help 5th btn blackwatch france

puddlechucker · #1 (**permalink**) February 18th, 2008, 02:12 PM

Hello all I am new to this so I hope I am in the right place.
I am researching my wifes family and found her uncle Thomas Jenkinson private 14429835 died in France ON 11/6/1944 he served in the Blackwatch 5th btn. I believe that they landed on Juno beach, and I would like to gain more information if possible as to any of their movements around the date of his death.
any help would be appreciated

thanks in advance

Terry Damen

B-17engineer · #2 (**permalink**) February 18th, 2008, 02:28 PM

Hmmmm, Ill see what I can do

BBC - WW2 People's War - Army: The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) - 7th Battalion

List of Allied forces in the Normandy Campaign - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gov-Records, Unlimited Public Record Searches

Those have some info. I can't seem to find anything. Do you have the name of a town? That could help a lot

puddlechucker · #3 (**permalink**) February 18th, 2008, 02:53 PM

Sorry no town name he is buried in Ranville war cemetery if that helps
thanks for the links

terry

Von Poop · #4 (**permalink**) February 18th, 2008, 03:58 PM

Name:JENKINSON, THOMAS
Initials:T
Nationality:United Kingdom
Rank:Private
Regiment/Service:Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text:5th Bn.
Age:19
Date of Death:11/06/1944
Service No:14429835
Additional information:Son of John and Annie Jenkinson, of Halsall, Lancashire.
Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadGrave/Memorial Reference:VA. M. 4.
Cemetery:RANVILLE WAR CEMETERY

The 5th battalion were heavily engaged around Breville at that time as part of the 51st Highland Division. This entry from the 5th Para Brigade War diary may have some relevance, I can't yet find an online war diary of the 5th Black Watch. Though there are those that visit here that I suspect have a Regimental history.
Brigade Headquarters, 5th Parachute Brigade

Quote:

1600 - 2 Coys 7 Para Bn supported by sqn Sherman tks & covering fire of 13 Para Bn attack Le MARIQUET and mop up enemy on DZ. Heavy casualties inflicted on enemy and many PW taken. Est total of enemy cas for day 300 dead 70 PW. 153 Bde 51 Div passes through Bde area and occupy area TOUFFREVILLE. BREVILLE heavily shelled during night.

11th June 1944
0740 - Attack by 5 BLACK WATCH on BREVILLE fails. BREVILLE becoming enemy strongpoint. Day quiet except for spasmodic mortaring from area BREVILLE. 12 Para Bn relieve 4 Cdo during night in area HAUGER and come under comd 1 SS Bde. Chester WILMOTT and Leonard MOSELY, war correspondents with 6 Airborne Div leave for ENGLAND.

And this:
Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway

Quote:

On the 11th June, the 5th Black Watch mounted their ill-fated attack on Bréville. Following their repulse, Lieutenant-Colonel Otway helped to organise the survivors into defensive positions around the Chateau St Côme, as instructed by Brigadier Hill. He said to their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomson, "I want you to take up position on the far side of the Chateau to the north and north-east. If any attack comes up that way I'll leave it to you."

On the following day the whole of the 3rd Parachute Brigade's position was violently attacked and the first blows fell upon the 5th Black Watch. Gradually the assault began to win ground and the Highlanders fell back into the 9th Battalion's area. Otway was deeply concerned about the stability of his position and so contacted Brigadier Hill to request his assistance. "I rang up to report that we were low on ammunition. We were running out of mortar bombs. That was one of the factors, but the most important thing was that if the Black Watch went back through me, what was I going to do?" Hill organised and personally led the sixty men of the 1st Canadian Battalion's "C" Company to the 9th Battalion's area, and they did much to break up the attack.

Good luck,
Adam.

Jaeger · #5 (**permalink**) February 18th, 2008, 08:50 PM

The 153rd Brigade was the first of the 51st brigades to land in France. It landed on D-Day and was intended to be used as a "fire brigade" for I Corps. With the firce attack of 21st Panzer, reeinforcement for the attacking formations was given priority. 153rd Brig. (temporary) under Lt.Col. 'Chick' Thompson deployed the three battalions of the brigade (1st and 5/7th Gordons and the 5th BW) in 'close proximity to eachother' in the woods and went to the HQ of a brigade of the 3rd Canadian Division. They required no help, so the brigade was not comitted on D-Day.

On the morning of D+1 the situation had changed. Divisional commander Bullen-Smith came with orders from HQ I Corps that a radar station at Douvres la Delivande was to be taken. A small garison was said to be there. Thompson took the 5th BW and two AVRE of the Royal engeneers to do the job. The 5th BW was soon in action in the woods on the road to Douvres, but it was a group of Canadians. (Thompson was told that the Canadians were south of the wood) The matter was sorted out before any casualties happened. When the BW left the wood they found a large open space before the mission objective. The small garrison was not so small after all and both AVRE's were knocked out by AT guns. Thompson received orders to leave the matter to the royal navy and move towards Pegasus Bridge. There the Brigade was brought under temporary command of 6th Airborne Div.

The Brigade was assigned to a number of tasks, but in battalion size. Fighting in platoon, company, battalion and brigade level, but not as a division ensued till the end of July. This scrappy fighting was not welcomed by the Highlanders. 5th BW was to march on Breville, 5/7th Gordons at Touffreville and 1st Gordons in an area dubbed 'the triangle'. (east of the road running from Herouville to Troan.

The march on Breville was a nightmare. A Company was all but annihilated when concealed MGs opened up from ditches. Every man in the front platoon was killed and, 'every man in that platoon died with his face to the enemy'.

The CO ordered his men to occupy the Breville chateau some 800 yards south of the village. The germans were not willing ot let the Highlanders occupy the chateau and bombarded the chateau and grounds surrounding it before making a frontal attack. This time it was the germans who were slaughtered. 'the attackers were killed literally by the hundred'. The germans retreated, having taken a few highlanders from one of the flanks as prisoners. Instead of taking them to a prison camp they were put against a wall and shot. One soldier feigned death and returned to the battalion. The Highlanders were shocked at this news, as they were used by chivalry and respect from the germans they fought against in the desert. The men of the 5th BW did not return the favour on their german prisoners, but honored the tradition of giving them a cigarette.

Sources:
NA Kew WO171/678, 673, 680, 1263, 678, 1266, 1299. war diary 153 BW and Gordon bde 1944.

None the Bolder, Richard Doherty