Photos of old army comrades for Len Beddow

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by General Knowledge, Jan 6, 2018.

  1. General Knowledge

    General Knowledge Well-Known Member

    I am in touch with Len Beddow , yes him, of the recent Legion of Honour award.

    He would love it if any relative has a photo of his army mates. Johnny Simmonds, Arthur Wager, or Fred Eley. of the 24th Lancers. The Nottinghamshire Yeomany, Royal Armoured Corps. Does anyone know where or if they exist?

    He doesn't have a computer at 94, but he has lots of memories. And is still writing lots of poems about the war!

    Many thanks
    Linda
     
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  2. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    I have some stuff to "dig out" ;-) and some people to contact... will get back to you :)
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2018
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Linda

    Why don't you post some of Lens work on here plus any photos he has of that era ,this might assist your search.


    regards
    Clive
     
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  4. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Ps... if you edit the "tag" bit on this thread to put in "tags" like - "24th Lancers", "SRY" and "Notts Yeomary" , "Sherwood Rangers" etc. it will associate your thread with other, similar topics.

    There are some pictures in... the John and Andy Cropper book "Dad's War" - link to a post about it here: 24th Lancers - Roll of Honour

    That may also be relevant to Len. As well as some detail etc.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2018
  5. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Linda

    I'm pushed for time today but have sent you and Ramiles a 'Conversation' message to get the ball rolling.

    I have the following information which you may find useful:

    14300394 Tpr L Beddow 'C' Squadron 24th Lancers
    14513739 Tpr J Beddow 'C' Squadron 24th Lancers (Len's brother?)
    14232094 Tpr A Wager 'C' Squadron 24th Lancers (killed 8th June 1944)
    7957785 Tpr F Eley 'C' Squadron 24th Lancers

    No details for Simmonds unless that's a typo for Simmons.

    The long numbers are their Army Numbers but Len will know that because it will be imprinted in his mind!
     
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  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
  7. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Tragic that all of those friends of Len's were killed in the War!
     
  8. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Here's a picture of Len's - of Len with his three brothers - from online a while back:

    Len_&_Brothers.JPG
    From left to right - Jim, Len and Ernie, I don't at the moment recall the name of the *4th brother :-(

    I think Jim and Len were both in the same "C" squadron of the 24th Lancers, as Len mentioned this in an article a while back.

    Len was a "gunner" - though I'd be interested to know Jim's role and potentially too whom his tank commander was? This is maybe something Len might record, but I don't think records of who did what in which tank exist in a "complete form". They have to be reassembled from whatever small details one might pick up these days, here and there etc.

    Ps. For the Sherwood Rangers there are quite a few pictures here, and new ones are regularly added: https://www.facebook.com/pg/sherwoodrangersyeomanry/photos/?ref=page_internal

    Edit: * "The fourth brother was Alfred William Beddow. Born 21 Sep 1915, died 1998 in Wolverhampton." See post: Photos of old army comrades for Len Beddow
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2018
  9. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    The Wardiary for the 24th L for 8th June 1944 (Tpr A Wager 'C' Squadron 24th Lancers - killed 8th June 1944) has:

    "8/6/44 At 0770 hours the Regiment had assembled in the area Martragny and prepared to advance in accordance with the Operation Order No.1 attached to this war diary. Advancing down the main Bayeux-Caen road just East of St Leger, leading elements of the Regiment were heavily engaged by A/Tk guns and a Stuart tank was destroyed. Supporting artillery engaged suspected enemy gun positions with fire but in spite of this the Regiment was unable to advance.

    A particularly active enemy position was found at Putot-En-Bassin and in the late afternoon the Regiment advanced and attacked this position. The position was found to be strongly held by 3 Bns of a Pz Gren Regt in the Hitler Jugend Div, numbers of which infantry had hidden themselves in the long grass an the orchards west of Putot and also at the tops of trees whence tank commanders were continuously sniped.

    After inflicting heavy casualties and taking approx 40 prisoners, the Regiment withdrew from this position and later were ordered to concentrate again in the area Martragny.
    "

    The Wardiary for the SRY for the 14th August 1944 (Trps. Baxter and Eley) has:

    "H. Hr. 0630. A Sqn with 5 DORSETS attacked PROUSSAY – 100-150 P.O.W. with little opposition.

    B Sqn with 7 HANTS moved through and advanced to LES HAIES. They were opposed by a small enemy rearguard and S.P. and A/TK Guns but reached their objective with the loss of 2 Tanks destroyed and 2 damaged. About 70 P.O.W. taken.

    C Sqn with 4 DORSETS moved through B and attacked PT 201. Almost 100 P.O.W. and again little opposition. After a conference in the early hours of the morning, the later hours were spent quickly with a Sqn engaged in mopping up with 1 Worcesters from LES HAYES to PT 201."


    Re. Simmons, John (Jonny) Drayson - "7963177. Tpr J D Simmons who was a Gunner/Mechanic in 'C' Squadron" - transferred to B sqd. SRY around 1st August 1944: The Wardiary of the SRY has:

    22nd November 1944: A quieter day. “C” + “B” Squadrons combined made an attack on BEEK and reached the outskirts in the evening. One was lost on a mine and from enemy tanks were knocked out

    Trouble occurred in the evening when the squadrons were due back in PALENBURG. Relief (M10’s) did not turn up until the early hours of the following morning and the searchlights (artificial moonlight) did not operate so that “B” + “C” were left out the whole night.

    Though I am not sure (at present) if the date on the grave for Trp. Simmons was due to KIA or if was WIA and he died later of wounds. There are some (occasionally quite graphic) details of SRY casualties in Padre Skinners notebook and Karl over at: The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 1939-1945

    Has, I believe, a copy of this. The Padre Skinner notebook can occasionally contain details also of knocked out SRY tanks and who was in which crew etc. i.e. as in this example of some scans of the pages there: 316773 Acting Lance Serjeant Leslie Cribben MM, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry

     
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  10. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  11. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Jim Beddow moved from 24L to HQ Squadron, 23H via 270 FDS in August 1944. Born 1923, died 2000 in Wolverhampton.

    The fourth brother was Alfred William Beddow. Born 21 Sep 1915, died 1998 in Wolverhampton.
     
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  12. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    I understand that Len passed away recently. No more details available to me at this time.
    RIP Len.
     
  13. General Knowledge

    General Knowledge Well-Known Member

    I had a letter from his family , he died after an operation for the circulation on his legs, he was diabetic and he had angina. The operation was a success, but his body couldn't take the treatment afterwards.
     
  14. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Sincere thanks for posting this message.
    Len RIP
     
  15. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    May he rest in peace.
     
  16. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Last edited: Oct 14, 2019

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