1/4 Essex Regiment - Arezzo - 1944 - William Maiden

Hi

I am researching a relative of mine 14540173 Private William Maiden 1/4 Essex regiment who was KIA 13/07/1944 and buried at Arezzo War Cemetery. I have got his service records and copies of the regiment diaries. It looks like he was killed in the attack at Monte S Maria either at 14.00 at M.R. 534266 by mortarfire or around midnight in the main attack. I am keen if anybody has any more information on the 1/4 essex Regiments attack on Monte Santa Maria and am keen to pin point the map references in the war diary but don't know where to start?

I have attached a picture of William taken on his wedding day a picture of his sister Edith at his grave in Italy and the war diary around the time of the attack. A member of the Essex regiment once mentioned to his sister that William died when a lorry he was in ran over a mine at Monte Cassino but this story does not fit the evidence.

Any help would be appreciated.

Malcolm

 

Malcolm.

You are right that Pte Maiden could not have been killed at Cassino but buried at Arezzo. The fight for Cassino was over in May 44 and, off the top of my head, his date of death fits what 4 Indian Division were doing in the Arezzo area in Jul 44.

I was in Arezzo CWGC cemetery in Feb. I must have passed his headstone.

Regards

FdeP

 

Malcolm
Welcome to the forum
This may help you with the map reference The "Coordinates Translator"


Lesley

 

Lesley

I tried to use the coordinates translator but having difficulty in using it I have tried the co-ordinates 534266 and also 518278 but it does not recognise them.

Cheers

Malcolm

 

Lesley

I tried to use the coordinates translator but having difficulty in using it I have tried the co-ordinates 534266 and also 518278 but it does not recognise them.

Cheers

Malcolm

PM sent

Lesley

 

Owen
Already explained by PM

Lesley

 

Hi Malcom
If you use the coordinate translator with the northern italy grid you have to digit wR534266
the resukt will be:
43°24'49" N
12°11'22" E

that is equal to: 43.41374° 12.18942°

in MGRS is approx 33T TJ 723 107. This correspond to the village of Gioiello 3.5 Km SE of Monte Santa Maria Tiberina
Hi

I am researching a relative of mine 14540173 Private William Maiden 1/4 Essex regiment who was KIA 13/07/1944 and buried at Arezzo War Cemetery. I have got his service records and copies of the regiment diaries. It looks like he was killed in the attack at Monte S Maria either at 14.00 at M.R. 534266 by mortarfire or around midnight in the main attack. I am keen if anybody has any more information on the 1/4 essex Regiments attack on Monte Santa Maria and am keen to pin point the map references in the war diary but don't know where to start?

I have attached a picture of William taken on his wedding day a picture of his sister Edith at his grave in Italy and the war diary around the time of the attack. A member of the Essex regiment once mentioned to his sister that William died when a lorry he was in ran over a mine at Monte Cassino but this story does not fit the evidence.

Any help would be appreciated.

Malcolm

 

I am sorry but in py previous post I forgot to tag the places in the picture so this is the new one with a reconstruction based on 1/4 Essex war diary and "The Tigher Triumph" Chapter 10

Regards

 

Hi

Thanks for all your help its been a puzzle to the family since 1944 on how and where William died. I have managed to type in the correct coordinates and pinpointed the 1/4 Essex Regiments movements on the fateful day of his death. William was only 20 when he died and my dad used to send William comics during the war. When William stayed at home one night he put his kit bag and rifle in the cupboard under the stairs and his youngest sister tried to pick up the rifle and could not manage it, she thought thats very heavy how on earth can he carry that and the kit bag! William total service was 146 days 37 days at home and 109 days in Italy from 27/3/1944-13/7/1944. William was entitled to 1939/45 Star, Italy Star and 1939/45 War Medal.

One day I will go and visit the area and his grave in Arrezo, my next puzzle is a relative on my wife's side who died in Arnhem so I do another post soon.

Thanks again you have all been brilliant!

Malcolm

 

Gandalf

Thanks for your hard work on providing the detail on the maps, it means a lot.

Malcolm

 

Do you have all of the file or just the diary pages? I only ask as some of the Italian Campaign Infantry Bn files can be very think, over 500 pages and as well as the diary they can (not always) contain patrol reports written by the patrol leader or a seperate report about a specific battle written by a officer from the Bn.

Just a thought.

 

Malcolm,
We going to Arezzo on 21st September to visit a lad, Henry Hood, from our village who died on 26th July 44 with the 1/4th Essex. Would you like any photo's?
Lionboxer

 

Lionboxer

I have pictures of grave from 1940s and when my dad visited in 1980s but if it is possible to get a photo when you visit I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Malcolm

 

Malcolm, just a thought, but have you asked CWGC if they have any details about where he may have been initially buried BEFORE being moved to Arezzo, as I assume that a cemetery wasn't there pre war......
That may pinpoint where he was at the time of his death and therefore establish which incident relates.
That photo of his sister Edith is very poignant and looks to be taken early 50's. That would have been a very brave adventure for a young girl in those times, it must have been very important for the family for her to go. Was she the one who couldn't lift his rifle?

 

From CWGC:

Historical Information

On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side.

Progress through southern Italy was rapid despite stiff resistance, but the advance was checked for some months at the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line. The line eventually fell in May 1944 and as the Germans withdrew, Rome was taken by the Allies on 3 June.

The Germans made a stand in front of Arezzo early in July 1944 and there was fierce fighting before the town was taken on 16 July by the 6th Armoured Division with the aid of the 2nd New Zealand Division.

The site for this cemetery was selected in November 1944, and graves were brought into it from the surrounding area. Both the 4th and the 8th Indian Divisions were involved in the fighting in this region, and Plots VII-IX in the cemetery contain Indian graves.

Arezzo War Cemetery contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.

 

You are welcome Malcom,
please keep me informed if you will came in Italy to visit Gioiello. I am studing now the operations in Umbria during WW2 and next year, probably, I will realize a one-day-trek in the area Monte Favalto-Monte Santa Maria Tiberina.

Best Regards

Paolo

 

Malcolm,
We'll be trying to retrace the advance of the 1/4 Essex on our tour so will take some pictures in the vicinity of Giogello and Santa Maria (that's if we've got our coordinates correct and Tom Tom doesn't go haywire!) when we're there on Thursday or Friday. We're covering a lot of ground from Salerno right up to Pisa via Cassino where we have another man to visit who was killed with 6 RWK. This will be poignant for me especially as his wife was living in my cottage at the time of his death.
Lionboxer

 

Hi.
New member here and I apologise if I have not followed protocol, but can anyone point me in the direction of my quest.
I am visiting Arezzo in February to commemorate my grandfather,s grave. He was killed on 13th July 44 at Arezzo. He was pvt Philip Lewis and was from the Abergavenny area.
Thanks
Gary Lewis