Searching for 18141 Sepoy Appa Patil, 1/5 Mahratta Light Infantry: 09/04/1945

I am searching for additional details (photo, medals etc.)on my great grandfather who was killed in action on 9th april 1945 in WW2 in Italy.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2068906/appa-patil/
Name: Appa Patil
Regiment: 1st Bn., 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
Service number: 18141
Killed in action on: 9th April 1945
Additional information: Son of Kasubai; husband of Gourabai, of Bhatagnoor, Kurli, Belgaum, India.

Please let me know if you know any other source apart from CWGC website.

 

Welcome go the forum
Try here for further info.
Forums members may well have further info to add for you
Indian Army personnel - The National Archives

 

To the best of my knowledge The National Archives (TNA) does not hold individual records of Indian Army soldiers from WW2, they remained in India / Pakistan upon independence; TNA do hold British officer records (on microfiche).

For context there are few threads here for unit, id'd in an online search with: "1/5 Mahratta Light Infantry" site:ww2talk.com and a couple more (with duplication) using: "1st Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry" site:ww2talk.com

Wiki shows where they served in WW2 and it was a multi-battalion regiment, so it is possible he moved between the three battalions in Italy. See: Maratha Light Infantry - Wikipedia

I note he is commemorated in March 1946 at the Monte Cassino cemetery, one of six soldiers from the battalion who died that day, and he was cremated elsewhere @ Forli Indian Military Burning Ghat - there is a map reference on sheet 2.

The battle of Monte Cassino was between 17/1/1944 – 18/5/1944, so he was killed further north on 9/4/1945. If the threads do not help, more research may be needed. We do have several experts here on the Italian campaign so their knowledge may help.

Meantime this I think fully explains as an Indian soldier was awarded the Victoria Cross that day:

From: Sepoy (later Subadar) Namdeo Jadhao VC (about 1922-1984), 1st Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, 1945 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London

His actual commendation text is on: Namdeo Jadav - Wikipedia and is from: Supplement to The London Gazette of 15 June 1945. 19 June 1945, Numb. 37134, p. 3172

There maybe more in the Official History (available online): https://ia801403.us.archive.org/14/...23/2015.111423.The-Campaign-In-Italy_text.pdf

 

9 Apr 45 was the first day of the Eighth Army’s part in the Final Offensive. 21 Indian Brigade were part of 8 Indian Division who were tasked with crossing the River Senio - a small river but with enormous flood banks.

He would have been killed in this action.

I will be in Cassino in September if you would like a photo of his name on the memorial.

Regards

Frank

 

Frank, I am really thankful for your help, since you will be visiting Cassino, if you get a chance, please help me with the photo, as far as i know, his name is on "Panel 17" as per official CWG records.

 

No problem

 

Nikhil.

Here is the photo as promised.

Regards

Frank

 

Frank, i really appreciate your kindness for taking and posting the pics of the commemoration. Thank you very much