6019024 Pte Albert HERBERT, Essex Regiment: WW2

My Father Albert Norman Herbert service no . was 6019024 between 15/1/1940 - 1/1/1945.I cannot find any references or full service history on any searches.I do know for certain that he fought alongside Corporal Edmund Hazle in El Alamien & Monte Cassino campaigns as a stretcher bearer who was awarded 2 DCM's.Please can anyone provide further imformation?

 

You need to apply for his service records link here. Have a read through it.
Get a copy of military records of service

 

In September 1943, your father was a private soldier and a member of the Regimental Aid Post of the 1/4th Essex.

At this time, the RAP roster was:

• Lieutenant Pellow
• Sergeant Brand
• Corporal Teeder
• Corporal Taylor
• Lance-Corporal Hazle
• Private Reeve
• Private Beckett
• Private Herbert

The advice above--that you should apply for his service records--is very sensible. I'm very tied-up with work at the moment, but if you get in touch with all the information you have, I may be able to supply more.

Edit: You'll find a miscellany of 1/4th Essex material here:
Family Soldiers: 1/4th Essex (WW2) & 25 Field Regiment R.A.(Post-War)

 

Welcome aboard.

Your post is the only one with the Service No. and there is another Albert Herbert in a few posts.

If you use the tag for 1/4th Essex there are many threads to flesh out the battalion's history. The regimental history is in Charley Fortnum's library, so he might copy requested pages.

 

Thank you so much for the list.The few photos I have actually one of that group.I am going to Monte Cassino next Tuesday

 

I'd very much like to see the photos.

My grandfather was also with the battalion and Alamein and Cassino.

 

The only facts that I know are that he saved Ted Hazle's life twice in El Alamien & also that he Dad slipped on Hangman Hill & would of fell to his death but he managed to break his fall & his watch strap got caught on a branch.When he was cut free the watch obviously fell into the Ravine.It was poignant that the watch was originally a 21st. birthday present from his Mother
Only other service history I can find is a record of service form stamped in Perth Infrantry Record Office
Essex Regt. 15/1/40 - 1/11/45
HLI 2/11/45 - 13/9/46

 

We always recommend applying for a Service Record, it is the definitive account. Snags abound, as the MoD is transferring records to The National Archives and there is a long wait.

 

Roger.

I have Nutty Hazle’s Obituary but am out in Cassino at the moment guiding a group so will post it when I get home tomorrow.

Hangman’s Hill and the Castle were very dangerous places for stretcher bearers. If you ever want to see what 1/4 Essex did at Cassino then do get in touch using the Start a Conversation facility on here.

Regards

Frank

 

Hi Frank: I have Nutty's obituary & the info on my Father that I do have was supplied by word of mouth down the years.After a ten year gap after the war Dad & Ted met up & the two families have remained firm friends since.I am trying to piece together the route that Ted & Dad took from Cassino to the liberation at the monastry ruins along with any info on their previous service history together

 

Roger.

1/4 Essex were not at the liberation of the ruins on 18 May 44 - that treat went to 3 Carpathian Division from II (Polish) Corps in Apr 44.

At the time, 4 Ind Div were some way to the right holding ground which had previously been the responsibility of the French Expeditionary Corps.

Regards

Frank

 

I am led to believe that because they were stretcher bearers they were summoned forward once the Poles had triumphed to deal with any medical needs

 

Roger.

I have never seen that but Charley Fortnum might know - he is a whizz on 1/4 Essex.

1/4 Essex were too far away from Snakeshead Ridge to have been able to provide stretcher bearers - men that they needed themselves for where they were positioned.

Hopefully, Charley F can clear this up.

Regards

Frank

 

I don't have the dates to hand, but a party of 1/4th Essex men--volunteers, I think--returned to Cassino after the fourth battle to identify the dead that were still on the battlefield. This is the only thing I can think of that may, possibly, match the suggestion.

The sweetly garrulous Ken Bond discusses this in Reel 3 of his 1990 interview here: Bond, Kenneth Cyril (Oral history)

Edit: I could listen to him all day.

Edit: 18/6/44: the Commanding Officer, Second In Command, all rifle company commanders and 15 men per rifle company returned to Cassino.

 

James.

Thanks for that clarity and it makes absolute sense that they should return on 18 Jun 44 in search of their missing. I know that 1 R SUSSEX did the same thing on 2 Jul 44.

It would also have been sensible to send stretcher bearers in the party of 15 Other Ranks. I think that Roger’s father would have been part of the 18 Jun 44 group rather than immediately after the battle in support of 3 Carpathian Division.

Regards

Frank