Looking for information about 14752511 Private George LAURIE, 5/7th Gordons: 21/11/1944

We're looking for more information about Private George Laurie, Regimental Number 14752511, served with the Gordon Highlanders 5/7th Battalion and died November 21sh 1944, age unknown, in the Netherlands. He is buried @ Venray War Cemetery in the Netherlands. Any information is welcome about George like War Diaries, Personal Information, Photos or Relatives whome may be contacted. This research is in purpose of making a commemoration book with all kind of information about the Soldiers who are buried in Venray War Cemetery later on.

Casualty Details | CWGC

 

14752511 Pte. George Laurie
5/7th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders
153rd Infantry Brigade
51st (Highland) Infantry Division

Enlisted G.S.C. 20.04.1944
K.I.A. 21.11.1944

Birth Place: Falkirk
Residence: Stirlingshire
Country: Scotland

The following soldiers from the 5/7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders were all originally buried in Donk, Holland, on 21.11.1944.
Map ref. Sh QI 1/100000 827026.

2881992 Sgt. Stanley Robert Jamieson Smith
5252060 L/Cpl. Albert William Cox
3658162 L/Cpl. Vernon Southwood
14751695 Pte. Harold Gregory
14752511 Pte. George Laurie

Killed in action by German snipers during the liberation of Kessel. They were temporarily buried near the house of the Timmermans family, in Donk, near Kessel.

Without service records or a War Diary for exact details, the best I can offer is that they were involved in the following operation of the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, which matches the date of their deaths.

Operation Ascot
14th November, 1944

The overall plan was to push the Germans back over the River Maas and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division's role was to attack the Germans on the line Weert - Roermond and swing north east driving the enemy up to Venlo.

The operation started on 14th November, 1944. All three brigades successfully crossed the canals and in the case of 154 Brigade the junction. The advance continued and the 5th Camerons in particular distinguished themselves creating a bridge head over the Zig (also called Uitwaterings) canal. The GOC wrote to congratulate the Battalion. The Division then exploited across the Zig Canal and by the 18th November they were just south of Venlo in the area of Baarlo, Bong and Zoterbeek close to the River Maas. Operation Ascot was successfully concluded. After capturing Baarlo and Bong, the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division moved north to support the Allied bridgehead between the Waal and Rijn rivers west of Nijmegen and Arnhem, also known as 'the island'.

Photograph of war graves taken from the 51st Infantry Division thread on this site.

 

Thanks for this information David Woods