1452295 William VALLANCE, 53 Field Regiment, RA: Information

Hello guys,

I am looking for any more information of my great uncle.

Name: William Vallance
Son of Joseph William and Sarah Ann Vallance.
He was in the 53rd Bolton Field Regiment as a gunner
Died: 26/08/44
Serial number is 1452295
He's buried in Florence, Italy

This is the only information I have, thank you so much for your help

 

Start here
Get a copy of military service records
And get a copy of his service record

If you have trouble understanding the abbreviations etc on it post an image on this forum and people will tell you what they mean etc

Also look at the Commonwealth War Graves Commisssion site. You will be able to find details of the cemetery he is buried in plus other details

 

Thank you so much, I'm in the process of sending for these

 

I spoke to a lovely lady on the phone today who gave me information about the cemetery he's buried at. She was very helpful!

 

CWGC: Casualty

TWGPP: Photograph of the final resting place of Vallance, William - The War Graves Photographic Project

 

Thank you so much! I've just ordered a hard copy of his final resting place

 

I'd also suggest that you change the caption to something more relevant about him such as "Gunner William Vallance 1452295 53 Field Regt. RA"

It might be indelicate, but his initial burial was at Map Ref: Sheet 106 1/100,00 scale) 857 677 (although the Graves Registration Unit then comment that "Nil Recoveries were made") which I'm assuming meant that they weren't moved, just checked for means of identification (ID disc and cross in his case). There is a further reference to "File 122/87a" about his burial, but I have no idea as to what that means.
VALLANCE, WILLIAM. Gunner. Service Number 1452295. Died 26/08/1944. Aged 22
53 Field Regt. Royal Artillery
Son of Joseph William and Sarah Arm Vallance, of Rotherham, Yorkshire.
Buried at FLORENCE WAR CEMETERY. Plot XII. Row C. Grave 6.
He has a lovely epitaph EVERY DAY IN SOME SWEET WAY BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF YOU COME OUR WAY. MAM AND DAD

Unless that is correct. if you talk to CWGC again, perhaps they'll correct her second name to ANN, not Arm?

Some background:
History 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. Following the fall of Rome to the Allies in June 1944, the German retreat became ordered and successive stands were made on a series of defensive positions known as the Trasimene, Arezzo, Arno and Gothic Lines. Florence, which was taken by the Allied forces on 13 August 1944, was the centre of the Arno line and the point from which the attack on the German Gothic Line defences in the Apennines was launched. The site for the war cemetery was selected in November 1944 for burials from the hospitals established in and around Florence but the greater part of those buried here lost their lives in the fighting in this area from July to September 1944.

It might possibly be that William was severely wounded in the opening stages of the attack, and subsequently died in a hospital in Florence, but when you get his Service Records (also ask about that File 122/87a) that may clarify just what happened.

Do you have any other mementoes, medals, letters photos etc?

EDIT: Just on the off chance, found these three men, all 53 Field Reg't also killed a few days later
FARRELL, GERARD VICTOR. Gunner. 953176
01 September 1944. Age 27
FLORENCE WAR CEMETERY II. E. 13.
FENDT, GEORGE WILLIAM. Gunner. 1098811
01 September 1944. Age 24
FLORENCE WAR CEMETERY II. E. 11.
HUDSON. WILLIAM. Lance Bombardier. 936971
01 September 1944. Age 25
FLORENCE WAR CEMETERY II. E. 12.
and recovered from the same Map Reference, which I'm presuming to be a hospital or First Aid Post

 

A lovely lady at the

Thank you so much! I contacted CWGC and a lovely lady is getting that changed for me.

He was reburied in 1945

Sadly, I have no photos letters etc.

 

Could anyone possibly help me who has knowledge of maps?

map ref Sheet 106 1/100,00 scale) 857 677

could anyone overlap them onto current maps and post them on here?
Thank you so much

 

Yes, the map reference is the location of the Florence War Cemetery, the precise location can be found on the CWGC site:
Cemetery

The map referenced on the concentration report can be seen here:
Firenze

For reference WW2 map reference system is described here:
Le principe du système de coordonnées

The co-ordinate translator on the same site can be used to interpret WW2 references. In this case you need the 'North Italy Grid' and the reference wQ857677. Putting this in the translator gives the latitude/longitude of 43.7665,11.3369 which can be found in online maps.

Bear in mind that the original map references relied on estimates and there is a certain amount of inaccuracy in the conversion, that is why it doesn't precisely result in the correct position.

 

thank you Tony,

I will check out the links!

 

That's where 43.7665,11.3369 seems to be, on the red pointer........ but leave it to better map experts to confirm!

Seems I got the Map Ref crossed with the cemetery, sorry folks!
Good on yer, Tony, thanks for all your help

 

That's right Kevin, the actual cemetery is marked by the green pointer on the main road, top right, looks a bit like a picnic spot marker! The translator site states that there is an element of error in the results plus of course the original would have been estimated manually from maps.

 

Of course, there is not much to be gained from just a spot on the ground, it needs the context of what they were doing to better understand things.
Once Tony told me where to look, it was easy for me to find, I'm no map expert, although he made me look good!
It could be after storming across the Arno, or any umber of things, sniper, mine, accident, drowning, but there were only the two deaths i the Battalion between the beginning of April and mid May. Could be two separate incidents, or possibly connected.

 

thank you!

I am new to this whole searching situation and you guys have been so helpful!

 

Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942:



British Army Casualty Lists 1939-1945:



Royal Artillery Other Ranks: Casualty Cards 1939-1947:

 

Well done, should have looked at those. Kevin was quite correct - died of wounds. The quest now will be to see if you can find out when he was wounded, perhaps the war diaries may shed some light, but unfortunately it is rare for diaries to list names of 'other ranks' but you never know.

Edit. I was interested in the remarks on his attestation - does that say discharged 13.8.39?

 

Thank you guys, for all your help. This site has done so much all ready for me. You all should feel proud. Thank you.

 

The family rumour, was he was underage when he first enlisted in 1938, in Yorkshire. He was found out so re enlisted in Lancashire. I have no idea how true it was .

 

Does the attestation say Discharged para 204 (15)? Is the answer here:
TA Regulations 1929 - paras 207 and 204