PO/X101978 Sgt. Timothy Roland BISHOP, 48 RM Commando: 06/06/1944

Hi Everyone,
Can anyone help please?

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2714399/timothy-roland-bishop/
COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
Sergeant
TIMOTHY ROLAND BISHOP
Service Number: PO/X101978
Regiment & Unit/Ship - Royal Marines - No. 48 R.M. Commando
Date of Death - Died 06 June 1944
Age 20 years old
Buried or commemorated at - DOSTHILL (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Headstone Placeholder
Country of Service - United Kingdom
Additional Info - Son of Timothy Smith Bishop and Mildred Gladys Bishop, of Dosthill. N W. corner.
Personal Inscription
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

48 (Royal Marine) Commando, part of 4 Special Service Brigade, embarked from Warsash on the afternoon of 5 June 1944 and landed on the morning of D-Day on Juno Beach near Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer.

They were tasked with taking the enemy strong point at Langrune-sur-Mer.

Some men from Y and Z Troop were drowned when the landing craft they were on got caught on beach obstacles and they were unable to get close to shore so they attempted to swim instead.

Once ashore, 48 Commando proceeded to Langrune-sur-Mer which was eventually liberated after heavy fighting and severe losses.

MEMORIAL LOCATION: Column 1

This man was buried in England in his home town, but he died on the 6th of June and I am presuming that he was one of the men who died disembarking from the landing craft, but could he have been picked up and brought back to Blighty?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance, Mavis Williams

 

Hello Mavis,

He never died in France if he had he would have remained there .No dead were brought home . Possibly wounded and fetched home dying of wounds later on the 6th June ?

Tamworth Herald 17 June 1944
THE LATE SERGT. T. R. BISHOP.
THE LATE SERGT. T. R. BISHOP. ; Funeral with Military Honours at Dosthill wide circle of friends at Dosthill and Tamworth heard with deep regret of the death in the service of his country of Sergeant Timothy Roland Bishop, Royal Marines.

1. Died on War Service location France (?) Died on War Service doesn`t seem to distinguish between Killed in Action or Died of Wounds .



Kyle

 

As Kyle says above

SGT Timothy Roland Bishop (1923-1944) - Find a...

 

Mavis,

Searched for his Service No. nowt and his name appears in thread devoted to RM casualties on D-Day. It gives some of the context that day: Royal Navy/Royal Marine Casualties on D-Day (6/6/44)

Again for context some B&W footage of the Canadians landing on the same beach: Found via: D-Day Footage

First hand account of that day by his unit's C.O. in Post 5: Accounts of Juno Beach, D-Day

 

Exactly what I thought Kyle, but the impression is given that he died in France and was buried in England, with full Military Honours. The Died on War Service Report book shows the different causes of Death on the front of the book. It doesn' differentiate between Killed in Action or Died of Wounds, as you say.

CL1 I found the Bio that Sharon had written too and the distinct impression was that he died in France. The only way he could be buried in Britain was if he died here, or was brought home before he died as K, but I cannot find him on the GRO Online Indexes or on Free BMD, which I know is not complete.

david bfpo thank you for your links, they are very interesting I could be here all day reading them, they are wonderful! It seems that Timothy was not the only on buried in the UK. This list tells me that he and Harold Ty Simpson died of wounds and the other man Joseph T. Larkin was 'Killed in Action.' So that adds to the story of why he was in England, but I would love to know the circumstances. The Video was wonderful too, felt I was there on the day, it must have been terrifying. Thank you so much.

This newspaper cutting shows he was well thought of by his pals. They could have been from home and not his military pals though.

As usual, you have not let me down, I am learning so much from you all.

Mavis

 

Maybe similar circumstances to the RE soldiers buried in DOVER but the fact that he ended back in his home town suggests (to me at least ) he died of wounds in a hospital . He was buried on the 12th June 1944 six days later ? Would they keep a body six days in war time ? (I know of the old saying dead and buried in a week but..wartime) Perhaps an enquiry to the CWGC quoting their policy in WW2 and providing them with your findings for their explanation ?
Killed in Action D-Day, buried in Dover?

Kyle

 

Thank you Kyle,
That's a thought, perhaps they will be able to answer this one. I wouldn't think they would keep a body so long, unless there was a problem identifying him, unable to notify the relatives for a few days, plus the journey up to Tamworth, going through all the parishes, which would have cost a lot. I understand that they had to pay as they past through each parish or county. I seem to remember from years ago, but I don't know if this was true. Perhaps it was then.

Mavis

 

I have sent a request for an answer, if they have one, so will let you know Kyle. Thanks, Mavis

 

Hi
Sergeant Bishop is listed as “Died of Wounds” in the book “Invasion, The Royal Marines and the Battle for Normandy, 1944 by George Gelder”.

He could have been one of the Marines that came back on an LCT after being picked up from their sinking LCI(S).

From the War Diary.
“He found Y Tp attempting to get ashore from an LCT to which they had transferred from their LCI. Lieut. Fouche was already ashore and he was ordered to pass men along to the right as they came ashore, but he was hit almost immediately by mortar fragments and seriously wounded; his orderly was killed. However, the landing of Y Tp was very slow and few men managed to get ashore before the LCT (as was later discovered) shoved off, taking with her about 50 men of the Cdo to England despite their energetic protests.”

The IWM has this document which might have some information in it. Unfortunately it is not online.

48 Royal Marine Commando Register Of Wartime Deaths, 1944-45
Creator - 48 Royal Marine Commando (Author) Linnell, T.G. (Author) Production date - 1994
Dimensions - whole: Dimensions: 21x30cm., Pagination: 10p. plans
Catalogue number - LBY K. 94 / 1411

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1500037495

Regards

Danny

 

Hi,
After posting the above I had a look at some documents, something I should have done to start off with, and found the attached.

Sergeant Bishop was killed while on the LCT and was returned to the UK.

As has been said this did not usually happen. Normally those killed on landing craft were buried at sea on the return journey.

Also attached is the burial procedure in place at the time.

Regards

Danny

 

Well Danny, Thank you so much, I am stunned by your research and sharing it with the Forum, I am so grateful, as it has explained the question of what happened to Timothy, bless him.

Thank you so much again, Mavis