I am wondering if any forum member as the war diaries for this regiment please. Especially for the date of around the 19th February 1945. Regards Mike
Its to help a good friend of mine researching her Uncle who was killed on the 19th Feb 1945. PRIVATE PATRICK FLEMING Service Number: 4205965 Regiment & Unit/Ship The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C. 12th (10th Bn. The Green Howards [Yorkshire Regt.]) Bn. Date of Death Died 19 February 1945 Age 22 years old Buried or commemorated at VENRAY WAR CEMETERY IV. F. 11. Netherlands Here is a link to a short newspaper report just published. 'He hasn't been forgotten' - Family find war hero's grave after 77 years
4205965 Pte. Patrick Fleming, enlisted on 24.07.1940 with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, 11th (Home Defence) Battalion. Transferred to Army Air Corps 29.09.1943. Airborne Forces Depot. Parachute Training Course No.89. 28.10.1943 to 09.11.1943. Assigned to 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion. Normandy 18th June 1944 Place: Le Mesnil The badly depleted 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion reorganised into 1 Rifle Coy, 1 HQ Coy. Normandy 20th June 1944 Place: Le Mesnil Bde Reserve. Enemy shell & mortar fire. 4205965 Pte. P. Fleming W.I.A. 20.06.1944 Normandy. Evacuated to U.K. Holland 19th Feb 1945. 4205965 Pte. Patrick Fleming's original place of burial is listed as Maasbree, Holland. Map Ref. 846086. Plotting Map Ref. 846086 on G.S.G.S. map, Tegelen Sheet 4602, gives us the village of Rooth (see Maasbree map). At this reference point there is a small chapel, Maria in t'Rooth Kapel. A probable place for a cemetery. There is a field behind it that was possibly the original place of burial. Numerous men were buried on this site. Doc.4208029 and Doc.4208047 (Pte. P. Fleming) being two examples. A day or two after his death, the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion were relieved by the Americans. I believe Pte. P. Fleming was killed by an artillery shell and may have served with the Mortar platoon.
Michael I've asked a friend who works at the Green Howards Museum if he can help. Here's a photo of his grave from when I was last at Venray in 2019.
Great information guys cheers very much this is much appreciated.Tracey as sent off for his service records but it may take a year ? Regards Mike
Hi. the temporary cemetery there was at a place referred to as Jerry Can Bridge, which is mentioned in a few of the unit war diaries there. Alex.
Hello. The temporary cemetery, named cemetery 81 was situated opposite the chapel. Nothing reminds at it. There is now a restaurant and parkingspace. The grave of Patrick Fleming is shown. Bottom row, second from right.
Hi Mike, Patrick Fleming belonged to a mortarplatoon, which was situated in the little village of Kessel-Eik (in the southern part of the Nederlands).Some 500 mtrs. west of the restaurant Pleisterplaats. The Germans must have discovered this location, because on February 19th they fired 16 shells (16.00 hours), which exploded in and around the position of the mortarplatoon. Patrick was killed...... Unfortunately this happened on Patricks birthday AND they would have been relieved in the evening (by the 75 American Infantry Division) and send back to England to prepare for Operation Varsity.
Ah I see she did say she as got a lot of information from someone, so thank you very much for helping her that's great cheers. Regards Mike.