Black British Soldiers

Discussion in 'General' started by gunbunnyB/3/75FA, Jan 3, 2012.

  1. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    BrianM59

    Sorry I missed your post #115
    That is very interesting it never fails to amaze me of whats out there to be found..

    My Father had good reason to remember 'Darkie' Myerthal he rescued my Father when wounded at El Aghelia and won was awarded an MM during the action .
    Yes my Father Albert Burnikell boxed under his own name and as the Fighting Blacksmith in and around Bethnal Green

    Oops looks like attachment no working

    Basically" Darkie " dragged my father out of the line of fire when he was wounded at El Aghilia he (Darkie) and two other members of G Battery were awarded MM's during this action.
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    I don't think a proper Desert Rat would have adopted the nickname "Cush":

    [​IMG]

    As it translates as something like 'show us your lower lady parts'!
     
  3. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    Brilliant stuff - I knew about shufti, but not 'cush' I confess. On to the MM citation for Gunner Myerthal....
     
  4. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    The West Indian Association of Service Personnel (WASP) is a charity and organisation which might be of interest to anyone researching this subject. They are always at the Cenotaph Parade and their Facebook page has a photo of Squadron Leader Uric Cross,DSO DFC.
     
  5. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    Thanks Shiny - I have Ulric Cross's book - it's very interesting. It's a little easier finding Commonwealth or 'colonial' soldiers as they were termed at the time, but Black Britons are tough to locate as, ostensibly, the British forces were 'colour blind' and didn't discriminate by race - not at the point of conscription or enlistment anyway. That makes them difficult to find in documents.
     
    Shiny 9th likes this.
  6. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    Redtop,

    I found the MM recommendations for 5 RHA in the action you mention. The first NA reference is WO373/24/141 which is Gunner (L/Bdr in the war diary excerpt) Samuel Pugh. Others are Gunner Alexander Sharples - also mentioned in the account, BSM Joseph Maddison, Sgt.Joseph Short, Sgt.Thomas Stewart and Gunner David MacDowall. Pugh's award was gazetted 11/2/1943, but for the life of me I can't find Myerthal/Myerthall. I will try searching WW2 medal rolls when I get a chance, but the name draws a blank in most searches - not that I love the National Archives search engine very much, I confess it's pretty weak. It's a shame after the success of finding Gordon Ashun. Never mind, I'll persevere. Thanks again for all the great material.
     
  7. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    Back to this picture, which I have been spending a lot of time with - I detect that he is wearing a leather jerkin and came across this post on:http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/uniforms/british-leather-jerkin-12313/

    "These items tend to be on a store register issued to an 'appointment' which might wear out the uniform quicker if not protected (biker, gun loader, tank gun loader, Engineer bridger, etc) rather than an individual (cost cutting)."

    I confess, 'gun loader' (sic) caught my eye what with the 17pounder and quad in the background. A new history of the Suffolk Yeomanry - 55 A/T Regiment has just come out and I am hovering over the Abe Books button....http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=13097432365&searchurl=sts%3Dt%26amp%3Btn%3DSuffolk%2BYeomanry
     
  8. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    dads action snip.JPG .lg

    I cannot seen to cut and paste the Doc. on Gunner Myerthal ,I have snipped it an will try that.
    but just in case the Doc is headed.

    Citation of immediate award of MM.

    1092511 L/Bdr Pugh
    786246 Gnr Sharples "G" Battery (Mercers Troop) RHA
    824162 Gnr Myerthal

    It then goes on to record the action.

    As this seems to have been a "Field" award it may not have been upheld.

    In pencil top right of page that I missed in snip.
    APP/10 / DEC /42
     
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  9. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    It would be a great shame had it not been upheld - Myerthall appears to have been through the lot from the desert to Holland/Germany and he certainly did his bit in the action you post. He's not on the CWGC register so presumably he survived - it's not a common name so perhaps he'll turn up in an Ancestry search or something. Really interesting stuff.
     
  10. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Brian 59

    Just found that photo of Darkie Wilson of the 16/5th lancers at the Vienna Tattoo watching the bad guys await the stagecoach

    passengers to say " money or your Lives' after which the Lancers arrive in the 17th C uniforms and take them off to the slammer -

    had to send it via Diane as I still can't figure out how o do it ..

    Cheers
     
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  11. BrianM59

    BrianM59 Senior Member

    You are a gentleman Tom.
     
  12. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Here you go Brian.
    Hope you're keeping well Tom.
    jpg_0001.jpg
     
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  13. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  14. idler

    idler GeneralList

  15. CL1

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

  16. Kateashun

    Kateashun Member

    Hello my name is Kate Ashun, I've been doing alot of research about my great uncle and great granddad.. I'm wondering of you could point me in the right direction. Cromwell ashun would off been my great great grandad... Philip William adhun would off been my great granddad Gordon was my great uncle he died a good few years back. I never got the chance too meet him.. i would like too find more info out and any pics of I could.
     
  17. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Kate

    I am sure there will be our air experts along soon but in the meantime:
    From Ancestry:
    Kenneth C Ashun
    1926–1945
    BIRTH MAR 1926 • West Derby, Lancashire
    DEATH MAR 1945 • During WW2 Lancaster Bombers

    CWGC Details:

    ASHUN, KENNETH CROMWELL
    Rank:Sergeant
    Trade:Flt. Engr.
    Service No:3010619
    Date of Death:20/03/1945
    Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 57 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference: Sec. 7. C. of E. Grave 431. Cemetery:BOOTLE CEMETERY




    CWGC details:

    ASHUN, WILLIAM PHILIP
    Rank:Sergeant
    Trade:W.Op./Air Gnr.
    Service No:990550
    Date of Death:01/04/1942
    Age:26
    Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn.
    Grave Reference: Row 4. Grave 33. Cemetery:LES GONARDS CEMETERY, VERSAILLES
    Additional Information:Husband of Jean Isobel Ashun, of Kirkdale, Liverpool.


    TD
     
  18. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    There is a Gordon Ashun mentioned on this thread already several post #100 onwards.
    BrianM59 mentions a photo in #115
     
  19. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Details of the above loss.....

    1-2 April 1942

    405 Squadron
    Wellington II Z8527 LQ-L
    Op. Piossy

    The aircraft took off from Pocklington at 0107 hours and crashed near Versailles, France.

    Crew

    F/S. M A G. Howson RAAF +
    F/S. M C. Howe RCAF +
    P/O. L G. Burgoyne RCAF pow
    Sgt. R O J. Page RCAF +
    Sgt. W P. Ashun +
    P/O. J G. Mackinnon +

    Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.3 - W R. Chorley

    During the course of 1942, RAF Bomber Command visited Poissy on 3 occasions. 103 aircraft were dispatched with 86 attacking the target (Industry) 157 tons of HE were dropped during these raids.
     
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  20. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member


    Details of the above loss....

    20-21 March 1945

    57 Squadron
    Lancaster III ME441 VN-W
    Op. Bohlen

    Took off from East Kirkby to bomb a synthetic oil plant but within the next few minutes the Lancaster ploughed into a house near Stickney some 7 miles north north east Boston and on the main road leading to the Lincolnshire town of Spilsby.

    Crew.

    F/O. C A. Cobern RAAF +
    Sgt. K C. Ashun +
    F/O. W F. Calderbank +
    F/S. W S. Searby Injured
    Sgt. R. Bates Injured
    Sgt. S. Lawrence Injured
    Sgt. A. Ramsbottom +

    Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.6 - W R. Chorley
     
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