Mutiny in 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment (1 DWR) - Anzio

I came across this note in the War Diaries of 1 DWR dated 26 May 44 and wondered if anyone else had heard of it.

A mutiny is quite rare in the Army so I am intrigued but can find no other reference to it in the War Diaries for their time at Anzio.

Any ideas?

Regards

Frank

 

Hi Frank,

You won't be surprised to hear that there is no mention of "mutiny" in the Regimental History by C.N. Barclay.

Regards

Tom

 

Frank,

I worked through the online clues and finally found the answer, though not the result of the court-martial. See Post 4 last passages.

I found this thread when using an online search to identify the mutiny: York and Lancaster Regiment Battalion in Italy in 1943/44

Owen refers to a mutiny @ Salerno and this small passage:

From: Hi guys, can anyone help with 2NZEF info??

Then an online search: "mutiny" + "salerno" site:ww2talk.com id'd a few threads. Ah, Salerno was in 1943, not as you seek in 1944.

There is a recommended book: David Saul, Mutiny at Salerno (London: Conway, 1995 & 2005). There are many references to the book in: From: British Infantry Morale during the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 by Christine Ann Bielecki. See: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444544/1/U591850.pdf

 

Frank,

I worked through the online clues and finally found the answer, though not the result of the court-martial.

Who was the Bn. C.O.? You can see his first initials only: B.W. Perhaps he wrote about this later.

Several interesting passages on war diaries within a 2007 academic thesis.

Here is one on mutiny with my bold:

From: An `Unspectacular' War? Reconstructing the history of the 2nd Battalion East
Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War: https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/3626/1/486464.pdf On a quick scan it does not appear her thesis became a book.

From a 2006 UCL academic thesis:

From: British Infantry Morale during the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 by Christine Ann Bielecki. See: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444544/1/U591850.pdf

The footnote 95 refers to: NA WO 71/879 Records of the FGCM for mutiny, Ist Duke of Wellington Rifles, 26-28 May 1944.

See: Skitt, H and 9 others. Offence: Mutiny | The National Archives Which names Skitt and nine others in the summary. The file has not been digitised. Plus:

 

At least one must have been found `Not Guilty` He was awarded a LSGC in 1948?


6350474 Joy was wounded in Italy 28 February 1944 continued to serve post war with Sherwood Foresters awarded GSM / Palestine 45-48 Clasp
Kyle

 

The Commanding Officer at the time was called Webb-Carter. His son Evelyn went on to command 1 GREN GDS in the 1980s and then 19 Mech Bde.

Regards

Frank

 

Thanks for the reference for the NA file on the FHCM itself. That should tell me everything.

Regards

Frank

 

Did you once say he was your Brigadier, sure you did? Blimey, like farther like son. See you soon squire.




Regards,
Stu. Another memorable jaunt. Missed them.