"Brigade signals" 6th Airborne Division, Normandy

Hello!

I've just introduced myself in the New User forum. I'm looking for more information on a (distant) relative. My grandmother's niece married a British officer during or just after World War 2. They visited us in Arnhem 15 years or so ago and I remember we visited Oosterbeek war cemetery together. He sadly passed away a long time ago. His name was David Pinnell and all I know is that he was a Captain with "Brigade signals" in the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy. Unfortunately I don't know which brigade that would have been. I do know he was wounded in Normandy and served in Nijmegen (where he met my grandmother's niece) in an unknown capacity later in the war. Of course I do know 6th Airborne never saw action near Nijmegen so maybe he served on the staff of 1st Allied Airborne Corps? Is there anyone who can tell me more about his service during the war?
Thanks in advance!

Roland

 

Hello Roland and welcome

There's a David A. Pinnell listed in the orbat for the 6th Airborne Divisional Signals on ParaData.

"Security Officer: 229998 Captain David A Pinnell"

6th Airborne Divisional Signals Establishment and Order of Battle 6 June 1944 - ParaData.

The Nijmegen possibility is intriguing but you would need his service records for verification.

Later:

Just noticed he is mentioned twice in the Signal war diary for June 5th and June 8th.

6th Airborne Divisional Signals - WD - Pegasus Archive

Regards ...

 

Thanks a lot, Cee!
Divisional signals it was, then. If I relate this to the present-day army, am I correct to assume that a security officer in a signals section would be involved in some sort of counter-intelligence activity? Do you know where I could find more information on the incident on June 8th where Capt Pinnell was wounded along with four other ranks?

 

Roland,

Hopefully someone will come along with more knowledge of the Signal Security Officer's role, but I would think that would have been one aspect with the primary being to recognize when lines and radio communications had been compromised by the enemy.

The first chapter of "Airborne Divisional Troops" details the planning and deployment of the Airborne Signals units in Normandy. There is a mention of an officer being wounded on the 8th. He is described, however, as the "wireless officer" which doesn't quite accord with David Pinnell. If not related it's an interesting coincidence. To confuse the issue the PDF states that the Signal Security Officer travelled in the first seaborne lift ...?

Part VII - Airborne Divisional Troops - PDF

There are some accounts by signalmen on the Pegasus Archive. The one by Captain Anthony Windrum is the most relevant as I suspect Pinnell was in one of the two sticks that flew from Keevil.

6th Airborne Divisional Signal Biographies - Pegasus Archive.

The Signals HQ first took up residence on the grounds of Chateau du Heaume in Le Bas de Ranville which was General Gale's Divisonal HQ.

Another story of a signalman on the BBC WW2 People's War:

Signalman Danny Lyons - Advanced Party, 6 Airborne Div.HQ - BBC

Not sure if any of that will help or confuse matters, but it may give a better grounding on the initial state of affairs with regards the 6th Airborne Signals on D-Day and immediately after.

Regards ...

 

Thanks again Cee... I guess accounts on any battle are never definite or conclusive! It would seem he dropped on the first night as it says in the war diary. Judging by Capt Windrum's account it must have been a very exciting experience! The pdf document is probably some after-action review? Any idea when it was written?

 

Roland,

It strikes me as an original document, although Part 2 has for a cover "Staff College, Camberley - 1947 Course". So it was used in a study course which someone copied and made available on the web.

Here's another you can add to your Signal collection. Nothing new there unfortunately on your man. David Pinnell must have joined up with the Airborne sometime after the group photo of Signal Officers taken in September 1943. From the address the PDF originates with 216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association which has a bit of history on WW2 Airborne Signals, but appears mostly devoted to the post war years.

2nd Lt. Norman Bradshaw, Royal Corps of Signals - PDF

Regards ...

 

Thanks Cee, you've given me plenty to dive into. Through PM I was also contacted by a friend of his from after the war (who is a veteran himself although they did not serve together). So far this site is far exceeding any expectations I might have had! I'll be offline for the coming three weeks as I'm going on excercise in Germany. Thanks again!

Regards,

Roland

 

Roland,

Pinnell is the only officer listed as being wounded on June 8th so that could very well be a description of the incident in the PDF involving the "Wireless Officer". In the orbat Major G. Bruce Donald is named Second in Command, whereas in the PDF he is said to be OC 2 Coy. In any case he was wounded on June 9th.

The officer in question would have been sitting with Lt Col Desmond Smallman-Tew (OC) and Major George Symes Fenton (OC 1 Coy) at the time the mortar fragment struck him. The role of Security Officer confuses the issue, however.

I'll attach the paragraph in question with relevant passage highlighted (rather badly).

Later ...