2663202 John Henry LEVELL, 2 & 5 Coldstream Guards: 16/8/1944

I am new to the forum. 5CG war diaries are a fascinating read. I wondered if Diane knows of any rosters listing men transferred from the 2CG to the 5CG, prior to the Normandy Campaign?
Many thanks
Guy

 

Diane, Many thanks for the reply. My interest is, Guardsman John Henry Levell, 2663202, 5th CG. He was KIA on the 16/8/44. I have a wonderful photograph of him taken in Italy, in the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. From your transcripts of the 2 CG, they were at Minturno and Sessa Aurunca on the 1st March 1944. What I can't establish is how he ended up with the 5 CG?
Kind regards
Guy

 

Diane, Many thanks for the help, I look forward to reading it.
Regards
Guy

 

Hi Guy, I've sent you a PM but before we go any further can I ask why you think he was in the 2nd BN and not the 3rd Bn, which was also in Italy (and Sicily). Is there a location name on the photograph which made you associate the two?

There are few reasons why he may have been transferred over, but if we can sort out the above first it would be a great help.

 

The article refers to an amphitheatre on the Garigliano front. Minturno and Sessa Aurunca are mentioned in the 2 CG entry for the 1st March 1944.
Guy

 

The bridge 4 coy was on is at
48.878889, -0.763889 (you may have to copy and paste his lat/long into google maps, the usual links dont seem to be working)

I think its the bridge visible just south of the position inidcated here. So at least you have the area they were in, which is something.

 

Diane,
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to put the original document,and the additional 3IG info.
Regards
Guy

 

2663202 Guardsman John Henry LEVELL No.4 Company, 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards
1st March 1907 - Died of wounds 16th August 1944 aged 37

Wounded in action 6th August 1944


War Diary 1944 August 6
Patrols sent to the WOOD at 732383 and to the ROAD JUNCTION at 739377 reported these places clear, and it now appears that the enemy have withdrawn and everything is clear up to ESTRY - LE BUSQ ridge.
0200 hours
Orders received from Brigade for:-
(1) Patrol to find out if PONT A L’ECRIVAIN 733397 is held by the enemy.
(2) For the Battalion to be prepared to attack LE BUSQ 7237 sometime today. 0900 hours
Commanding Officer and Company Commanders made recce of forming up area, Start Line etc.
Owing to the conformation of the ground, and the very thick bocage hedges it is not possible to see anything of the objective.
1200 hours
Commanding Officer held ‘O’ Group.
Own troops: 15 S Division have advanced South to 7434.
29th Brigade is holding LES GRANDS BONFAITS 7232.
Enemy, only a dozen or so and no tanks have been reported.
5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS with Squadron 2nd Armoured Battalion IRISH GUARDS under command, will attack and capture LA BUSQ.
Method: Start Line Sunken Lane from 726374 to 732374.
Inter Company boundary through ORCHARD 730372.
Left No. 1 Company will capture the village of LE BUSQ and exploit down to
the valley beyond.
Right No. 2 Company will capture TRACK JUNCTION 730365 and conforming with No. 1 Company exploit down into the valley.
In reserve No. 4 Company will move to area of ORCHARD 730374.
One Platoon of No. 4 Company will capture WOOD at 726371 which may contain an enemy tank.
The Squadron of tanks will break out of the lane on our Right and then go to the forward Companies to help in consolidation.
Artillery programme cancelled.
Battalion H.Q. will move down inter Company boundary.
1330 hours
The Battalion moved off on foot to the Start Line via the road to the LES GRANDS BONFAITS 7237.
1400 hours
Attack went in.
The village itself was found to contain only a few snipers, but as soon as Companies came on to the forward slope they were heavily engaged by Machine Guns and Mortars from just across the valley and the Commanding Officer ordered them to withdraw back off the exposed slope.
The Mortar and Machine Gun fire was followed up by fairly heavy shelling and Nebelwerfer concentrations along the area of the main road which caused some casualties.
The Battalion finally consolidated with No. 1 Company area CROSS TRACKS 733371, No. 4 Company between the main road and SUNKEN LANE 731369, the Carrier Platoon in an ORCHARD 727368 and No. 2 Company in an ORCHARD 725368.
Battalion H.Q. 728373.
The Anti-Tank Platoon has two Sections available covering the main road.
The Mortars are ready to fire on 742370, 736363, 736357.
Artillery D.F. 131 (S.O.S.) - along the stream North East and South West from 730358; 133 - 735364; 134 - 738365; 132 - 742369.
Most of the trouble at the moment comes from enemy in a wood and along the valley at 737359, and the enemy are also reported to be very numerous in the valley but this is not visible.