Hi, I am researching my late Grandfather's military history and I have a few gaps. L/Cpl James Kitchener Heath no 5051929 served in NW Europe from 23rd June 1944 to 19th December 1945. In late August 1944 he was transferred from 59 Staffordshire Division (5th Battalion South Staffs) to the 49 West Riding Division (11th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers). Within the 11th Battalion RSF I have some reason to believe that he was in D Company (and possibly 16 Platoon) but I have no documentary evidence from the documentation that I have in hand. I have his MOD records and have been in contact with the Regimental Museum, neither of which source can confirm the Company in which he served. My question is, is there any other means of establishing confirmation of service at the company level? Many thanks, Adrian.
Adrian The war diaries might help - otherwise you will be spinning your wheels on -as you have probably guessed by now - it's not that important to know where he served - but that he was with 11th Batt RSF……war diaries will tell you what they were ALL up to- as a battalion and not just as a platoon... Cheers
Thanks for the reply Tom, I have indeed acquired the Summary of Operations for the 11th RSF in this period, so I have a pretty good knowledge of where he was with the battalion. I spent a couple of days last month tracing his route through Belgium and into Holland, visiting Polar Bear memorials at Wuustwezel and Roosendaal before moving onto the Island, Haalderen and Nijmegen where wounds received ended his active service on 7th April 1945. You are correct that knowledge of his Company is secondary to the understanding that he was fighting side by side with his comrades of the 11th. However, this piece of missing information would provide clarity on a talking point within the family for many years. In 1973 our family with my Grandfather (I was 4 years old) accompanied him back to the Arnhem/Nijmegen area and specifically to Jonkerbos Cemetary in Nijmegen where he wished to visit the grave of 'his sergeant' whose death he stated that he witnessed. The only Fusilier of the rank sergeant in Jonkerbos is one William Little. Of this man I do know something as he was the recipient of the MM. He was Platoon Sergeant in D Company. He was killed whilst participating in a waterborne raid on the Rhine attacking German positions in the Haalderen area. From first hand sources it is apparent that was something of an exemplary raid and it was reported in 'Current Reports From Overseas' as a textbook action. It is just possible then that my Grandfather also took place in this well known raid. The deeper you get into this research, the more questions that present themselves! Adrian.
Here is the excerpt from Kemp's regimental history on the Haalderen area: 11th BATTALION: “The Island” Although the 11th Royal Scots Fusiliers was the only one of the four Battalions of the Regiment fighting in 21 Army Group which did not penetrate into Germany, it took part in the fighting on “The Island” and at Arnhem in April 1945. Those events are dealt with in this chapter, which continues the record of the 11th Battalion to the time of its disbandment. In an address which he made before the unveiling at Groesbeek of a memorial to the men of the Commonwealth who fell during the advance from the River Seine through the Low Countries towards Germany, Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks remarked that when he enquired of soldiers which was their worst experience in North West Europe, they frequently referred to” The Island “, the sector which lay beside the great bridge at Nijmegen. The 11th Battalion was greeted on arrival in this unpleasant area by two hours of heavy bombardment, the prelude to an enemy night attack on December 3/4, aimed at the right sector of the Brigade front. Major A. L. Rowell, who commanded “D” Company, had been briefed previously for a counter-attack role to meet such an emergency. His report on the action was as follows: “At about ~ a.m. the Company was ordered to “stand to “, and later ordered to move and to begin the task at first light, 7.30 a.m. It was thought that the enemy, approximately 200 strong, had penetrated the main street of Haalderen, although their exact locations were unknown, and that they were holding houses on either side of the street, running from the south-east. Platoons of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment at two locations were thought to be surrounded, possibly wiped out, and ‘D’ Company cookhouse of the D.W.R. was known to be held by the enemy, but it was retaken by the Regiment on the arrival of the Fusiliers. “To prevent a clash between the Fusiliers and the Duke of Wellington’s in the first phase, I planned to clear all houses on the right-hand side of the street as far as a road junction with the Fusiliers’ 17 Platoon, sending 18 Platoon up the left-hand side as soon as the situation in the houses opposite ‘A’ Company headquarters of the D.W.R. was established. Sergeant Little was in reserve with the Fusiliers’ 16 Platoon in fire positions protecting the D.W.R. Headquarters. “By the time the Fusiliers’ 17 Platoon had cleared the first house, troops of the Duke of Wellington’s had arrived in the house opposite. So I sent 18 Platoon down the left-hand side of the street and the two platoons advanced, mutually supporting, to the first objective. Before reaching it, 18 Platoon came under fire but not heavy enough seriously to hinder progress. About 200 yards north-east of the road junction we found the remains of a platoon of the D.W.R. which reported that the enemy were believed to be in houses in the area of the road junction. 18 Platoon succeeded in reaching the houses on either side of the road junction. No enemy was found, but fire was opened on the platoon from houses elsewhere. “In the final phase, the clearing of all houses on the northeast side of the street, 16 Platoon attacked, with covering fire from 17 and 18 Platoons. Spasmodic small arms fire came from the objective, but when the second house was reached the enemy immediately surrendered and a large party of prisoners was taken. A Duke of Wellington’s platoon, which had been surrounded, laid smoke for the advance on the final houses and 17 Platoon of the Fusiliers consolidated on either side. More prisoners were taken and, of their own accord, two Germans came out of their positions. In all 77 prisoners were taken for the loss of one other rank killed and two wounded.” At about 3.15 a.m. a reorganised platoon of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment took over and “D” Company of the Scots Fusiliers moved back. “C “ Company moved up into the area in the evening, relieving “D” Company and reinforcing the Duke of Wellington’s.
Many thanks for this. Luckily I managed to find this on the net, a great source of information on 11th RSF.
Hi Adrian, If you are interested in 11 RSF generally Ken West's book "An' it's called a Tam O' Shanter" is worth a read to get an idea of what it was like from a non-officer/non-military history perspective. I understand you've listened to the IWM recordings of Bill Douglas 11 RSF, which deals with 59 Staffs Divn and it's disbandment and re-distribution, and the Haalderen Raid. Bill Douglas led 16 Platoon on the Haalderen Raid and is still alive, aged 94, and in excellent health. I hope to see him in a couple of weeks. I'll ask about your grandfather. He may not remember, of course, it's only fair to warn you. It was a long time ago. Yours, Charlie
Hi Adrian, I was out to dinner with Col. Douglas last week and I took the opportunity to raise with him the question regarding whether or not your grandfather was in 16 Platoon, D Company. I also showed him extracts from your blog regarding your grandfather and the photographs on there of your grandfather. Unfortunately, whilst he said the name rings a bell, he said he couldn't really remember. He said it was easy to remember those who were "very good" or those who were "very bad", but difficult to remember the bulk of the men who just went about their business quietly and efficiently, as they should. He did say that if Sergeant Little MM was your grandfather's sergeant then in all likelihood he was in 16 Platoon. Whether he was on the Haalderen raid would be more difficult to say. The likelihood is that he would be there if he was in 16 Platoon but inevitably there might be one or two men left behind for all sorts of reasons. He said the only way you might be able to find out more would be to track down Corporal/Sergeant Mellor DCM (who took over as Platoon Sergeant from Sergeant Little) or a member of his family if he is no longer alive. He may have kept in touch with people post war. As Col. Douglas went to Africa with KAR after the war and then joined the regular army a couple of years later he rather lost touch with many of his men, and in those days it wasn't so easy to track people down. He did comment on some parts of the blog. He's pretty certain that measuring the depth of the water would have been on The Island, near Nijmegen, after the Germans had breached the flood defences and there were spring floods. He says it would be unlikely to be Rosendaal as there was no water of significance, or at least which was a problem there. He also thinks that the wounding on 7th April 1945 may not have been in Nijmegen itself but nearby, on The Island, whilst clearing it prior to the liberation of Arnhem. Your grandfather may have been taken to Nijmegen for treatment. Nijmegen at that time was pretty safe, he recalls, and the clearing of The Island started on around 2nd April 1945 and there were pockets of localised fighting for a few days thereafter as they push up across The Island. Col. Douglas says that Sergeant Little was his third Sergeant of the North West Europe campaign, Sergeant Mellor the fourth. The first lost his life in the fighting around Fontenay/Rauray, the second to the East of Caen (whilst Col. Douglas was at an 'O' Group meeting and he was waiting outside, a stray mortar shell came literally out of nowhere on a quiet day and it was a direct hit, leaving in Col. Douglas's words, pretty much just his boots and his weapon). Sergeant Little, as you know, was killed immediately on landing behind the enemy lines at Haalderen. Apparently he shouldn't have actually been the first man off the boat, he should have been the last man off, to make sure that everyone else got off, but he was very eager. I'm sorry I can't have been of more assistance. Best wishes, Charlie
Dear Charlie, Firstly, a Happy New Year to you and secondly and most importantly, please accept my apologies for not responding to your most welcome posts. I was completely unaware that more information had been added since I last posted in June! It was only today when I stumbled across my original post that I saw your information! So let's take this bit by bit. Since making the original inquiry, I have indeed read Ken West's book and in fact spent a few hours in his company at his home where he relayed much information and took me through his photographs of the time. It was a real honour to meet this man who shared such unforgettable experiences at the same time and in the same locations as my Grandfather. I don't know if you know Ken, maybe so, but he is a hail and hearty 93 year old, just about to publish his second book of memoirs. An amazing and inspirational gentleman! He did not know my Grandfather as at the time of his transfer from 59th to D Coy (presumed) Ken was recovering from wounds received in Normandy and upon his return to the 11th R.S.F. he resumed the role for which he was trained, a signaller, rather than a rifleman. Imagine how thrilled I am now to discover that you have discussed my Grandfather and my on-line research efforts with Colonel Douglas, who I assumed to be no longer with us..... these men are made of sterner stuff than my generation. That his name even rings a bell is quite something for me. I would like to thank you hugely for taking the time to bring the subject up with him. What he said about the Haalderen raid is completely in-line with what Ken recounted, especially the manner of Sergeant Little’s demise. In fact Ken was rather scathing of his gung-ho attitude (as indeed he is in the Tam O’Shanter book), this is perhaps not surprising as Ken’s mate Derek Potter (to whom he dedicated the book) was also killed along with Sergeant Little in the raid. Another point that they are in agreement about which I did not originally know was that my Grandfather would have been wounded towards the end of the action to clear The Island. I had been thrown earlier on as the 11th RSF Summary of Operations gives a different date for the final clearance of The Island: The Bn broke through about 10000 hrs, B and C Coys securing the flanks, then A and D Coys going through the final objectives. Relatively little resistance was encountered even though the enemy tanks in support could not be used for some time, the road in parts being badly cratered and in other lavishly laid with mines. 146 Bde passed through us and the remainder of the ISLAND was cleared the following day, 3rd April. The Bn did extremely well in the PW line, the score being 65 and 2 killed, while we ourselves suffered one wounded. I believe that he was indeed treated at in hospital in Nijmegen.... I have the name of a Wilhemina Hospital in his handwriting on a contemporary piece of paper. A hospital of that name existed in Nijmegen in 1945 (as it does now). He was later evacuated and spent VE Day in New Brighton before rejoining the 11th RSF and taking up an administrative role at Bergen –Belsen. Colonel Douglas’s opinion that my Grandfather’s rather unpleasant task of monitoring rising waters during the night occurred on The Island rather than Rosendaal makes sense. Thinking about it now, I seem to recall my Grandfather associating this story with the deliberate destruction of the flood defences. Again this clears up another red herring for me from the Summary of Operations. Of Rosendaal it states: During this action the Battalion took 37 PW and 12 enemy dead were counted. Our own casualties amounted to 4 killed, 19 wounded and 1 missing. A very credible action, all the more so because of the appauling weather conditions – freezing cold and wet. One platoon was immersed to the waist in water for about 5 hours and it reflects on the good training and stamina that only one man had to be evacuated the following day as a result of this long enforced immersion. As you can perhaps imagine, writing about the exploits of an infantryman without access to the man himself is a task fraught with the potential for error!! I will indeed follow up on Colonel Douglas’s suggestion to contact Sergeant Mellor (or his relatives). First port of call will be through the Polar Bear Association who have been a great help since I first joined them earlier this year. Sadly, there is only one photograph of my Grandfather with his company that I have ever seen and presently, the family are unable to locate it. This of course would provide a definitive answer, but until it is unearthed once more, this is the approach that I have to take. Charlie, I want to thank you once again for your brilliant efforts and the time you have spent to help, and indeed should you be in contact with Colonel Douglas please also convey my thanks to him. It’s a wonderful thing this military research, frustrating and confusing at times, but thoroughly absorbing and on occasions such as tonight highly satisfying! With best wishes, Adrian.
