917356 Gunner Sidney Alonzo BALL, Royal Artillery & 1 Commando: 06/12/1942

Hi, I am looking find out about Sidney Alonzo Ball who died on the 6th of December 1942 in Bizerte,Tunisia.




In searching for information came across an website - ARMY CDOS - Ball, Sydney Alonso which records his unit as "1 Commando" this is also referred to on the CWGC website.
I am looking for a date of enlistment and an explanation of how the Royal Artillery ties in with 1 Commando, any information will be very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Lexus

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2541375/sydney-alonso-ball/
GUNNER SYDNEY ALONSO BALL
Service Number: 917356
Regiment & Unit: Royal Artillery
Secondary Unit: No. 1 Commando
Date of Death: 06 December 1942
Age 32 years old
Buried or commemorated at MEDJEZ-EL-BAB MEMORIAL
Memorial Reference: Face 6.
Location: Tunisia
Additional Info Son of Ernest and Alice Ball; husband of Freda Evelyn Ball, of Luton, Bedfordshire.

 

917356 Gnr. Sidney Alonzo Ball.
He appears to have attested in 1939.
He volunteered to serve as a Commando, but his parent unit remained Royal Artillery.



It would appear that he drowned in the operation at Bizerte,Tunisia.


Hope this Helps.

 

Yes the "go to" reference site: Army Number Search shows him originally enlisting in the RA.

You could try reading through this thread to identify his date of enlistment: Army Number Block Allocations If you get Gelert, a member can help.

CWGC adds little: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2541375/sydney-alonso-ball/ Except he commemorated, not buried, on a memorial in Tunisia. On 6/12/1942. Sometimes searching the CWGC for others from his unit around or on the date of death can identify more deaths - some of which might have been researched.

In WW2 there were the Royal Marine (RM) Commandos and Army Commandos. Caveat: not my focus.

If you search online with: "1 Commando" site:ww2talk.com that will identify a number of threads. It appears he is likely to have been killed in a raid near Bizerte, launched 30/11/1942. Hopefully 1 Commando Raid near Bizerte will give you an answer!

 

He's also listed on the 1 Commando Nominal Roll.

 

From here? No 1 Commando Nominal A - C | ͏

 

Quite an extensive family tree entry on Ancestry including this photograph.



Kyle

 

Many thanks to everybody who responded to this post, it is very much appreciated.

Thank you

Lexus

 

Many thanks David, I have two questions, 1 - do you have any record re his 1939 attestation, 2 - what is the source of the first image, the date is clear but the text before while legible has got me stumped.

Thank you,

Lexus

 

Hi Lexus,
I have already given you his 1939 record of attestation.
The source of this record is:-
Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942.



A 1939 book of block numbers 917000-917999.
Sadly, this book does not provide dates of enlistment.

His army service record is his record of attestation, which provides his date of enlistment.

Royal Artillery Tracer Cards provide enlistment dates, but Gnr. Ball doesn't seem to have one.

Fortunately, the Royal Engineers do provide the enlistment dates for transfers-in.

917302 Gnr. Thomas Henderson 04.05.1939
917356 Gnr. Sidney Alonzo Ball ????
917361 Gnr. George William A. Godward 26.04.1939
917375 Gnr. David Grimwood 05.05.1939

These provide an approximate date for 917356 Gnr. Sidney Alonzo Ball.

I do not know what Casualty 'L' Category 'C' means. Suspect it relates to his Commando service?

Once again, hope this Helps.

 

I think in this case that "Cat C" might refer to the level of info the Casualty Branch were able to collect in order to declare him a fatality. The lack of place of death, presumption of KIA, no identified body, would make me believe it applies here.

See link, (with post 17 there showing actual Cas. Br. instructions)

• Casualty (fatality) categories : 'Cat C' ...

'Cas L' could be just be a ref to Casualty List ?

 

Hi David,
Many thanks for that update, it is very much apreciated.
Lexus

Apologies David, I didn't recognise it for what it is
Thanks again

 

Gunner Ball worked at Vauxhall Motors before the war and is remembered on their Luton Memorial.
Vauxhall Motors Limited | War Imperial War Museums

I found a newspaper report about him being missing in action which I have uploaded to the existing entry for him in the Commando Veterans Archive ROH and can be read here:
BALL, S.A. (No.1 Cdo), newspaper report missing in action | ͏Commando Veterans Archive

The photo from Ancestry is an interesting one as it is also one I entered in the Commando Veterans Archive photo gallery some years with only one person positively identified and provided by his family. The person identified is Sergeant Thomas Frank Durrant VC who served in the Royal Engineers and No.1 Commando and was killed during the St Nazaire Raid (Operation Chariot). You will find it on the 3rd row down on this page:
Sergeant Thomas Frank Durrant VC / Commando Veterans Archive.

 

Hello Pete,
Can you identify Thomas Durrant, the image I am looking at came from an Ancestry tree managed by victorball_1 and has evidently been cropped although it does point to the guy top right who I am assuming is Sidney Ball. I have left a message on Ancestry asking for clarification and will update you if anything comes of it.
Thanks
Lexus

 

Hi Lexus

Tom Durrant is definitely the bottom man on his own. I would appreciate any details you get from the person who posted it. Thanks.

 

Hi Pete, The guy top right is Sidney Alonzo Ball, Victor Ball has confirmed that he took it from the original in the possession of his granddaughter, the cropped text is "Grandad". I hope to be able to get more information about Sidney Ball shortly. Are you related to Tom Durrant?
Cheers,
Lexus

 

Thanks. I have sent you a private message.