Welcome to the forum Andy, you’re certainly in the very best place for help with your research. I discovered just this year that my cousin was killed at Lake Comacchio in April 1945. This is the thread I posted about my discovery. I never knew him, of course. 6099827 L/Cpl George James GATTY, 1st Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment): KIA 13 April 1945 I don’t know for sure which Company he was in as I’ve yet to obtain his service records, but Frank very kindly did some great detective work and he thinks it likely that George was in C Company at the time and from what he showed me, I have to agree. George was transferred to 1st Buffs in, I think, December 1944, having transferred like many others from the West Surreys (after serving with 99th LAA Regiment). Have you read this account by Lieutenant Sidney Spence of the action at Lake Comacchio? Would your Grandfather have been driving one of the Fantails, I wonder... BBC - WW2 People's War - Action on Lake Comacchio, 13 April 1945 Is it ok if I message you as I would be most interested to see the war diary entries that may cover his sadly all too brief time with The Buffs. Cheers! Martin
Hi Martin, That's a great (obviously sad) story. From what I read of the war diary, Italy was awful (It was all awful of course) and I'm glad my Grandfather was transferred to 'S' company as I'm sure he wouldn't have come through without at least being wounded again! It did cross my mind when I saw the Fantails that he may well have been driving one. It could explain why he was incredibly anxious during the entire holiday we spent together on the Norfolk Broads!! Thanks for the link, I haven't seen it but will take a look at it tonight. I will also have a look through the war diary to see what I can find about the operation. You are most welcome to a copy, so please do message me. I wonder if they knew each other, however briefly! Cheers Andy
Andy. Rest assured that he was not driving one of Fantails. That was allocated to 4th Hussars. As part of S Company, he would have been in the Mortar Platoon, the Anti Tank Platoon or the Recce Platoon. Regards Frank
Thanks Frank, That's cleared that up. I'll upload a document tomorrow detailing the structure of 'S' coy drafted in Sept '43 It details him being transferred to 'S' coy as 'Car Pl' (Carrier Platoon ?) so perhaps he was Recce Andy
Hello Tony Thanks for the reply and apologies for my rather late response. I've found his service records. Thought I'd lost them. Yes, he was a Corporal at the time, I think I refer to him as Sgt as that is the rank he finished the war as, habit! Looking at his record, he was hospitalised three times; 3rd July 1942 and if I'm reading the service papers correctly, didn't go back to his unit until October 1942 - I've no idea why. Then the wound in North Africa May '43 which you mention above, which I thought caused the scarring I witnessed as a boy. Definitely the same incident and is mentioned in Knight's historical records of the Buffs - It also states two others suffered with shell shock in the war diary, so 6 men in total including the Officer they were with. But I think the wound that ended his war happened in Italy on the 11th May 1944. He was discharged from 104 general hospital on the 23rd May 1944 and 'Posted' 7th June 1944. He was back in the UK in Jan '45 and my mother tells me he spent 6 months at his sisters house convalescing before going home to his wife and 5 year old daughter he'd not met before. (That statement, and I'm sure it must be true, suggests to me he never went on leave to the UK at all - Would that be correct?) I've yet to see what the battalion were doing on July '42 and May '44 but I know they were under the cosh at Anzio Andy
Hello Frank Hope you are well? I'll be sending you an email regarding the tour. My Grandfathers war definitely ended on the 11th May 1944. He suffered his wounds on that date and was back in the UK by Jan 1945 Andy
Hi Tony I'm wrong about the burns here. They happened in Italy Looks like 93 General hospital for the incident on May 9th/10th 1943
