A friend is looking for information on this gentleman. He died 10/6/44 but it's not known how or where (exactly). Lance Corporal, PO/X2787 - does anyone know or is able to point me (and my pal) in the right direction? I can't afford Four Five so was hoping others had read it. I know where he hailed from - Dundee. Thank you.
Looking at Scotlandspeople.gov.uk he was born in the parish of Kilmadock in Stirlingshire. His death was reported in the newspaper Dundee Courier 22 Jun 1944. I can't make out all of the text. Dryburgh - Died of wounds during ? Lcpl A. C. Dryburgh, Royal air ?, 2nd son of Mrs & Mrs ? Dryburgh, 3 Annfield Row, Dundee. Deeply regretted.
Thank you. Son of Robert Davidson Dryburgh and Jean N. Dryburgh of Dundee. I'll try and locate the newspaper article.
Paper is available on Find My Past. Using the address to search, the Dundee Courier 23 Jun 44, page 2. Mr & Mrs R. Dryburgh, 3 Annfield Row, have been notified that their 2nd son L/cpl Alexander C. (24l) Royal Marine Commando has died of wounds. Formerly employed in shipyard, he enlisted when he was 17 and was wounded....
Eilleen, This is the cutting, Bryan Samian gives a good account of their actions from D-Day onwards in Commando Men, no mention of Marine Dryburgh's wounding though. Guy
Dryburgh is mentioned in the notes at the end of chapter 10 of this book (but no exact cause/place of death), which is available to partly read online. It also gives a brief account of 45 Commandos actions when dug in at Amfreville on 9/10th June 1944. Commando Medic - Doc Harden VC by Stephen J Snelling Commando Medic
Hi As I had only recently downloaded diaries for 40 Cdo for free on TNA discovery website I was going to point your there. 45 Commando | The National Archives However was surprised to find that 45 Cdo's diaries are currently not available for download. Weird. Gus
Thank you. I have Doc Harden's book and have met his daughter a couple of times. My mate also has it and mentioned the notes to me yesterday. It's somebody else who was asking him about Alexander … the 3 of us are now trying to find out more. I'm sure the answers will come to light at some stage. I'm drawn in because of the link to Dundee - I used to play in Dudhope Park (not far from his parent's house) when I was a lass. Mam was from Dundee.
Just wondering … I've been reading through No.4's actions on that day. Weren't they in the same vicinity on the 10th? I'll have to read more but dad (E Troop) was hammered by mortars etc that day - loads of casualties - I'm wondering what other units were in that area.
Looks like No 4 Commando were adjacent or very near to Four Five, as In Commando Medic it quotes the from the war diary of Four Five for the 10th June 1944: Between 0800 & 1100 Hrs the enemy began an attack on our lines but was driven off. 45 RM Cdo suffered no casualties, but helped inflict severe casualties on the enemy. By 1100 the enemy had moved round to No 4 Cdo position.
Yes, dad's E Troop were eventually able to get some respite for a little while. That's the bit I'd been reading but it didn't say who relieved them. Alexander may have been wounded on a previous day and died on the 10th. Thank you. I was trying to find the last page I'd been reading … not managed it yet but the first page I clicked on was April, 45, and dad's 2 Troop were on a patrol and saw a group of the enemy out in the open … 'several casualties were observed' … oh heck, I think I'm about to get hooked again.
As you say if died of wounds on 10th June he could have been wounded in the previous days. Good luck with that lockdown reading.
