CDN/433 Lt. Ivor Benjamin BALDWIN, 1st Dorsets: 24/06/1944. Help please

Hi,
I hope this is in the right place.
Could anybody shed some light on the death of Lt Ivor Baldwin who was attached to the 1st Dorset's. He was a Canadian officer and joined the Dorset's on the 22nd June 1944 but sadly died on the 24th June 1944. He was the only officer to die that day. I have the diary but I am interested to know how and if possible where he died. His name is on the Bayeux memorial.

Many thanks.


https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2626971/ivor-benjamin-baldwin/
LIEUTENANT IVOR BENJAMIN BALDWIN
Service Number: CDN/433
Regiment & Unit: Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Secondary Unit, Regiment: attd. Wiltshire Regiment
Date of Death: 24 June 1944
Age 27 years old
Buried or commemorated at BAYEUX MEMORIAL
Memorial Reference: Panel 21, Column 2.
Location: France
Country of Service: Canadian
Additional Info: Son of Benjamin Bramble Baldwin and Lillian Jessie Baldwin, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. B.A., Mus. Bac., F.C.C.O.

 

krrc60,

Always helps to post the CWGC record, especially as it states he was attached to the Wiltshire Regiment! See: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2626971/ivor-benjamin-baldwin/

The Bayeux Cemetery has only four burials from the Dorsetshire Rgmt 22-24/6/1944 and none from the Wiltshire Rgmt.

He would have been a CANLOAN officer and there is a thread devoted to them here.

A Canadian virtual memory site has many photos of him, alas the text does not help. See: Ivor Benjamin Baldwin - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada

 

Thank you for your help. I have attached a file off Ancestry and it shows 1st Dorset's written in ink at the bottom of the page. And the war diaries from
1st Dorset's name him. I will check on the CWGC tomorrow

 

If you read the war diary here & tap/click on the map references , it takes you where they are on Google maps.

1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment June 1944, War Diary » Normandy War Guide

 

If you have the 1 Dorset's diaries you will see that he is mentioned as a casualty on 24 June, you will also notice mention of the 'twin houses' at 806672, I have marked this point on the Caen map. You will also note that Point 113 can be seen.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/SPgfC1pLA8pDxHx59

 

I knew from reading years ago that after D-Day the grim fighting in the bocage country led to casualties similar to the Somme in WW1 (possibly from one of the late John Keegan's books).

So I read through the 1st Dorsets WD. They started with x41 officers, in the month of June 6-29th they had x10 officers killed (which included the Lt.Col. commanding), x24 wounded; there were a number of British officers transferred in (some from 9th Dorsets) and x7 Canadians (one killed that month i.e. Lt. Baldwin). Not all wounded may have had to leave the Bn.

Back to the Wiltshire Rgmt., those who served in Normandy. Wiki has:

From: Wiltshire Regiment - Wikipedia

(Amended due to next post) He may have volunteered when a call for replacement officers was made.

I can confirm that the Wiltshire Rgmt's Museum has the 4th & 5th's War Diaries. Snag, the museum is currently closed, but might answer emails and a donation may ensure the relevant pgs. are copied. See: War Diaries :: The Wardrobe

There are many threads here for both battalions being in Normandy.

 

He left 5th Wilts on 30th May 44 posted X(iv) list 47 RHU.
Then 33 RHU 20th June.

He left the Wilts before the invasion.

He was with 1st Dorsets for 2 days.

 

Good morning,
Thank you all very much for all your help. As always you have come up trumps. With the different references and maps I have now got a much clearer picture of how Ivor Baldwin got to where he did. I will try and contact the museum to see if they can help.
I will be taking the veterans back in June and will go to the map refence and have a good look around. I will have a distant relative of Ivor with me accompanying us on the trip, so it will be special.

Yours Dave

 

Hello, In the book "They Couldn't Have Done Better" written by Christopher Jary about the Dorset Battalions it is mentioned that on the 22nd June the 1st Battalion received six new officers three of which were Canadian and included Lt Ivor Baldwin from Toronto. He survived just two days before being disintegrated by a shell along with veteran Corporal Sam Thompson DCM MM and six others. The men were subjected to continuous mortar, artillery and nebelwerfer bombardment and suffered casualties on a daily basis. It is a poignant reminder that the Canadians and other Commonwealth troops fought side by side and shows the importance that these events are NEVER forgotten. Ivor was just 27 years old.
As a veteran Wessex soldier from the 4th Devon and Dorset I will NEVER forget these men.

Regards,
Will.

 

Hi Tony56,The map you used with the grid reference, is this available to buy? When I go in June I would dearly love to walk the area for the afternoon with the map shown.

Yours Dave

 

Dave, you can see the whole map online and a download is available:
Caen | Digital Archive @ McMaster University Library
7F/1 - Caen - War Office Map (1:50,000) » Normandy War Guide

 

Tony,
Thank you very much indeed.

 

krrc60, if you are still checking messages here, I am the granddaughter of the Baldwins' minister in Toronto (where he was the organist and his parents attended the church as well). The reason I found this thread was because "Ivor Baldwin" was a name I grew up hearing frequently. My parents spoke a lot about his immense musical talent, intelligence and high character. On a more sad note, the night his parents received word that Ivor had been killed, his parents went immediately to my grandparents' house ; my father spoke about that experience as well from time to time. His father had seen congregations through two world wars, but never saw grief like theirs. Please private-message me if you care to. My grandfather's initials were CAG (so you know I'm legit!). I'm not a relative, but feel a connection because we prayed for him for so many years. All the best to you.

 

Hi,

As krrc60 hasn't signed in to the forum for a while I’ve sent him a message to alert him to your message. I can’t guarantee he will return to the forum to acknowledge your message but if he does he may be able to pass on your details to the distant relative of Lt Baldwin who he is taking on a Battlefield tour in June.

Steve

 

Hello,
Kind of you to message me.
I am off to Normandy on the 3rd June until the 8th. My charity is taking back World War two veterans for another trip. I will be taking a distant relative of Lt Baldwin with us as well. Her mother was a cousin of Lt Baldwin. The forum members have been a great help locating places. I have put together so a small walking tour to visit the area where Lt Baldwin was serving.
The Canadian records are brilliant, so much detail.
I will pass your message on.
I will take some photos of the area and can pass them on when I return if you would like?
Take care
Dave

 

Good morning,
I managed to get to the location where Lt Baldwin was killed but time constraints made it a short visit. A typical Bocage single track roads with high hedges and lovely buildings. Once we established where we were on the map my friend 'face timed' her mother (Lt Baldwins cousin) and done a live feed taking in the area, which my friends mother was highly delighted with and her friends who were in the room at the time.
My friend laid a small memorial to Lt Baldwin in the hedgerow to show that he is not forgotten.
Many thanks for all your help on making this part of our trip to Normandy a memorable one, as was the whole trip for the Taxi Charity.