The death of three members of 53rd (Welsh) Recconaissance Regiment August 1944.

Discussion in 'Recce' started by Oldleg, Nov 25, 2015.

  1. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Does anyone know where I could try and contact any veterans of 53rd Reconnaissance regiment who was in the regiment in August 1944?
     
  2. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    I am still no closer to find out where these men died although I have been trying all sorts of tghings including a newspaper article but have had no luck.

    Does anyone know if there are personal diaries of members of the regiment that exist? I have tried the departmental/County archives and have had no luck I have even emailed the CWGC asking if they can let me know if they have details of their place of death and I have had no reply!!!...... Very frustrating!!!!
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

  4. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    I visited the Imperial War Museum during the week as I was in London. I found some documents that say the regiment passed through Lisors on August 30th. Lisors, is right next to where the incident happened where Ware, Dick and Drew were apparently killed. I know that they were originally buried in Lorleau which is about two miles away. So, I am satsfied that they are my three that I am looking for. All I need to do now i locate the exac spot where it happened. Does anyone have copies of personal diaries or now of any that are available to look at?
     
  5. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Not sure if it adds anything but your three 53 Recce men are listed among the RAC casualties on the following casualty list, along with one of their colleagues:
    British Army Casualty List No. 1551 Dated 14 September 1944
    North West Europe
    Killed in Action
    Royal Armoured Corps
    Date of casualty 30.8.44
    14566053 Dick Tpr A - 53 Regt. Recce Corps
    5777408 Drew Tpr RV - 53 Regt. Recce Corps
    1508067 Upton Tpr SLG - 53 Regt. Recce Corps
    4077788 Ware Cpl W - 53 Regt. Recce Corps

    Back in 2015 I also posted a link to an article by a 53 Recce veteran, don’t know if you saw it:

    http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/53rd-reconnaissance-regiment.18540/page-18#post-683980

    As time has moved on the article has been archived and can now be found here:

    http://en.calameo.com/read/001633083f562afb399ad
     
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  6. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member


    Do we know if Roy Flogdell is still alive?
     
  7. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    I know no more than the article.
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    As its such an odd surname - if its Charles Roy Flogdell then I cannot find a death registered up to 2007, however he was probably born in 1923 and a 2nd Lt

    Name: C . R . Flogdell
    Military Year: 1944
    Regiment: RECONNAISSANCE CORPS
    Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

    TD
     
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  9. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    As my knowledge on the structure of the British army is very basic up 'til now, I have just learnt that the division was made up of several regiments etc. Does anyone have a list of all regiments that were in the 53rd recce division in August/ September '44?

    Can anyone suggest an idiot's guide to the British army so that I can learn about the basic structure?
     
  10. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  11. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    So, if I have it right 53rd regiment and division became one and the same.

    Does anyone know if Upton was killed during the same incident?

    What was the number of crew in a Bren gun carrier?
     
  12. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    Not sure what makes you think that. 53 Recce Regiment was a (roughly) battalion size unit within 53 Infantry Division. There would have been something like twenty other battalion sized units of various types within the division.

    What may be confusing you is the variety of different things all described by us British as 'Regiments':
    1. A collection of soldiers all wearing the same cap badge. Infantry regiments during WW2 formed anything up to about twenty battalion sized units, which could all be in different theatres of war..
    2. A single battalion sized unit, normally commanded by a Lt Col and numbering maybe 600 men. While the infantry would describe this as a Battalion, cavalry, engineers, gunners and recce all called their similar sized units 'Regiments'.
    3. Three battalion sized units are described in the British Army as a brigade (when extra units are added to make an independent unit, it would be a brigade group), but many other nations call this a regiment.
    HTH
    Chris
     
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  13. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  14. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    It does clear, thank you.
     
  15. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Can anyone tell me if tghere were any canloans at the time of this tragedy. I have evidence that says that three Canadians died in the same area on the same day. These canadians died about a mile away and I know that the 53rd passed through where these poor unfortunates died.
     
  16. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Ca anyone tell me what Batallion Drew Dick and Ware were in by any chance? I have no idea how I can find out.
     
  17. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD


    They were in 53 Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps.
    Infantry Regiments had battalions.
    The Recce Corps had regiments :)

    Reconnaissance Corps - Wikipedia
    Initially, coming from infantry units, reconnaissance units used the infantry designations of battalions, companies and platoons. However, from 6 June 1942, the Corps changed to the cavalry descriptions of regiments, squadrons and troops.[2]


    NO 53 Recce was the recce regiment for 53 Division.
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2017
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  18. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Thanks you for that Owen.
     

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