Unit History 4th Somerset Light Infantry

To finish my story on the capture of Cleve, I'm looking for the Unit History or War Diary of the 4th Somerset Light Infantry (43rd Wessex Div) for February 1945.

Can anyone help me out with this?

 

Owen - thanks, but I ran out of money! I only need probably two or three pages of the book, so if anyone has a copy.

 

I have a copy of the 4th Somerset Light Infantry history:

Here is the index for February 1945. What sections do you need?

1. Boisschot-Nijmegen Feb 1st-9th - p. 74
2. Cleve Feb 9th-12th - p. 75
3. Bedburg - Feb 12th p. 79
4. Night Attack-Near Cleve Stadt Forest Feb 16th-20th- p. 80
5. Halverboom - Feb 20th - p. 82
6. Donsbruggen-Calcar-Till - Feb 22nd-28th - p.84 (Finishes on p. 85)

 

Dryan - if you could sent me section 2, 3 and 4 - you would do me a great favour. I can give you my email if you wish.

 

Here are the requested sections.

 

dryan - much appreciated!!

 

my father lc cc robinson served with the 4th, anyone know anything?

 

Hi Clivo99 and welcome.

The regimental history book has already been mentioned above. Do you know the dates he was with the battalion? The National Archives in London will have the units war diaries which would be worth a read if you can get there.

Here's what's available at TNA:


WO 166/4655 INFANTRY: 4 Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's). 1939 Sept.- 1941 Dec.
WO 166/8964 4 Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 1942 Jan.- Dec.
WO 166/12706 4 Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 1943 Jan.-Dec.
WO 171/1372 4 Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 1944 Jan.- Dec.
WO 171/5271 4 Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 1945 Jan.-Dec.


Regards
Andy

 

Hello everyone.

I have been researching family history for some time and am now into the detail surrounding my father's death in action in 1944.

From his service record, he landed in Normandy with the 4th battalion SLI on 19th June as a private. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 27th July. So, presumably, he made it through the Hill 112 adventure earlier that month and, from the unit's War Diary, at that time, they were on R&R.

His date of death is recorded as 25th August - the date of the crossing of the Seine at Vernon. The record states KIA, NW Europe.

However, he is not buried in the Vernon cemetery with other SLI members with the same DOD. He is buried at St. Desir, near Lisieux which is further west.

If he died from injuries sustained between 27th July and 25th August, is there any hope of tracing more information?

I have tried Army Records in Glasgow and the SLI Archive at Taunton, but with no success.

I am currently waiting for a reply to a request to the CWGC.

It seems that medical records are out-of-bounds? Is there any way of accessing them?

TIA for any help on this.

 

Thanks for your reply Owen. What's the source of your knowledge?

 

Thanks for your reply Owen. What's the source of your knowledge?

The CWGC website .
Just look at the other casualties from that cemetery.
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1&sort=name&order=asc


A high probability, I agree. But the only name I can correlate with the Vernon action ('History of the 4th SLI 1944/45') is Sgt. Langley who is, in fact buried at Vernon.

Incidentally, I know war diary records are not the most accurate (!), but the 4th SLI shows NIL casualties from 23-27 August. (The Sgt. Langley reference of course, puts the lie to that!)

 

Thanks Owen.....I'm persuaded!

 

Hi Owen....me again!

Apologies for not remembering we met here a couple of years ago when I was looking for the War Diary! I now have that from Kew. I've also found your old thread from some time back with Then and Now images of Vernon, but it seems you've moved them from Photobucket. Any chance a mouse click could bring them back?

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/7978-seine-crossing-vernon-1944-2007/

I'm hoping to be in Vernon on the 25th August and any hints/tips would be appreciated. We have been before, but only passed through. This time it should be for a couple of days. I'm hoping to get round to the dreaded 'wadi' at the back of the Somersets' island - looks like there may be a path through there.

 

Looks like you may want to visit Kew again. His death may get a mention in this file

WO 361/610 North West Europe: Somerset Light Infantry; missing personnel

 

Thanks for the suggestion Drew. I copied that file when at Kew but it only contains a 7th Battalion report into the circumstances of missing 'A' company on Aug 27th.