Hi to all

Hi

I am researching my reletives past military history and decided to start with my dad uncle.

I have found out (thanks to this forum) where he was buried and when he was killed. Is it possible to find out about the actual fight?
Thankyou for the information made available.

Massicault War Cemetery

Guardsman LEONARD SYDNEY MELLISH 2719746, 1st Bn., Irish Guards who died age 23 on 27 April 1943
Son of John and Alice Mellish, of Wandsworth, London.
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. F. 20.


Regards
Andy Mellish

 

Hello Andy and welcome to the Forum from Canada.

There are several who are very knowledgable about the IG story. I am sure this will get a good response shortly.

Best wishes in your research.

cheers,
phil

 

Hi Andy

Welcome to the forum, wishing you well with your research.

Regards
Peter

 

Andy -
looks like your dad's uncle died at - or near -Djebel-Bou -Aoukaz which is in the Mejerda valley - or the Medjez el Bab plain as some would have it - it was a fair battle and the 1st batt.Irish Guards had just recently landed in Tunisia and so it was one of their first attacks - Kennealy won his V.C. a couple of days later - but for the full action - DBF is your best contact and I am sure that Dianne will give you verse and chapter of that action - she will be on soon I'm sure .
Cheers

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

Thanks for the welcomes and thanks for the information. I have found a newspaper clipping in a box of papers I have about what happened, but due to reporting restrictions, not much was said.

Im not to sure where to post this, but I am sure some one will tell me and a mod will move it

News clipping dated July 2, 1943

WANDSWORTH FAMILY BEREAVED

Son Killed In Action In North Africa

News has just been received of the death, in action, in North Africa, of Leonard Sydney Mellish (23), son of Mrs A. Mellish and the late J Mellish of 18 Sudlow Road, Wandworth.

Three years ago, Leonard joined a famous regiment, with the members of which he had been on active service ever since.

The following is an extract from a letter since received by Mrs Mellish from the Lient-Colonel commanding her late sons regiment.
"It is with deep regret I have to inform you that your son, Leonard Mellish, was killed in action on 27th April, 1943. His body was found and buried by his comrades.
"your son met a gallent end, taking part in a sucessful attack, which undoubtedly went far in bringing the campaingn in North Africa to a triumphant conclusion.
"I feel and hope you will find some little comfort in the knowledge that he should so bravely give his life in the service of others. No tribute can be too high for such self sacrifice. The regiment, with you, mourns his loss and his name will be held in high esteem."

Mrs Mellish and family wish through Wandsworth Borough news to express their thanks for the many letters of sympathy whisch they have received.

 

Andy -
after the Guards left Norway their next major move was to North Africa where they were with 1st Division and later with 6th Armoured - then back to 1st Div for Italy - you can follow them as they were in 24th Guards Brigade until they hit Trieste when they left that bde.

Cheers

 

Kia Ora, Andy!
:welcome_to_ww2talk:
Sorry I can't help you with your research, but good luck anyway!!!

Jess.

 

Welcome and enjoy !!!

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Hi

I am researching my reletives past military history and decided to start with my dad uncle.

I have found out (thanks to this forum) where he was buried and when he was killed. Is it possible to find out about the actual fight?
Thankyou for the information made available.

Massicault War Cemetery

Guardsman LEONARD SYDNEY MELLISH 2719746, 1st Bn., Irish Guards who died age 23 on 27 April 1943
Son of John and Alice Mellish, of Wandsworth, London.
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. F. 20.


Regards
Andy Mellish

Andy, welcome aboard. Dbf (Dianne) is certainly your person for IG's. She helped me with some reaserach for a fellow 1st Bn IG casualtity, and I have this small bit for you

In April 1940 the 1st Irish Guards deployed to Norway as part of 24th (Guards) Brigade. In May the Polish liner, now troopship 'Chobry' which was transporting the Brigade HQ and the 1st Irish Guards from another area of Norway to the northern town of Bodø, was hit by Heinkel He 111 bombers which killed many men, including the CO and Second-in-Command, as-well as losing all their heavy equipment. Fire began to engulf the ship and, considering the amount of ammunition onboard, a deadly and immense explosion seemed imminent. The men were rescued by escorting vessels.

Later that month the battalion did fight on land in Norway, seeing action Pothus, holding out against tough German opposition for two days until they were finally forced to withdraw due to being outflanked by the advancing Germans. The Brigade HQ and battalion were withdrawn by boat, though they left many behind. The men left behind managed to break out, reaching Allied lines later that day. The regiment was finally evacuated back to the UK with the rest of the expeditionary force in June.

In March 1943 the 1st Irish Guards, who had been based in the UK since 1940, landed at the North African country of Tunisia. The battalion fought in the Medjez Plain area, seeing action at Djebel bou Aoukaz, or 'Bou', during the bloody engagements to capture the area. Part of the area was took on the 27 April and further fighting carried on for a number of days with the Irish Guards suffering heavy casualties in the process.

During an action on the 28th March, Lance-Corporal Kenneally of the 1st Irish Guards, charged down the forward slope of the ridge that his own company was positioned alone, attacking the main body of a German company that was preparing to attack, firing his Bren gun as he did so, causing so much surprise and confusion that the Germans broke in disorder and began to retreat. The Lance Corporal returned to his position unharmed, firing his Bren on the Germans upon his return.

On the 30 April the Lance Corporal repeated his brave actions when, accompanied by a Sergeant of the RC, charged the enemy who were forming up to assault the same position that the Lance Corporal performed his daring feat. Both men charged the Germans, firing as they did so and inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans, which resulted in the routing of the German force. The two men began to return to their position but as they did so, Kenneally was hit in the thigh. This, however, did not stop him. He carried on fighting, refusing to relinquish his Bren gun and leave his position. Despite his wound he fought for the rest of the day and for his actions was awarded the Victoria Cross, the regiment's first of the war. On the 20th May 1943, sixty handpicked men of the Irish Guards were part of the 14,000 strong British contingents that took part in the victory parade in the capital Tunis.

If possible you might want to edit the title of the thread to include a reference to the IG's so that people like dbf will look through it

Phil

 

Thanks for the kind welcomes
Englandphil thanks for the information

 

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum, like others have said Miss D is the IG guru on here

Good luck
Andy

 

Welcome Andy.

 

Hi

I am researching my reletives past military history and decided to start with my dad uncle.

I have found out (thanks to this forum) where he was buried and when he was killed. Is it possible to find out about the actual fight?
Thankyou for the information made available.

Massicault War Cemetery

Guardsman LEONARD SYDNEY MELLISH 2719746, 1st Bn., Irish Guards who died age 23 on 27 April 1943
Son of John and Alice Mellish, of Wandsworth, London.
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. F. 20.


Regards
Andy Mellish

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum.

Had a nudge from another Andy on the forum here about your research, sorry for not replying sooner.

Just checked and according to the official casualty lists, your uncle is noted as Killed as opposed to Died of Wounds, so we can pinpoint the date on the cwgc record as the day to definitely check.

Please leave this with me, I'll get back to you with whatever I can find. If you don't mind, I'll tack it on to the end of this thread, so that I can keep 1bn info in same place. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/unit-documents/17665-irish-guards-1bn.html

In meantime, has anyone applied to Wellington Barracks for your uncle's service records?

Regards,
D

 

Andy,
Hello and welcome to the forum.

Regards
Tom

 

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum.

Had a nudge from another Andy on the forum here about your research, sorry for not replying sooner.

Just checked and according to the official casualty lists, your uncle is noted as Killed as opposed to Died of Wounds, so we can pinpoint the date on the cwgc record as the day to definitely check.

Please leave this with me, I'll get back to you with whatever I can find. If you don't mind, I'll tack it on to the end of this thread, so that I can keep 1bn info in same place. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/unit-documents/17665-irish-guards-1bn.html

In meantime, has anyone applied to Wellington Barracks for your uncle's service records?

Regards,
D

Hi D

Wow, you really are a fountain of knowledge.
I have only just decided to find out about our military history, so this forum was my first port of call. We have quite a history in our family, but I put this down to the war. My grandad was a colour sergent, my other grandad was in the merchant navy ( I have lots of info on him) and uncle Leonard's brother ( my other uncle) served in the same 1 BN IG. As far as I am aware, nobody has wrote to Wellington Barracks for the service records. How would I go about this?

Andy

 

Hi
You certainly have a lot of research to carry out with your family.

As to the records, you need to work out who in your family is next of kin. It seems from the record that your grand uncle was not married, but cwgc records rely on what was supplied to them. If he was and had children, widow and then children are deemed to be NOK. Consent from them would need to be sought before applying. If he had no offspring it goes back up the line and down again, basically - whoever is closest and still alive. If your granduncle has a living sibling .. or alternatively if your Dad or any of his siblings are alive, you would need the consent of any one of these in order to apply yourself.

Applications and enquiries should be addressed to Regtl Archivist, H.Q. Irish Guards, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ. There is a fee payable.

These service records are the main source of information about an individual are are worth any effort to obtain them.

Will post up some more information about background on the other thread.
Regards
D

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks for the huge welcome.