualties raises.

    Hunter could have been with the Sherwood Foresters from way back, after recall from the Reserve in 1939 perhaps. Or he could have come in as a post-Salerno September 1943 reinforcement via 1 DLI, 16 DLI and/or the 151 Bigade battalions....

    I'll be adding more such examples in due course.....
     
  5. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    This is the Military Medal award citation for Pte Thomas Banks, 4458440, 2/5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment, , for his actions on 7/2/44:

    BanksT4458440.JPG

    LG 21/12/44:

    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36850/supplement/5852/data.pdf
    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7352230

    The LG lists St Helens as his home.

    Pte Banks previously served with 11 DLI. He was transferred to Leicester Regiment 31/12/43. Some details are drawn from John Dixon's site here:

    Banks Thomas Pte 4458440 - 70 Brigade

    He was reported wounded serving with 2/5 Leic, Italy, on 14/9/44.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    This is the Military Medal Award to Pte Thomas Charles Hayes, 4470122, for his actions with the 6th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment, on 21/1/44.

    His Army number indicates he was enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry, circa March-April 1942 and, obviously, at some stage after his basic training, was posted to the 6th Lincs, as part of a reinforcement draft to Italy. Prior service could have been with the 70th (Young Soldiers) Bn DLI, quite a number of whom ended up in the 6th Lincs after the 70th disbanded. Or perhaps not......

    Hayes, Pte Thomas Charles, MM 4470122.
    Reported wounded, Italy, 1/9/44, serving with 6 Bn Lincolnshire Regiment.
    From Hendon, Sunderland.
    Military Medal awarded for actions with 6th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment on 21/1/44, in Italy.
    LG 29/6/44:
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36586/page/3071/data.pdf
    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7350341

    Hayes6lincsMM1.JPG

    Hayes6LincsMM2.JPG
     
  7. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Those houses were in the Valle di Sujo just beyond the Gariglano river.

    A delightful spot.

    F
     
  8. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    Delightful now, but maybe less so in early 1944!.....
     
  9. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    This is the MM award for Sgt Ernest Stafford, 4466949, for his actions with the 2/5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment on 19/10/44.

    StaffordSgtMM1.JPG


    Sgt Stafford was killed in action with the same unit on 22/11/44.

    From his Army number, 4466949, it is clear that Stafford enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry circa July 1940, possibly into the 17th Battalion.

    A casualty with a number close to his suggests he may have been part of a reinforcement draft into the Leicesters in late 1943. Casualty details for him and two other ex Durhams serving in the 2/5th Leicesters in 43-44 pasted below:

    Stafford, Sgt Ernest, MM, 4466949.
    Reported killed in action, Italy, 22/11/44.
    Died 22/11/44, serving with 2nd/5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment, aged 34. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Stafford; husband of Elizabeth Stafford. From Sunderland. Medola War Cemetery, I A 20.
    Military Medal awarded for actions at Romano Ridge, Italy, with 10 Pln, B Coy, 2nd/5th Leicesters, 19/10/44,
    in which he personally captured 14 enemy soldiers. Award recorded LG 26/4/45:
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37051/supplement/2217/data.pdf
    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7353404

    Weatheritt, Pte George Wilfred, 4466929.
    Reported killed in action, Italy, 23/9/44.
    Died 23/9/44, serving with 2th/5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment, aged 34. Son of Robert and Mary Weatheritt; husband of Minnie Weatheritt, of Ellington, Northumberland. Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, XVII F 6.

    Wilkinson, Pte John Robert, 4466937.
    Reported killed in action, Italy, 20/12/43, DLI, Bn not specified
    Corrected: unit should read Leic Regt.
    Died 20/12/43, serving with the Leicestershire Regiment, battalion not specified by CWGC, aged 33. Son of Albert and Grace A Wilkinson; husband of Kathleen Wilkinson, of Whitby, Yorkshire. Minturno War Cemetery, IV G 1.
    Recorded as 2nd/5th Leics on CWGC graves concentration report and registration document.
     

    Attached Files:

    PaulE likes this.
  10. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    Cpl Harry Adams DCM, 4464727, Corps of Military Police

    Cpl Harry Harry Adams was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions in the Salerno Beachhead area in September 1943. Apparently the citation for this award is lost and no longer exists, see the quoted passage and link below.

    From his Army number, it is clear that Harry Adams was part of the July 1940 recruit intake into the newly formed 16th Bn DLI at Edinburgh. In March 1941, he transferred to the CMP....

    Adams, Cpl Harry, DCM, 4464727.
    Reported missing, Italy, 12/9/43.
    Previously reported missing, now reported killed in action, 12/9/43.

    Died 12/9/43, serving with the 46th Division Provost Company, Corps of Military Police, aged 29. Son of Arthur and Lucy Adams; husband of Elsie Adams, of Bradford, Yorkshire. Salerno War Cemetery, I C 45.

    Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded for actions in Salerno Beach Head area. London Gazette 21/2/46:
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37476/page/1051/data.pdf

    See this website:

    http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/soldier/685/

    a passage from which reads:

    'There is no surviving citation for this award. Corporal Adams was killed in action on 12 September 1943 and is buried in Salerno War Cemetery, Italy. He is shown in the History of the 46th Division as Cpl W Adams and as having been awarded the Military Medal. An entry in the unit war diary WO169/8775 reads: 13th Sept 1943 Cpl Adams reported missing from forward area. 17th Sept 1943 AFW3121 submitted, recommending Cpl Adams for a decoration.'

    Press notice:

    'Official news has been received from Mrs. H. Adams of 789 Little Horton Lane, Bradford that her husband Corporal Harry Adams, previously reported missing, has been killed in action. He joined the Army in 1940 and before that he was employed by his father. He was an active member of Horton Moravian Church.'
    Bradford Telegraph and Argus, 9/8/1944.
     
    PaulE and minden1759 like this.
  11. Cpl Hadaway

    Cpl Hadaway Active Member

    L/Cpl Frank Verdun Taylor, 4460495, 'C' Sq, 46th Recce Regiment

    This is the British Empire Medal citation for the above soldier. His Army number suggests he joined the Durham Light Infantry circa April 1940. The citation mentions two years of service with the 46 Recce Regiment, which suggests he was posted to them sometime in 1941.

    From Shiremoor, Newcastle.

    Awarded the British Empire Medal for services with 46th Recce Regt, the Reconnaissance Corps, in North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia).

    LG 23/9/43:
    Recommendation for Award for Taylor, Frank Rank: Lance Corporal Service No: ... | The National Archives
    http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36180/supplement/4216/data.pdf

    TaylorFrank46DivBEM.jpg
     
    Tony56 likes this.

Share This Page