36294 T/Lieut. Colonel R B W Bethell DSO, 181 Fld Regiment, RA

Major, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, later Brigadier Richard Bryan Wyndham Bethell DSO. 181 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Born 15/09/1906 Died 1990 Mendip, Somerset.

DSO awarded for service in NWE as CO for 181 Fld Regt.

Info sourced from The Distinguished Service Order 1924-2008 by Sutherland. I'll post the original when TNA's online doc's page is back up.

If the meantime does anyone have access to 'Find My Past' they have a document on him:

RICHARD BETHELL alias RICHARD BETHEL Born LANDRIDGE Served in 9th Foot Regiment; 60th ... | The National Archives

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details

 

Hi Drew

The only Bethel FMP has is this one-
Captain D A D W Bethell 118402

With this-
TNA series:WO208
TNA piece number:5393
report no:IT/AF/193
POW camp:49 - Reggio nell Emilia
Date of Escape:1943-09-10

regards

Robert

 

Hi, the pow camp 49 was not in Reggio Emilia, but 20 km West, in the Traversetolo Castle, province of Parma. One of the other Traversetolo ex-prisoners was Lt. (temporary) Michael Tyler, who after his escape became member of the SOE mission "TOFFEE" leaded by Major Charles Holland.

Many of the prisoners of PG49 was helped by local peasants, as the Cervi family, to join allied lines