Looking for More Info - 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry, Escoville, Apr 1944

Hello,
I've been working on this one for years and slowly I get further and further, but have hit a wall recently and am looking for assistance please.

Back in the 2010s we 'rediscovered' my mother's cousin who fought and died in Normandy. He had no children and since his brother passed away, he and his history became lost to the rest of the family. I've been on a quest to discover as much information about my mother's 2nd cousin, Sgt John ("Jackie") Lloyd James. We've since found that he was buried in Ranville and was a professional soldier in the Welch regiment before the outbreak of WW2.

He fought with the 2nd DY in Normandy. I've had great assistance from the resources on the Mad Recce site and the website owner John did help shed some light on my relative's history.

John was transferred into the Yeomanry from the Welsh regiment sometime in 1943 on the 2nd DY's return from North Africa. He died at Escoville on 16th June 1944 and was part of C sqn, No.5 Troop under the command of Lt. J B Milne.

Using war diaries, Kew archives and further research services (including a really useful map by Lt. G Richards) I have managed to piece together the battle that led to John's death and subsequent burial in Ranville cemetery.

From the map and the war diaries I can be certain the John was at least wounded on the morning of 16th June on the road heading North from Escoville church, opposite the chateau orchards. John was wounded along with Lt. Milne and L-Sgt John Alfred Bunting, I understand Lt. Milne was wounded whilst L-Sgt Bunting was taken prisoner.

All I know is that L-Sgt Bunting and Trp Harry Sneddon were taken prisoner whilst assisting John and I am posting here to ask please, whether anyone may have any information from L-Sgt Bunting or Trp Harry Sneddon or their relatives, who may know more about what may have happened to John following his wounding?

The only photo I have of John Lloyd is a grainy newspaper cutting (postage stamp size) of a photo of him from 1944 and in a long shot, if anyone may have any photos of C sqn, 2nd DY I'd be grateful to know.

Thanks to everyone who reads this. I know it's a long shot, but I thought I'd try the forums.

 

Added for reference https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2343004/john-lloyd-james/ His number appeared in a 2009 thread listing Recce Corps details and nowhere else.

Neither John Alfred Bunting or Harry Sneddon have appeared here before your post and both are NT on the CWGC.

Both of them were Mentioned in Dispatches (no date). From: https://madrecce.org/honours-won/ In theory the commendation can be found in The National Archives, but it is not an easy task.

The genealogy site I use can identify a John Alfred Bunting, of Chesterfield, died 18/1/1958. Alas unable to get his DoB. Too many John Buntings born in the county inter-war.

TNA to the rescue with his POW Card! DoB 27/6/1919 @ Chesterfield, Service Number 7905816 (with RAC, not his regiment), Date of Capture: 16 June 1944 in France and held in Camp Name/Number: Stalag XIIA Limburg and PoW number: 82023.

This record has not been digitised. See: Name: John Alfred Bunting . Date of Birth: 27 June 1919 . Place of Birth:... | The National Archives

Note there is no Service Record displayed for Bunting and Sneddon, that can mean it is the process of being transferred from the MoD to TNA or is being processed by the TNA. You could ask where it is.

We always recommend applying for the subject's full service record. Yes, it may take a year to arrive - either from the MoD or National Archives (TNA). It is not available online and is the definitive record. There is nothing you can do about the wait. The records were never intended to be read today. See: Get a copy of military records of service

See Post 794 with the above details and a local press report him being captured, with a photo in: https://ww2talk.com/index.php?threa...ed-wounded-missing.82955/page-40#post-1015530

Perhaps a search on the British Newspaper Archive (BNA) would help? The BNA is available in most public libraries free, in-person.

Nothing online readily found.

 

@davidbfpo
Thanks very much for searching for this for me, it is much appreciated and the info you have provided above may help in the future. It's been a long game finding info on John L James so far and no doubt, it's got a long way to go.

 

Derbyshire Times 18th August 1944



Derbyshire Times 22nd August 1941