I don't know of any off the top of my head. My brother who was stationed in Germany at one time visited the Arnhem Museum thinking our Father fought there in 1944. I had to inform him he was with the 6th Airborne and went to the Ardennes not Arnhem! I thought you numbskull you should know better than that being an Army guy. One of those brotherly things ... Regards ... Note: If my brother read that he would just laugh and say, "Carry on as if you're normal".
Indeed it is very difficult when a relative is convinced of something..her evidence was that her father told her and a piece of paper mentioning the 4th Dorsets......
AM, There is always the possibility he transferred to the 4th Dorsets from the 12th Devons or perhaps from another Devonshire Battalion entirely ...?
Vic was in an Anti-Tank team with a gun that came over in his Glider. Does anyone know the Model of the Gun the Devons were using.
Hello Cee, Various Glider Regiment Docs. It is also very likely that the Barrels were shortened for easier Loading/unloading from the aircraft. As they were prob going to be used at close range it would not have altered the accuracy that much. This part of my research is on-going and I feel I will find out some gems as I dig deeper. I have also contacted various parties on "Load Manifests" to obtain the Chalk Number of the Glider that my uncle flew in. Reasonably confident that the Devons were flown to France by G Squadron of the Glider Pilots Regiment.
I'm pleasantly surprised to notice the interest in this subject. Recently, I've contacted the son of a veteran of the 12th Devons. I promised him to make a battletour with him in Normandy some time in the future. This idea came to me as I had the pleasure in the past to make one tour in company with Geoff Sneezum. Geoff was a the platoon commander of the 12th Devons, who had been earlier in the war a commando and particiaped in a couple of raids on the French coast. He had been given a commission and then was sent to the A Coy. of the 12th Devons. He was one of only a handfull officers with battle experience in the unit prior to Normandy. On the 6th his glider landed in the evening west of the canal de Caen and he then took up a position behind the church wall of the church at Ranville. That was the beginning of his campaign in Normandy. After Normandy he participed in the Ardennes and Holland campaign, But his glider didn't make it to Germany for the Varisty operation. So, he was taken to Germany in a later lift. Geoff took me to the places he went by during operation Paddle, starting at the military cemetery at Ranville and ending up at the Seine. It took us a whole day and it was very interesting. I don't think much is known of Geoff's time in Normandy in English works as he lived in Normandy after the war and especially recounted his war experiences to French historians. Those interested can find his contributions in the interesting works of Eddy Florentin about operation paddle or in the magazine '39-'45' the articles concerning the battlle of Breville. Anyway, the reason for this message is, that those who might be interested to join me with this tour, can send me a mail,.. I'll then keep them posted of my plans. Maybe we can work something out.
Ok, I have obtained a copy of a small "presentation Speech" that was given to my Uncle in 1987 at his place of work. It gives a brief history of his involvement during the war. One part of it reads as follows... Vic's unit return to the UK 3 months after D-Day. Once again at Christmas 1944 back to France..... Then goes on to say - In March 1945 his unit was landed by Glider again behind enemy lines at "Wessel" in the Rhine Crossing. 8 Days later Vic received a serious head wound and Recovered Consciousness in Hospital. If this is correct Vic was in fact in Operation Varsity even though he was not on the Duty Roll. Also was the Christmas operation anything to do with the "Bulge" in the Ardennes. Lastly if any of this information is correct I am looking at a battle at a place near or in "Lengerich" where it looks like my Uncle was wounded. Maybe I am getting closer to Vic's full service history. I am also waiting with bated breath for the postman to send me his records from Glasgow. Any help on these last topics will be extremely helpful. Head spinning now with so many new avenues to investigate if they are in fact correct.
I would be very interested in a pointer in the right direction to obtain references from the Regiments Nominal Rolls. Can anyone tell me where I would be able to look for these please.
Keith, That's a wonderful find on your Uncle. I can't add much other than to say that yes the Christmas 1944 episode would be the beginning of the 6th Airborne's involvement in the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes) and later movement to Holland for patrols on the River Maas. I'm sure you have already consulted the WD on Pegasus Archive where a few details are given for the battle at Lengerich on April 2nd, 1945. German snipers were a particularly nasty problem on that day. http://www.pegasusarchive.org/varsity/war_12thDevon.htm I'm not sure if the the Keep Military Museum would hold much in their archives on the 12th Battalion,The Devonshire Regiment? Reddevon would know better than me on that score. Otherwise it's great to hear you are beginning to unravel some details of Victor Drewett's war service ... Regards ...
I have not come across any roll calls or list from the Keep, i was given two nominal rolls for the 12th from Sarah Gleadell along with a lot of photos, one of which shows Victor was in D Company and another photo is of 25 platoon Anti tank with a pair of 6 pdr guns but Victor is not in that photo.
Thanks for looking Reddevon, plenty of different channels to search now with each day closer to Vics records arriving from Glasgow Hopefully if I have attached his picture correctly, this shot shows Vic at the "Para 90" parade and he is proudly wearing his medals. From the ribbons can anyone tell me what the medals represent. I can guess that there will be a European Campaign Medal and a 1939-1945 Medal but need some help on the others... [sharedmedia=core:attachments:128113]
the picture show Vic at para 90 parade would that have been held at Biggin Hill? if so I was there with friends putting on a display of wartime kit, small world. As for his medals i don't seem to be able to expand the photo but i am guessing that he would have the basic medals ie Defence medal, 39-45 star, France-Germany Star but it does look like he has a couple more on his jacket.
Another mystery to uncover.... Thanks again for your help. I think the Para 90 that Vic attended was in Aldershot and he joined a massed march at the end. This was in fact the kick-start he needed to start to contact his old comrades and regiment and I believe he attended a couple more that year so maybe he did go to the Biggin Hill Event. Thanks again.
Keith, The photo won't expand for me either, not sure what's going on there? There's a forum thread devoted to medals and their identification which may help here: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/51086-ww2-campaign-stars-medals-info-thread/ Regards ...
