Ok, I give in....I thought I could lurk about without introducing myself and find the info I was after all on my own, well, I was wrong....I've got myself totally confused.....could someone point me in the right direction...please..? I am trying to find some information regarding a Pte William Tyldesley who served with my Grandad in the 4th Battalion Royal West Kents until 1942. From the information I have gleaned from letters my Grandad wrote at the time Bill then left the Regiment and started training for a parachute unit. From the letters I can track his jump training to Bulford Camp, then to Hardwick Hall, Chesterfield and on to Manchester. I take it he got his wings as I can then possibly place him in Italy during 1943 and in France during 1944. I have one certain address for him, that was during 1944 too and is as follows: Pte W Tyldesley (6093804) HQ Coy 4th Parachute Regt. C.M.T I think I was heading in the right direction at the beginning but then went off at an almighty tanget and somehow managed to get totally confused with Parachute Regiments, Brigades and Squadrons, not to mention the possible involvement of the 9th Parachute Battalion and the 6th Airbourne! I'd be really grateful if someone get me back on the right track as I'd really love to find out what happened to Pte Tyldesley after the war. I have a few more details about him if it helps Cheers Claire
Hi Claire and welcome. No need to 'lurk' around, we are a friendly bunch and will help with anyone's research (with very few exceptions). There are lots of Airborne expert members here, unfortunately I am not one of them, but I am sure you will get some help very soon. The reference to Manchester could well be Ringwood airfield where much of the Airborne jump training was carried out. Please tell us something more about your Grandad in the 4th Battalion Royal West Kents and Pte William Tyldesley who transferred to the Paras. Best of luck, please keep us informed. Mike
Hi Mike, A bit more info on my Family and Pte Tyldesley as requested. My Grandad was C.Q.M.S c/Sgt.Raymond Wells of the 4th Battalion RWK. He went to France with the BEF in 1940 and also served in Egypt, India and Burma. He fought at the Seige of Imphal and the Battle of Kohima in 1944 and was awarded the Certificate of Gallantry for his actions. All of his brothers served in WW2, one in the R.A.F, one in R.A.S.C (General Transport), serving in Italy and North Africa,and His twin brother, Pte.D.C. Wells, left the Royal West Kents and joined the 18th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps, unfortunately he was stationed in Malaya when Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, he was captured and held prisoner at Camp No.2 Songkurai, Thailand. He died in 1943. There is a Memorial Plaque in his name at Kanchanaburi Military Cemetary, Thailand and another closer to home at Swanley Village Church, Kent. The only other information I have regarding William Tyldesley comes from snippets in my Grandads letters. He was known as Bill or Billy rather than William, although his close pals in the Regiment used the nickname "Tiddles". He originally came from Bolton, Lancashire and became close friends with my grandad as soon as they were called up 1939 and joined the Royal West Kents. I know they wrote to each other frequently when Bill joined a different Regiment, and I know this carried on until at least 1944. I gather that Bill was not always the best of letter writers and my Grandad was worried about not hearing from him as often towards the end of that year. I assume after the war there was so much going on that they just lost touch, they didn't belong to the same Regiment anymore so wouldn't even get the chance to meet up once a year. I remember my Grandad mentioning Bill over the years, but I had no idea who he was until I read these letters and I just think it would make a fitting final chapter if I could find out what did happen to him in the end. As I said before - if anyone can help I'd be really grateful
Percy - don't give up - there are many experts around here to help - but I'm not one of them but I think the Bulford camp you refer to might be the Tank training regiment of the 54th RAC - but what they were doing with the paras is beyond me unless they wer billeting them for the Battle School at Barnard Castle - Ringway- Manchester was the training dropping zone for the paras - the 4th RWK's were in 2nd Division out in Burma the 4th battalion Paras were in 2nd Independent bde left in Italy when the 1st para Division went back to the Uk and Ahrnem - the 4th battalion were involved in the landing at Taranto - by ship ! and again in a few battles and the landings in the South of France - then back to Italy for the spring offensive at Lago Commachio... cheers
Hi Greetings From here - FreeBMD - Search - his name and birth and dates from 1900 to 1925- he was born in 1918 and Mother's surname was Farrell Using above and picking Marriage, there was 2 , one in 1926 and one in 37? Deaths- none found up till 1983, there are a few after- Search results Your search returned 5 records Deaths from January1984 to December2006Last name:TyldesleyFirst name:WilliamDate of Birth:Not specified redefine searchNameRegistration DistrictCountyYear of RegistrationMonth of Registration TYLDESLEY, William Arnold BoltonLancashire2003SeptemberVIEW TYLDESLEY, William Randolph LiverpoolMerseyside2006OctoberVIEW TYLDESLEY, William SalfordLancashire1984JuneVIEW TYLDESLEY, William BoltonLancashire1986JuneVIEW TYLDESLEY, William BoltonLancashire1996JanuaryVIEW and from here - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/8564-army-number-block-allocations.html His service number 6093804 fits in here - The Queen's Royal Regiment 6076001 - 6132000 And thats about my knowledge, hopefully someone else can fill in the middle! regards Robert
Hi Claire, here is a link to help with info on 4 Para, in ww2 quite a few photos as well, your mention of Bulford, is intresting and a place that had plenty of troops pasing through and staioned in it during ww2............. but other than Canadian Para's I was not aware of any Brit Para's being there during the war especially linked to jump training as has been said that would more than likely of been Ringwood. The 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (4 PARA) | ParaData
In regard to Bulford, I stand corrected this refers to 13 Para but gives us a link with Para's doing Balloon jumps at Bulford! "What little parachuting that was done, still entailed an uncomfortable flight, cooped up in the fuselage of an obsolete Whitley bomber. There were never more than twelve aircraft available for any drop. Hence it was never more than one Company that was involved in an Airborne exercise, and even on occasions, parachuting was carried out from the balloon at Bulford to ensure that exit and landing skills were not forgotten". 13th Battalion The Parachute Regiment: Luard's Own
HI Claire, Not suprised that you got confused when you think of any many Soldiers that were in the Airborne of WW2... I see that you already have some help your find a lot of Airborne fans on this and good luck with your search... Cheers Tom
Hardwick Hall, Chesterfield Wasn't this place used by the Paras? Having lived a few miles from the place I believe the whole area was used as a drop zone early in the war and way before the M1 was built which runs through the area/DZ now. Hardwick Hall still exsists and I believe there's a plaque to the Paras up there somewhere. If you want any help with the the less glamourous/Gucci stuff about the BEF let me now and I'll see what I can do for you.
Wasn't this place used by the Paras? Having lived a few miles from the place I believe the whole area was used as a drop zone early in the war and way before the M1 was built which runs through the area/DZ now. Hardwick Hall still exsists and I believe there's a plaque to the Paras up there somewhere. If you want any help with the the less glamourous/Gucci stuff about the BEF let me now and I'll see what I can do for you. Andy, what you doing in this thread it had Para in the title here is a nice little link with info and pics on Hardwick Hall .Hardwick Hall: the depot of the British Airborne Forces in WW2 at War relics forum
I did sniff a bit of BEF in here but as usual no one gives a poo and focus's on the GBBB Cheers for the link mate. I thought they did jump there too....I know a few years ago 4 Para used to jump from a Herc in the area as a commemoration etc. Dunno if they still do.
Me again - thanks for all of your help with my quest so far, everything has been very helpful and has led me a right merry dance! Which is why I need a bit more help is possible. Have traced Pte Tyldesley down to Athens in 1944/45, he played a part during the trouble/uprising out there. Sorry to be a pain again - if there is anything I can do in return to say thank you for all the help, just say.
Me again - thanks for all of your help with my quest so far, everything has been very helpful and has led me a right merry dance! Which is why I need a bit more help is possible. Have traced Pte Tyldesley down to Athens in 1944/45, he played a part during the trouble/uprising out there. Sorry to be a pain again - if there is anything I can do in return to say thank you for all the help, just say. Ref 4 Para and Athens see here. Greece (Operation Manna) | ParaData
Hi Claire If Pte Tyldesley was indeed in Athens, then he would have been part of the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade which was part of Force 140 which went to Greece on the 14th October 1944. Their task after initially securing Athens was to harrass the German occupying forces as they withdrew to the North of Greece. At the beginning of December 1944, the Paras were just about to be sent back to Italy when civil war broke out between the Pro-Communist Militia ELAS and the Pro-Royalist militia EDES. The Paras were retained and brought into a hastily put together formation called Arkforce, named after it's commander Brigadier Arkwright. Along with the troops of 23rd Armoured Brigade, and ony 16 tanks for support, the 5000 strong formation defended the Athens city centre against approx 20-25000 ELAS insurgents until reinforcements could arrive from Italy and Egypt. On the 11th Jan 1945 ELAS finally surrendered and the paras left for Italy in Feb 1945. As my father was in the REME as part of 23rd Armoured Brigade. I have quite a lot of information about "Arkforce" during the troubles but only a little about the Paras. You will need to look at the war diaries of the 4th, 5th and 6th Parachute Regiments if you need anything more detailed. Someone will correct me if I am wrong but the 5th was a Scottish regiment and the 6th was a Welsh so my guess is if he was English have a look at the 4th Regiment first. If there is anything else I can help you with, just ask. If you need someone with first hand knowledge of Athens, may I recommend that you contact "Dimbo", who I'm sure will be of some assistance. Regards Gus
You could always drop a note to the PRA at Merville Barracks and see if they have any information. Also I think there is a record of every one at No1 Parachute Training School Museum at Brieze Norton. I even found my picture there some fifty years after getting my wings.
