3133231 Stanley Surfleet PEAKER, 9 York & Lanc: 28/07/1944 Assistance Please with details of Fallen

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by Gunner400, Feb 28, 2022.

  1. Gunner400

    Gunner400 Well-Known Member

    Hi I am looking at
    Private Stanley Surfleet Peaker 3133231
    The York and Lancaster Reg
    53rd Indian Brigade
    Died of wounds 28th July 1944
    First buried in Akyab Cemetery and then exhumed and reburied in Takkyon in 1952.
    Private Stanley Surfleet Peaker | War Casualty Details | CWGC
    could anybody please assist me with what Stanley’s regiment we’re doing from the 26th to 28th July 1944? Maybe point me to the battle name or regimental diary please? I live on the east coast of Yorkshire so not going down to NA for a very long time.
    Thanks for your time
     
  2. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    His number should be 3133231, may help people doing some digging
     
  3. Gunner400

    Gunner400 Well-Known Member

    Ab64 Thank you big thumbs soz
     
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  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I edited it to correct it as it was wrong.
    You had the incorrect number before his name.
     
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  5. Gunner400

    Gunner400 Well-Known Member

    Cheers
     
  6. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    This is a tough one - as it is a DOW he could have been wounded on that day or previously and because he was buried at Akyab before being concentrated to Taukkyan the CWGC don't have any records of the original burial. A bit of extra detail in the Hull Mail of 21 Sept 1944. The War Diary is the best bet but even that may not be conclusive.

    The Casualty Lists on FMP don't add anything.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    As the 53rd Indian Infantry Brigade has been identified, then that places Private Peaker most likely with the 9th Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment. The Regimental History doesn't help much, stating the the Brigade was allotted the centre of the line allotted to the 25th Indian Infantry Division, of which the 53rd Brigade was a part. This was the area of the Tunnels. The 53rd Brigade, at this time, according to the Regimental History, contained the 4th Garhwal Rifles and the 17th Mahrattas. The Garhwalis were positioned astride the "Spine" in front of the Tunnels, the 9th Battalion, Y & L and the Mahrattas covering the eastern approaches of the main road. Below, the relevant pages from the Regimental History for the 9th Battalion and a map which shows the location of the 9th Y & L.

    Rothy
    image00001a.jpg image00002a.jpg image00002b.jpg image00001.jpg
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2022
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  8. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    A close up of the map above

    image00001zm.jpg
     
  9. Gunner400

    Gunner400 Well-Known Member

    Skoyen89 and Rothy thank you very much for all your help.
     
  10. simonc

    simonc Member

    I might be able to help you.

    The positions for 9Y&L in the map shows the area they were tasked with defending (north of the tunnels) through the 1944 monsoon. By July, their base was well established and 9Y&L was sending regular fighting patrols eastwards and north eastwards from their base to observe Japanese movement and report on the topography. This activity was to collect intelligence and assess Japanese strength and activity for planning the capture of Buthidaung and the move south by 53 Brigade/25 Division later in 1944, after the monsoon.
    26 July: Japanese activity along whole Divisional front. 9Y&L area approached by 4 Japanese who reached feature Pyramid and exchanged shots with a 9Y&L recce patrol. No casualties reported in diary.
    27 July: A-Company 9Y&L reported Japanese activity in the area of West Finger feature (shown on your map). Diary reports that "one man from A-Company shot by accident when moving between posts". Doesn't state whether wounded or killed or name.
    28 July: Long range patrol returned (had been NE towards Ngakyedauk Pass and Kalapanzin River since 25th) but no mention of casualties although they had encountered Japanese in the Awlanbyin Valley.
    29 July: No mention of any casualties, purely admin entries in diary.

    There are two 9Y&L listed as KIA for this period in the Akyab memorial service documents: Pte J Badger 4752785 listed as died 28 July and your own Pte Peaker, who is listed in my version as 29 July. RIP.

    If you have an interest in 9Y&L in India and Burma, please visit and join 9th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment WW2
     
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  11. JITTER PARTY

    JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

    Badger was wounded 12/04/44 and Died of Wounds in India 28/07/44 and is buried in Kirkee War Cemetery.

    Peaker is the only fatality from this period, but is only described as Died of Wounds in the infuriatingly imprecise casualty lists. It is the re-burial in Akyab War Cemetery that is decisive here. Akyab was not re-captured until 01/45, so that can not be his original place of burial, of course.
     
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  12. Gunner400

    Gunner400 Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all the above info and sorry for the late reply.
     

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