10 Durham Light Infantry, NWE, query

Discussion in 'Durham Light Infantry' started by marywestley, Aug 9, 2010.

  1. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    Hi I`m new to this sight because I have just received my fathers records from the MOD
    but unfortunately half are missing because they were sent to the vetrans agency who
    have destroyed some of them. My father was posted to the 10th Btn Durham Light
    Infantary in March 1944 and that he was injured in North West Europe in July 1944.
    Does anyone know where in europe the 10th Durhams were?
    regards
    marywestley
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi I`m new to this sight because I have just received my fathers records from the MOD
    but unfortunately half are missing because they were sent to the vetrans agency who
    have destroyed some of them. My father was posted to the 10th Btn Durham Light
    Infantary in March 1944 and that he was injured in North West Europe in July 1944.
    Does anyone know where in europe the 10th Durhams were?
    regards
    marywestley

    Hi Mary and welcome to the forum.

    Firstly who. how etc did the veterans agency destroy the records. It is my understanding the the MOD keep all the originals at Glasgow and the veteran agency have nothing to do with them.

    Ref the 10 DLI if you can get to the National Archives the units war diary is under reference WO 171/1292.

    I'm sure Jim (DLI Expert) will be along soon to answer most if not all your questions.

    Regards
    Andy
     
  3. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Marywestley -
    I think you will find that the 10th - and 11th battalions of the DLI were in the 49th Division ( Polar Bears) in NWE and had just suffered badly at Raurey in the operation Martlett which was the foreunner of the main "Epsom" battles- have look in you local library for the "Polar Bears 49th Division"
    you will find all their activities in there !
    Cheers
     
  4. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Marywestley-
    Further to my last posting - th 10th DLI - on the 1st of July were just approaching Fontenay Le Pesnel which I find a bit off as the 11th were at Raurey on the 27th June when my cousin was killed there- and the 10th -11th and 1st Tyneside Scottish were all in the same 70th brigade so it would be safe to assume that they were all in the Rauray and Brettville areas -it was a very tough battle as they were against the Panzer Lehr - 2nd SS Panzers and 9th SS Panzers...the book on it is by Patrick Delaforce and is ISBN 0- 75370 - 265 -7 - it's well worth reading
    Cheers
     
  5. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Mary,
    July saw a major German counter attack 10DLI were initially out of the line but returned to relieve 11th DLI and the old 12th DLI (Black Watch/Tyneside Scottish).10th DLI actually took over positions from 8th & 9th DLI of the 50th Division around Tilly(11th DLI in reserve) As they did so the Durham Light Infantry had five battalions 6th/8th/9th/10th and 11th side by side (6 battalions counting the old 12th DLI)On the 11th July the 50th DIV launched their attack on the Juvigny-Hottot Road, the 10th DLI were ordered to seize a wood nearby which had a prominent Chateau some 300yds in front of it .On the 11th July the 10th DLI lost 17 men killed.Thirteen of the casualties that day lie at rest at Tilly the remaining lie at Hottot .For more detail click on my web page at the bottom of this post (10th & 11th Battalions)
     
  6. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    My father was discharged in 1945 with Gun shot wounds to the head and thats why
    I think the veterans agency had his records. You have all been a great help and the
    Durham Light Infantry web site is great. Just have to find out were the 9th Battalion
    were in January 1945, because thats here he was injured for a second time. I think he was hard to kill because he lived until 1998

    Many thanks
    Mary Westley
     
  7. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Mary -
    The 9th Battalion DLI finished up with the 7th Armoured div - so check their record for where they were on any particular date near the finish as they went on to Bremen
    Cheers
     
  8. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Mary,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    I hope that you are able to piece the puzzle together.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  9. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Mary -
    would you believe that yet another book will fill in some of the gaps in the history you seek - try " Churchill's Deserts Rats " - Normandy to Berlin with the 7th Armoured div by -who else ? - Patrick Delaforce - ISBN -0-75370 - 264 - 9

    The DLI joined them on November 30th at Desen in Belgium and in January '45 took part in Operation Blackcock which probably accounted for the gunshot wounds to the head ....

    Cheers
     
  10. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Mary,
    I`m busy updating the North West Europe Section on the web site look in again on Friday evening and the relevant information should be there.There should also be an updated version of 10th & 11th DLI by then too....hopefully! Any photographs of your dad with the Durhams? Good starting references from Tom.
     
  11. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Mary,
    Sorry that update is going to take longer than I thought the 10th/11th DLI section is complete but the 9th DLI NWE is not ready yet so here is a brief rundown of 9th DLI Places Jan 1945
    8th January 1945 Isenbruch
    11th January 1945 Buchten
    13th January 1945 Bakenhoven with Carriers at Gebroek
    16th January 1945 Assault on Dieteren (80 men in Susteren at this time)
    19th-22nd January 1945 Area of Montford and St Joost one company to assist in capture of bridge between St Joost and Stiel (base at Schilberg immediately prior to attack)
    22nd January 1945 Peij
    24th January 1945 Diergaarde
    30th January 1945 (D Company 9DLI) Paarlo

    Mary what was your fathers name /rank?
     
  12. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    Hi Verriers
    My fathers name/rank was Pte Jack Mawson, he enlisted into the T.A (W) 4 days
    after his 18th birthday in 1942. I have managed to figure out some of the abbreviations
    on his record but are three I think are something to do with his injuries, can you help?
    X11 list
    Y list A
    Y list D
    My father was on in the service 3 years and 83 days.

    Many thanks
    Mary
     
  13. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Mary -
    I would therefore assume that his service number started 142***** -
    the X(11) is hospitalised - Y(a) and Y(d) refers to recatigorising to another down from A1
    ???
    Cheers
     
    Verrieres likes this.
  14. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Verriers
    My fathers name/rank was Pte Jack Mawson, he enlisted into the T.A (W) 4 days
    after his 18th birthday in 1942. I have managed to figure out some of the abbreviations
    on his record but are three I think are something to do with his injuries, can you help?
    X11 list
    Y list A
    Y list D
    My father was on in the service 3 years and 83 days.

    Many thanks
    Mary

    Mary,
    Is your brother Steve Mawson? I believe he had an appeal on the old Light Infantry site (which was ruined by spammers) I may be wrong but I believe at the time it was stated that `Jack` was wounded at Nijmegen and someone died saving him? This is a few years ago now possibly 2005-2007 ish?.Same Jack Mawson ?
     
  15. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    Hi Verriers
    Yes Steve Mawson is my brother, and he did start the search but with work commitments had to stop. My father was in North West Europe between 11th June 44
    and 3rd July 44, his first wounding was on 28th June 44. he was sent home on 4th July 44 until 21st Sept 44, back out to N.W. Europe on 22nd Sept 44 until 31st Jan 45
    he was wounded a second time on 21st Jan 45 with Gunshot Wounds to the head and
    the loss of his left eye. He was home 1st Feb 45 and discharged 17th Dec 4
    We have a photo of him in uniform with 1st Jan 1945 written on the back.
    Could this have been taken whilst out in europe?
    This is the only photo of him before his head injuries.

    regards
    Mary
     
  16. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Verriers
    Yes Steve Mawson is my brother, and he did start the search but with work commitments had to stop. My father was in North West Europe between 11th June 44
    and 3rd July 44, his first wounding was on 28th June 44. he was sent home on 4th July 44 until 21st Sept 44, back out to N.W. Europe on 22nd Sept 44 until 31st Jan 45
    he was wounded a second time on 21st Jan 45 with Gunshot Wounds to the head and
    the loss of his left eye. He was home 1st Feb 45 and discharged 17th Dec 4
    We have a photo of him in uniform with 1st Jan 1945 written on the back.
    Could this have been taken whilst out in europe?
    This is the only photo of him before his head injuries.

    regards
    Mary

    Hi Mary,
    Does the photograph show any sleeve insignia? The reason I ask is that although 9DLI became part of 7th Armoured Division as lorried infantry some of the 9thDLI personnel at this time were attached to the 2nd Army Defence Corps (Montgomery`s staff) its just to make sure I follow the right path.Is their any mention of an attachment on his service record?
    Jm
     
  17. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    Hi Verriers
    The sleeve insignia on the photo is just the Durham Light Infantry and the Desert
    Rat. I have found that the 9th Durham L.I and he 1st Rifle Brigade were at the
    Battle for Sint Joost in Holland and that the final attack took place on 21st January
    1945, this is the date shown on my dads service record for the second time he was
    wounded. In all the "Durhams" suffered 33 casualties of which 8 were killed in action.
    One of the family stories is that my dad was so shot up that he was made comfortable, and then "tagged" and then put with the dead and dying, until 24 hrs
    later his mate found him.

    regards
    Mary
     
  18. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi Verriers
    The sleeve insignia on the photo is just the Durham Light Infantry and the Desert
    Rat. I have found that the 9th Durham L.I and he 1st Rifle Brigade were at the
    Battle for Sint Joost in Holland and that the final attack took place on 21st January
    1945, this is the date shown on my dads service record for the second time he was
    wounded. In all the "Durhams" suffered 33 casualties of which 8 were killed in action.
    One of the family stories is that my dad was so shot up that he was made comfortable, and then "tagged" and then put with the dead and dying, until 24 hrs
    later his mate found him.


    regards
    Mary


    Hi Mary
    The casualty figures roughly tie in with my own which state 25 wounded ,7 killed (20-21st Jan) and a further 38 missing of the later 35 were from `C`Company The battalion was relieved by the 2nd Devons on the 22nd Jan and moved back to the area of Peij.
    The battalion attack on the 21st consisted initially of `B` Company who were attempting to reach `C` Company who had been cut off the night before.The Rifle Brigade had been forced back in the village for a distance of 150yards the news of this was received just before the company moved off at around 0500hrs .The men of B Company advanced slowly up the main street the advance was reportedly slow and costly by daylight it had ground to a halt .Another plan was quickly formulated which involved A and D Companies supported by tanks of the 8th Hussars and 2 troops of flame throwing Crocodiles.A company moved off at around 1035hrs with D Company fighting through themto reach the Bridge for whatever reason the Crocodile support was lost and both Companies found themselves under heavy attack.D Company attempted to work around the flank without their Crocodile Support who had once again been lost and were actually in the area occupied by A Company this was to no avail as they once again met strong enemy opposition.It was only when the last uncommited platoon was thrust into the fight that progress was made.
    Contact re-established with the Crocodile support the DLI worked their way behind their Crocodiles mopping up any survivors that were flushed from the cellars by the flames from the crocodiles,most of the German defenders were killed in the cellars they had chosen to defend.D Company reached its objective,the bridge,and the way was now clear to advance on Montfort.Sgt Thomas Myers won a DCM for the action and Pte G Martin a Military Medal,Lieut Colonel Mogg also added a bar to his DSO.
     
  19. marywestley

    marywestley Junior Member

    Hi Verriers
    Thank you very much for all your help trying to sort out my dads (Jack Mawson)
    record. I have finally got it all down in print, most just fitting dates to places, but
    sent it to both my brothers and neices and nephews, who are over the moon.
    Hoping next year to go to europe and visit Sint Joost where he was injured. Once again many thanks for all your help.

    regards
    Mary
     
  20. Penders

    Penders Member

    Hi Verriers,

    Do you have any information(war notes?) of the 9 DLI from 13th January until 18th January?
    Regards,
    Henk
     

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