Unit information on Uncle 10th HLI (City of Glasgow)

The following is the only information that I have on the early years of my uncle's record in WW2. Any help will be much appreciated.

Lesley Evans 1761186
He was attached to the DCLI at Hove and was converted from Ack Ack to infantry and then served with "A" Company, 8 Platoon, 10th Bat HLI (City of Glasgow), "A" Company 8 Platoon.

This information was taken from the letter sent to his widow after he was killed near Hamburg on 2 May 1945.

 

10th HLI Bn (City of Glasgow) were part of 227th Highland Infantry Brigade of the 15th Scottish Division.

From the 10th HLI Campaign in Europe book, your uncle is noted as
'Killed, Kropelshagen - Fahrendorf'

Three other men of the 10th HLI were killed that day, with a fourth later dying of his wounds, but your uncle was the only one from 'A' Company.

I have attached relevant scans from the 10th HLI Campaign book, and also those from the 'History of the 15th Scottish Division'

Hope this helps

 

Hello ClankyPencil
Thank you for replying so quickly and for all the information you have given me, I am most grateful.
This is quote from his last letter home "In our push inside we have liberated thousands of slave workers, P.o.W. who when the see us jump with joy (believe me it is a grand feeling to be able to see asmile on these men's faces).

He was Welsh.

Thank you very much.
Jean

 

Hi Jean

My wife's great uncle was a batman in the 10th HLI. He died a few years back, but i remember him telling me, at one point the battalion was due to go to Iceland on Garrison duty, but for reasons i can't now remember he (or the battalion) didn't go. I think they eventually landed in Europe about 2 weeks after D-Day.
Also told me how when he was in Europe, one night taking his officer to a HQ meeting by Jeep, and they took a wrong turn and ran into a German checkpoint. After a brief exchange of fire and a rapid exit they managed to get away but not before he lost 2 fingers when a bullet hit his hand that was on the steering wheel.

I would be really interested in seeing your uncle's letter or any other documents you have pertaining to your uncle, if thats okay with you.

If require any other details for specific dates for when the 10th HLI were in Europe, let me know and i will post them up.

Regards

Scott

 

A cousin of mine was with the 9th Batt Royal Fusiliers and is was killed at Anzio aged 20 his memorial is on Panel 9 at Cassino.

Another cousin was also in the Sherwood Forresters but in Germany.
Jean

 

Were the photos of the letter any good?

 

Hi Jean

Have sent you a pm.

 

Thanks for all the help you have given me with the research and the Album.
Best wishes
Jean

 

Hi Jean

Here's a recap of the information i sent you via e-mail regarding the condolence letter in the album on your profile page (in case anyone can add anymore information).

The Officer who wrote the letter to your aunt full name was Henry Addison Gorley.

He started life in the army as a normal soldier in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry (K.S.L.I.) with the service number 4033865. This ties in with the references in the letter about being an ex-ranker.

15/07/1944 he was comissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant (after Cadet Training) and given a new service (officer) number 324282. (London Gazette 19-09-1944)

Spent time at Hove with DCLI retraining RA personnel to Infantry, and then joined the 10th HLI with some of the men he had trained.

Sometime around then and writing the letter he was promoted to Lieutenant.

After the War finished he stayed in the army and was made an Honorary Captain at some point, then received an Efficiency Medal (Territorial) in 1950. (London Gazette 13-10-1950)

In 1957 he relinquished his command and likely left the army. (London Gazette 05-09-1957)

Likely hits on Ancestry point to that he was born 25th July 1916 in Cockermouth, Married Nancy Jones in late 1943 at Shrewsbury, and died in 1978 aged 61 in Chiltern, Bucks.


With regard to your uncle, the information in the letter confirms your uncle was originally with an Ack Ack (Anti Aircraft) unit, Royal Artillery and his service no 1761186 also points to this, as it falls within the Royal Artillery block of numbers.

It looks like he went to Normandy with an anti aircraft unit, and then later on was sent to Hove and attached to the DCLI to be retrained as Infantry.

If this is the case then he would of joined the 10th HLI probably autumn 1944, so would of spent most of his time in the army as a Gunner or similar in the early part of the war.

Regards

Scott

 

The OP originally had a condolence letter from her uncle's Platoon Commander in her forum album which got lost when the forum switched over to the new software.

While having a tidy up of a few folders on my computer, i came across a copy of it (that she had sent me prior to uploading to her own album).

Have added to this thread for future reference

 

Also just received the 10th HLI War Diaries for 1945 from Andy (Thanks Andy) so have added the relevant pages

Not definate, but reading the War Diary & the condolence letter i get a feeling that Lesley Evans was possibly hit by a sniper late on in the day.

Quite poignant really, as a truce was later agreed for first light the following morning, so that negotiaitons could proceed for the surrender of German forces in NWE & Denmark.

 

Thanks Scott for reinserting the letter, I really appreciate it. It is great to see it back on the site.

From a young age I always seem to have known that he was killed by a sniper.

The family had celebrated "VE" day and had thought he was safe when a few days later they received the telegram to say he had been killed.

Regards
Jean

 

Hello Jean and Scott,
Thanks for sharing Les's story. Until now he's been just a name and number on one of the databases I use.
Regards,
Dermot