Driver Rowland Thompson Marshall 50th Division Signals

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Maybole1599, Jul 9, 2014.

  1. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    Hi All,

    I have only recently begun to research WW2, having been concerned with WW1 for a number of years.

    My wife's grandfather was Driver Rowland Thompson Marshall of the 50th Division Signals who was killed in the retreat from Mersa Matruh at the end of June 1942.

    I joined this forum to find out more about him. I am doing this for his daughter my mother in law who has only just started to come to terms with the death of her father. She is in her 80s. Rowland was from Darlington.

    I know that at the time of his death Rowland was the driver of Colonel J.E.S. Percy, then commander of the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. The 8th and 9th battalions of the DLI were the remains of the 151st Brigade who were mostly lost in the 'Gazala Gallop'. The 9th were almost all killed or captured at Mersa Matruh. I know where his grave is - at Alamein CWGC.

    I believe he was at Dunkirk with the Signals but would like confirmation if it was possible. I would like to know exactly when he became attached to the DLI. I would like to know where Colonel Percy (and Rowland) were at the time of the retreat from Mersa, when his unit virtually ceased to exist. I know he survived.

    I have found the Signals war diary on this site - thanks very much to the person who posted that.

    Any information would be gratefully received and you would make his daughter a very happy lady indeed.

    I am also interested in information anyone might have on my great uncle Captain John Kennedy who survived the Chindits. He was in Dah Force, which took part in Operation Thursday in 1944. I don't know what happened to Dah Force after May 1944 when they were up near the Chinese border working with SOE who were led by a Burmese Captain Shan Lone.

    Thanks in advance

    Maybole
     
  2. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum, Maybole.

    Have you seen this thread: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/24926/-a-brief-history-to-50th-divisional-signals-in-ww2/?hl=2B50th+2Bdivision+2Bsignals

    One of the main contributors to that thread 'a well camel' is the handle for Mel Junior. Mel Senior served with 50 Div Signals throughout WWII, is also from Darlington and may have known your wife's grandfather. Mel Senior was still very much alive last time Mel Junior was on this site about 13 months ago. If you would like to contact Mel Junior to see if Mel Senior can assist I will try to arrange that for you, either, via this site or via where he works...

    There is also another member of this forum that looks after the 50 Div Signals Museum and I will try to rustle up his contact details for you.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  3. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    Hi Steve,

    Thanks very much for your speedy response. I have been reading that thread and it is fascinating.

    I would be most grateful if you could pass word on to those gentlemen you mentioned.

    Whereabouts is the 50th Division Signals Museum ? We would love to go. We will be going to the DLI museum soon as he was so closely associated with that regiment.

    We were in Darlington a couple of weeks ago with my wife's parents to mark the date of Rowland's passing (29.6.1942). He didn't have to go to war because he was a farmer, but he chose to go and lay down his life for the cause of freedom. His widow never remarried. She used to be a conductor on the Darlington trams during the war and used to have to go up that big tower in the centre of Darlington to hand over the takings every night.

    We are assembling a set of medals at the moment (his late widow doesn't seem to have received his medals) to give to my mother in law. We are really hoping to come across a photo of him somewhere, because there is only one known to exist and it resides abroad with another branch of the family.

    Thanks again for your offer of help which is greatly appreciated.

    Cheers,

    Maybole
     
  4. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    SignalsJimmy is your man, Maybole.

    Here is a link to his forum profile: http://ww2talk.com/forums/user/31094-signalsjimmy/

    I understand that the 50 Div Signals Museum is in Darlington...

    Jimmy has not been on the forum for 18 months. Why don't you send both Mel Junior and Jimmy a PM (Private Message) and see if you get a response. If you don't get a response from Mel let me know and I will contact him personally.

    Jos Percy recieved a DSO for his achievements during the Gazala Gallop and was promoted to Brigadier, taking command of the 151st Infantry Brigade - 6th, 8th and 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry - thereafter. There is no mention of his driver in the 9th Bn's history - 'The Gateshead Gurkhas' (Moses) and I therefore wondered if Jos Percy left any memoirs that may refer? I will look this up over the next few days and revert.

    On a separate matter, what is your connection with Maybole? That's where some of my Scottish roots are...even though I am English.

    Also, noticing that you are located in Cheshire, did you know that the 2nd Bn Cheshire Regiment, was the Machine Gun Battalion of 50 Div at this time?

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  5. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    Hi Steve,

    My surname is Kennedy and I (partly) descend from the old Scottish Kennedy family who had their centre of power in Maybole. An interesting bunch. I do a blog about them...
    http://maybole1599.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/trip-to-lands-of-kennedys-2012.html

    My family's roots are in the West Midlands and Southern Scotland.

    On the excellent IWM site I have listened to an audio of an old DLI officer from the 8th battalion who had some interesting things to say about Colonel Percy. Didn't mention his driver.
    http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010182

    Colonel Percy wrote to Rowland's widow after he died. That is how we knew the connection.

    Thanks for the pointers. I messaged Jimmy about Rowland a few days ago and shall await his answer.

    We will be in Darlington and Durham at the weekend and I look forward to seeing the museums.

    Thanks again,

    Tim (Maybole1599)
     
  6. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Tim,

    My lot are MacDonald of Clanranald and they were centred on Moidart, just to the west of Fort William. There are more than a few in Ayrshire too.

    I can't access the Major Harry Sell interview, which is a pity. In the covering written narrative it mentions Gosforth, which is where I was born, the fact that he started his military career in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, then serving with the Durhams probably on being Commissioned. Right up my street, as the saying goes. I don't know if he mentioned this in his interviews, but he won an MC and an MiD in the Western Desert.

    Mersa Matruh was all but over on the 27 June 1942 and the 151st Infantry Brigade were heading for Fuka, but unknown to them Fuka was already in enemy hands. Although some of the troops were successfully diverted away from Fuka, others weren't. This is how and when a lot of the Durhams became PoW. Major Sell was captured at Fuka on the day Rowland was killed. I wouldn't be surprised if the place of Rowland's demise was somewhere in the vicinity of Fuka, rather than Mersa Matruh.

    Enjoy your trip to County Durham. I hope it is successful. Rowland had a Royal Signals service number (per his CWGC certificate) and I would hope that the 50 Div Signals Museum can give you some assistance.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  7. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    Hi Steve,

    I have had a couple of messages from Mel Jnr and he has been very helpful as have you. Thanks very much again for this useful information and your assistance.

    Moidart is a beautiful part of Scotland.

    The Harry Sell interview works for me when I click the white triangle, though you have to wait a minute and put up with a long rather piercing beep. Harry tells absolutely all about his life and the 151st.

    When I have written this all up I will post it here or at least leave a link to it.

    Best wishes,

    Tim (Maybole)
     
  8. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    To update this post,I have found the collection of reminiscences of 50 Div Signals on this site (A Brief History to 50th Divisional Signals in WW2) and found that the officer he was driving was Col Percival of 50 Div Signals not Col Percy of the DLI. In amongst it I found the Colonel's recollection of Rowland's death, and a great commendation of Rowland.
    Thanks everyone for their fabulous help, Rowland's family are delighted. O:)
    Tim (Maybole)
     
  9. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Tim,

    That's the link I posted at Message # 2, which doesn't appear to be working pesently.

    I saw no mention of Rowland in the War Diary and forgot all about the recollections at the end of the thread. A good entry for Rowland at Message # 142 in that thread/link; great result.

    Look forward to your write-up...

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  10. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    Thanks again.

    The DLI Museum is a fine modern building in a lovely peaceful setting, we found our visit immensely moving.

    Tim
     
  11. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    I have posted some photos of Rowland to the Gallery belonging to my wife's cousin. Sadly they are small and somewhat faded, but that is all there is as far as we know.

    Maybole
     
  12. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    That puts a face to the name of someone who sacrificed his all for his country.

    RIP. Driver RT Marshall, 50 Div Signals.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  13. Maybole1599

    Maybole1599 Member

    I would like to thank Mel Jnr, Mel Snr, Steve Mac, Signals Jimmy, and everyone else who has contributed a word on 50 Div Signals here on this site, for all that they have done to help me give Rowland's daughter (my mother in law) the story of how and why she lost her Dad. We produced a folder containing his story as far as I can glean from this site and from some books that I got hold of. Even though I am still waiting for the MOD information to come, I had enough to give her a massive amount of information. We bought the medals he was entitled to, and framed them, along with a 50 Div patch and a RCS "Jimmy" badge. She is over the moon.

    It's been a wonderful experience. This site is brilliant.

    Cheers everyone,

    Tim
     

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