Fusilier John Skelton Foster 9th Bn.,Royal Fusilier Buried Coriano Ridge Cemetery

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Deacs, Apr 20, 2013.

  1. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Could any body give me any information on John and the 9th Bn Royal Fusiliers in Italy please.

    FOSTER, JOHN SKELTON (JACK)
    Rank:Fusilier
    Service No:3599781
    Date of Death:16/09/1944
    Age:22
    Regiment/Service:Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) 9th Bn.
    Grave Reference XVII, M, 9.
    Cemetery
    CORIANO RIDGE WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:

    Son of Thomas and Jane Agnes Foster, of Cockermouth, Cumberland.

    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2049978/FOSTER, JOHN SKELTON (JACK)

    This is one of probably a few I will be pestering about for my research so hope you don't mind.

    Regards for any help Michael.
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Teddy Edward and Deacs like this.
  3. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Go Owen right in there cheers mate.
     
  4. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    owen/ Deacs

    more than likely he died of wounds from the Gemmano battles as essentially the 56th Div had withdrawn by the 14th and the 4th Indian Div had taken over with 6th RTR - 46th Div still at Croce and the Canadian 5th Armoured at Coriano

    and we and the 1st Canadians at San Martino until the 18th when we all moved over to San Fortunato which fell on the 19th and Rimini fell on the 22nd - the 46th and 56th going off for a rest around the 17th - I also left for a long rest on the

    17th from San Martino - returning in January '45...

    Coriano Ridge Cemetery holds 2000 graves....of the 14,000KIA those Battles cost - just outside RICCIONE (Ritchy owney) and was opened in 1954 - the land was donated by the Italian people in thanksgiving for their freedom..and is a beautiful

    place well landscaped...and each section is looked after by different classes of the schoolchildren at the local Coriano school - as you know children can be viscous...... so NO weeds are allowed.....

    Chers
     
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  5. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Thanks Tom for that piece of information regarding the 56th Division so yes more than likely he died of wounds.

    Regards Michael.
     
  6. Always a Fusilier (C Northcote Parkinson), the Royal Fusiliers' war history provides detail of the fierce fighting of 8th & 9th Battalions at this time. At the River Mareno at midnight 4/5 September the 9th crossed the start line beginning what seemed a crazy advance over ground no one had reconnoitred and against an enemy there was no time to locate. Having crossed a small riverlet and advanced 3000 yards they approached the village of Croce where a hard fight took place resulting in many casualties. Four days later they were relieved and withdrew for a short rest. On the 13th they were called forward again to take up a defensive position. However as they arrived they were heavily shelled suffering 40 casualties. At midnight 15/16th they attacked again over the River Marino - described as rather more colourful than their sister battalion, the 8th's fight. No details of casualties are given but on 23rd 8th Bn was disbanded and most of its personnel posted to the 9th.

    So 56th Div had by no means withdrawn - it was not until 13 October 167 Bde moved to a rest area south of Ancona.

    Charles
     
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  7. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Charles
    Since you have the Fusilier's book handy - would I be right in thinking that the 56th had just arrived from Egypt on the 4/5th September to arrive in the Croce/ Gemmano area to fight alongside 46th Div - as can be seen from my article

    " Battle of San Martino " in the BBC series below - we were rather busy and knew that either 46th OR 56th had withdrawn in order to allow both 4th Indian and 1st AD to take over......Gerry Chester's 25th ATB was in there as well as 7th AB

    and the situation was a bit confusing at that time...then the 4th Brit Div pushed in alongside our left flank....and we all took a beating in the extremely fierce fighting around there...

    Cheers
     
  8. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Thank you Charles a very interesting read cheers for this information.

    Regards Michael.
     
  9. Tom,

    Not sure about other units of the Division but 8 & 9 RF landed at Taranto from Egypt where it had refitted on 17 July & moved to Assisi 4 August. Then it reports the Division moved by night and lay hidden by day reaching the vicinity of Urbino by the end of the month. The Bns moved up to the battle area 2 September, reached the start-line 3 Sept and started the advance 0300 the next morning.

    Charles
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Ask Lee (Pyscwar.org) to contact our friend at Kew- He knows everything and more about the Fusiliers in Italy. ;)
     
  11. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Cheers Andy have sent a message to Lee.

    Regards Michael.
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I think he's in Italy from Monday for around 10 days doing RRF stuff out there with the Regimental Association so there may be a delay.
     

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