War Diary, 1/5 Queens Royal Regt - Normandy

Hi,

Whilst transcribing this war diary I have come across the following anomaly:

16 June 1944 T742614
Extensive patrols by all Coys during day met considerable enemy opposn on our front.
At 1610 hrs strong enemy patrol, with tk tries to infiltrate at 750616 thro’ “A” Coy who ask for D.F.
At 1820 hrs enemy infiltration at “B” Coy, 747618.
At 1900 hrs enemy patrols move to our flanks.
Maj. Barrett and 4 x O.Rs killed.
3 offrs (Lt F. Howell, Lt R. McEwan, Lt F. Whitehouse) and 11 O.Rs wounded. 3 x O.R. missing.
Capt. D. Grant apptd A/major and O.C. “C” Coy.

Which made me think that Maj. Barrett must have been OC of "C" Coy originally.

Strangely, though, the Strength Return records Maj. Barrett as having "Quitted during the week ending 24 June 1944" but then his name is crossed out and replaced by T/Major R. Elliott (noted as KIA on 19 Jun) who is recorded on CWGC website as being killed on 19 June 1944].

Major Elliott's death is recorded in the war diary for 19 June 1944.

So what happended to Major Barrett, who I couldn't find in the CWGC Website?

Very confusing - any ideas would be gratefully received.

Regards

Tom

 

An easy answer (now I've found it): it's Maj Borrett. He was indeed OC C Coy and, as the history records, had been with the battalion since Alamein.

 

I found this entry in the 'Deaths and Obituaries' section of the following site:

Borret, A.C., Mr - Obituary of Mr A.C. Borret of The Queen's Royal Regiment, in The QRSRNL, Nov 1969 p!4.

http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/death_obituaries/do_b.shtml

Edit: I have just sneaked the time to check the CWGC on Geoff's search engine and it looks like Maj. ACJ Borrett was indeed KIA on 16 June 1944.

BORRETT, ALLEN COTTON JAMES
Rank: Major
Service No: 138677
Date of Death: 16/06/1944
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), 1/5th Bn.
Grave Reference: X. B. 26.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Allen Cotton Borrett and Lucy Evelyn Fawcus Borrett, of Southbourne, Bournemouth, Hampshire.

Best,

Steve.

 

Gents,

Many thanks for that. I clearly need to get better glasses. Although to be fair the crossed out Barrett in the "Quitted during the week" was what really confused me. Having just thought a bit more about it though, perhaps having been killed on 16 June his loss would have been recorded on the previous Field Return.



Regards

Tom

 

Perhaps the A C Borrett of the obituary was father of A C J and had some link to the regiment (though I'd have expected a rank if he was a former officer).

 

Hi Tom , would it be possible to have a transcript of this diary please? as my Dad was there in the 1/5 . I have photos of them but I find them very hard to read, many thanks Clive.

 

Hello
I am writing about the RMO of 1/5 Queens at Alamein. Would you know if he is mentioned in the war diary. I have his MC citation.
Many thanks
Stephen Keoghane

 

Hi Stephen,

The 1944 war diary records a Captain H.D. Moore as the 1/5 Queen's RMO in Normandy. He joined the Regt on 3 March 1944.

Sorry, I haven't got their war diary for 1942.

Regards

Tom

 

I guess it’s missing as not featured in the excellent Royal Surrey Regt website.
Macrae the RMO who left the U.K. for California after the war.
It intrigues me that RMOs don’t feature in formal histories.

 

Hi Stephen,

There's a copy at the UK National Archives in Kew:

Browse records of other archives | The National Archives

Maybe not that of the Queen's but I'm pretty certain they are mentioned in other regimental histories. I'd guess that as he wasn't a regimental officer they might not have had a copy of his MC citation in the regimental archives. Are you sure your chap stayed with the Regiment until March 1944? He may not have been with them for that long, the battalion may have suffered significant officer casualties after Alamein, etc.

Regards

Tom