1066403 Warrant Officer Class III William Sidney Arthur FREWIN, MiD, 3 Grenadier Guards: 22/06/1940

My Father in law is the son of William Sydney and is wondering if anyone has any information or pictures of his Dad from around the time of his death. Thanks Steve Groocock

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2896135/william-sidney-frewin/
WARRANT OFFICER CLASS III WILLIAM SIDNEY FREWIN
Service Number: 1066403
Regiment & Unit: 3rd Bn. Grenadier Guards
Date of Death: 22 June 1940
Age 31 years old
Buried or commemorated at GENT CITY CEMETERY
Grave Reference: 18. 4. 5.
Location: Belgium
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Additional Info: Son of William Sidney Arthur James Frewin and Annie Grace Frewin; husband of Elizabeth Brown Frewin, of Prudhoe, Northumberland.
Personal Inscription: TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE YOU LOVE IS NOT TO DIE

 

Hi welcome to the forum
Has you father-in-law or anyone else applied for a copy of PSM Frewin's service records?
If not see post 2 here: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/brigade-guards/37127-researching-guardsmen-foot-guards.html

I'm afraid I can't think of any way of obtaining a photo other than asking GG RHQ if they hold a squad photo or similar.

However this is in the War Diary of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards for Dec 1939, which your father-in-law might find of interest


It's transcribed in post no 8 of this thread:
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/grenadier-guards/32554-war-diary-3rd-battalion-grenadier-guards-bef-sep-1939-jun.html#post365122
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/365122-post8.html


I'm sorry that I haven't yet completed transcribing the diary but will post the rest up as soon as I can.

Regards
Diane

 

This looks like the same handwriting, taken from war diary appendices for February 1940

 

GENT CITY CEMETERY


FREWIN, WILLIAM SIDNEY W S WARRANT OFFICER CLASS III (P.S.M) 3RD BN. Grenadier Guards 1066403 22.06.1940
My Father in law is the son of William Sydney and is wondering if anyone has any information or pictures of his Dad from around the time of his death. Thanks Steve Groocock

Have you got a copy of Guards VC by Sarkar?

This is a Bn history of sorts of their time in France during 1939/40 and its rather good.

Copies start at £7.00 here:

Sarkar - Guards VC - AbeBooks

From the Author Why 'Guards VC' is a vital contribution to WW2 history.My grandfather, former Guardsman HH Smith was captured with, and saved the life of, Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls VC, also of the 3rd Grenadier Guards, near Pecq on May 21st, 1940. My grandfather never discussed his wartime experiences and it was at his funeral in 1983, in fact, that I heard of his connection with such august events.Since then, despite having also written nine RAF/Luftwaffe Battle of Britain related books, I have been researching the events befalling the 1st Guards Brigade (3rd Grenadier, 2nd Coldstream and 2nd Hampshires) between September 1939-June 1940. Naturally the emphasis is on the period May 10th, 1940, the date the German invasion of the West began, and June 1940, i.e. after the Dunkirk evacuation. The VC-winning action of May 21st is reconstructed in great detail using not only the contemporary records of BOTH sides, but equally the first-hand accounts of British and German survivors. The same applies to the other VC won on May 21st, by CSM George Gristock, 2nd Royal Norfolks. All of the actions fought by 1st GB are re-fought in similar fashion, and thus give us an idea of what it was really like for a typical BEF unit during the Fall of France.As this research proves, however, it was not the rout that many today think it was, and the BEF fought both bravely and determindly against overwhelming odds.Finally we present an up-to-date battlefield tour of the Pecq site, and report on our last visit during which many relics were discovered. 100 photographs illustrate 'Guards VC', many of German origin, and nearly all are previously unpublished.I can guarantee that you will be amazed at the amount of fighting that went on before Dunkirk, and hope that this book is an appropriate tribute to all concerned.

 

The above books lists Frewin as 'Died of Wounds'.

The real key would be to ID when he was wounded. I think its safe to assume he died close to where he is buried which suggests to me he was a PoW and medically evacuated by the Germans to Gent.

 

War Diary transcript now completed to end of May.
War Diary, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, BEF - Sep 1939 to Jun 1940

 

Army Number: 1066403
Rank: Warrant Officer Class III
Name: William Sidney Arthur FREWIN, MiD
Unit: 3 Grenadier Guards


London Gazette : 10 March 1942
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35482/supplement/1109/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of distinguished services in France and Flanders: —
Foot Guards.
1066403 W.O. Ill (P.S.M.) W. S. A. Frewin. (Since died of wounds.)

 

London Gazette : 10 March 1942
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35482/supplement/1109/data.pdf

 

Name: William Sidney Arthur Frewin . Date of Birth: 20/5/1909 . Age: 31. Place of... | The National Archives
WO 416/129/320
Name: William Sidney Arthur Frewin.
Date of Birth: 20/5/1909.
Age: 31.
Place of Birth: Lambeth [London].
Service: British Army.
Rank: [Warrant Officer Class III].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Grenadier Guards.
Service Number: 1066403.
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: [unspecified].
PoW number: [unspecified].
Date of Death: 22/6/1940.
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 2.
Date: [1939-1945]