I found this forum when I was searching for information related to the war service of my Dad's cousins, both of whom lost their lives within a two month period, mid 1943, one in Algeria and the other on the way to Sicily during Operation Ladbroke. I look forward to spending some time looking through the existing site content, and maybe adding to the little I've found out about them so far. The beginning of my search was hampered by faulty family memories and I spent a year looking for the wrong names. I was set on the right track when I found news of a new war memorial being unveiled in their home village and was helped a lot by the local branch of the British Royal Legion who helped confirm that two people named on the monument, with the same family name were the two brothers I'd been looking for, even though their "christian" names didn't match those told to me by my dad. I've already seen a bit of information relevant to them on this forum, including details about 140th Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, and 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance.
hello Service records would be the way to go Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK If you post their names I am sure forum members will be able to assist moving forward. regards Clive
I note that you have also posted info on another thread - Research & pet projects - what are you doing; how's it progressing? Using some of that then Albert is: UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Albert Smith Given Initials: A Rank: Gunner Death Date: 11 May 1943 Number: 1135586 Birth Place: Burton-on-Trent Residence: Burton-on-Trent Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery Theatre of War: North Africa Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery Branch at Death: Royal Artillery and Horace is: UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Horace Smith Given Initials: H Rank: Private Death Date: 9 Jul 1943 Number: 7265675 Birth Place: Burton-on-Trent Residence: Burton-on-Trent Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps Theatre of War: North Africa Regiment at Death: Royal Army Medical Corps Branch at Death: Other Corps Need to go out but hopefully more later. TD
Albert: UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947 Name: Albert Smith Death Date: 11 May 1943 Cemetery: La Reunion War Cemetery Regimental Number: 1135586 Region or Memorial: Algeria, Morocco Other Records: Horace: Italy, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current Name: Pvt Horace Smith Death Date: 9 Jul 1943 Cemetery: Cassino Memorial Burial or Cremation Place: Cassino, Provincia di Frosinone, Lazio, Italy Has Bio?: N URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-... Pvt Horace Smith ( - 1943) - Find A Grave Memorial TD
LA REUNION WAR CEMETERY http://www.cwgc.org/find-a- cemetery/cemetery/2022400/LA%20REUNION%20WAR%20CEMETERY Historical Information Allied troops made a series of landings on the Algerian coast in early November 1942. From there, they swept east into Tunisia, where the North African campaign came to an end in May 1943 with the surrender of the Axis forces. Bejaia (formerly Bougie) was the landing place of the 36th Infantry Brigade Group on 11 November 1942. La Reunion War Cemetery contains 211 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. I would assume from the info above that as Bougie was initially a landing place that it would have been used subsequently as a hospital and a place for loading wounded but treated servicemen onto hospital ships for return home. Looking at the details of the various regiments and services of personnel buried at the CWGC site then I would put money on it being a hospital where your cousin unfortunately died. Where he was wounded would probably be found by reading through the War Diaries for his regiment or similar. Good hunting TD
181 Airlanding Field Ambulance RAMC | ParaData Apparently on the night of 9th July 1943 5 of the 6 gliders landed in the sea TD
Good link TD. Delving deeper into that website, I found this audio memoir from one soldier who was unlucky enough to experience his glider ditch off the coast of Sicily on the same night as Horace. 9th July 1943. ParaData | A living history of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces
Thanks for the information and the links. I found that Albert died in Oued Athmenia in Algeria and was initially buried there. He was exhumed and reburied at La Reunion in 1944. I've ordered the war diary for Albert's regiment, so hope to get a better idea of where he would have been in the days leading to his death. I'm currently reading Mike Peters' book Glider Pilots in Sicily to learn more about Horace's situation. I've written a few posts about my search for Albert and Horace on my blog: Family History | Onesimus Files
That's something I plan to do eventually. Unfortunately payment for service records has to be by cheque. I live in Australia so have to get a cheque drawn in sterling and the bank fees to do that will add another $30 (approx. 15 pounds) to the cost. I've made enquiries to see whether a single cheque can be used to pay for more than one record, which will keep the cost to one bank fee. I'd also like to get my grandad's military service record so I'll need to wait until I can apply for all three at once. Then again I'm not sure if I have enough information about my grandad to make it easy to apply for his records. What little info I do have may not be reliable. When I first heard about my dad's cousins I was told their names were Alfred and Maurice. After a year of unfruitful searching I found they were in fact Albert and Horace. The only reliable info I have regarding my grandad are his full name and his dates of birth and death.
Then possibly he was at the 31 British General Hospital Hellingly 1/40 to 8/40 then to Belfast; Belfast Campbell College 8/40 to 6/42 then to Hatfield; Hatfield House 6/42 to 10/42 then overseas; Algiers 11/42 to 12/42 and then to Oned Athmanra; Cancello 1/7/44 to 1/8/44 then to Arezzo; Arezzo 1/8/44 to 8/45 then to Lendorf; Lendorf (Austria) 8/45 to 12/46 (No further War Diary). http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/112.html Doesn't show the dates the hospital was there, but looks as if it was from 12/42 to 7/44, when it moved to Cancello nr Naples.
Thanks for that. There's a difference between Oned Athmanra and Oued Athmenia, but its close enough to be a possible Typo and/or misreading of someone's handwriting. Is it something likely to be confirmed in his service record?
After a quick search I came across the following that seems to confirm the location: THE ATHMENIAN sic 31 BR GENERAL HOSPITAL ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS (LBY E. 14 / 156)
Yes a very good possibility. Might be something like Admitted to 13 BGH (BC) and date. Different letters in brackets usually indicate why they are in hospital. the example BC would refer to Battle casualty. Yes that would be the hospital.
Thanks RCG, I see near the beginning of the article in the link you provided says: "The original lists have been difficult to transcribe, as spelling errors are too numerous to mention." As soon as I can afford it I think I need to get copies of those service records. If only they were as easy to get as those in the Australian National Archives: half the price and the fees can be paid by credit card. (Last year I got my father in law's record for my wife from the Aussie Archive).
Canada and Australia do not have the legal barriers that are imposed on the UK information however having said that a person's war records are charged to each person requesting such information whereas in Australia, (not sure on Canada) when it is digitised it is there for all to see, copy and research. The Nominal Roll in Australia is totally free giving this basic information on all Australian services. Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Navy. EG: Service Record Name MIDDLETON, RAWDON HUME Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 402745 Date of Birth 22 Jul 1916 Place of Birth WAVERLEY, NSW Date of Enlistment 14 Oct 1940 Locality on Enlistment YARRABANDAI, NSW Place of Enlistment SYDNEY, NSW Next of Kin MIDDLETON, FRANCIS Date of Death 29 Nov 1942 Rank Pilot Officer Posting on Death 1 RAF DEPOT UXBRIDGE WW2 Honours and Gallantry Victoria Cross Prisoner of War No Roll of Honour YARRABANDAI NSW Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2002.
Hi, You may find the reason behind his death in the sea off Sicily might have been due to the inexperience of the American pilots towing the gliders who released them too far away from land. This aspect is covered extensively in the 1st Battalion Border Regiment WW2 history "When Dragons Flew". Good Luck Steve Y
Yes Steve, That was the thing that helped me confirm that Horace was one of the cousins I'd been trying to find. Apart from a wrong name, the only thing I knew about him was a cryptic statement from my dad that he'd died when he'd been released too soon by an American pilot. It was when I found that Horace had been part of a gilder mission that had gone terribly wrong when the gliders were released too soon, that I could confirm that the Maurice I'd initially been looking for was in fact Horace. Thanks for the reference to "When Dragons Flew". I'll look out for it.
Hi Spidge, Yes, after paying for my father in law's record, and receiving a hard copy in the mail, I noticed that it's now available digitally on the National Archives website for anyone to access.
My latest findings. I obtained a copy of the War Diary for 140 Field Regiment form the National Archive. My previous research had revealed that Albert died on 11th May 1943 "from wounds". The diary records that on 9th May one O.R. from 140 Field Regiment was killed and one O.R. wounded by a landmine. A Captain Rowland was also wounded that day, but it's not clear if it was due to the same incident. The diary notes that Captain Rowland died the next day 910th). There is no mention of the fate of the wounded OR, or of anyone (Albert) dying on the 11th. I did a search of the war cemeteries in both Algeria and Tunisia and only three personnel from 140 Field Regiment are listed as dying between the 9th and 11th May 1943. Gunner John Christie from Yorkshire and Captain Frank Rowland from Surrey were buried in the Medjez-El-Bab cemetery in Tunisia, and Albert Smith was buried in La Reunion Cemetery in Algeria. The above could indicate that Albert may be the OR who was wounded by the mine. I suppose the only way I might find out would be to get a copy of his military record when I can afford it
In addition to what I said above. It seems that 140 Field Regiment were fighting around Bou Arada, Tunisia at the time, and yet Albert is recorded as dying n Oued Athmenia, Algeria, about 120km away (as the crow flies). I wonder if it would be likely (or possible) that he'd be moved such a distance for hospital care when severely wounded.
