merville battery query

Is it possible to find out if there is a list somewhere,detailing names of those who went into the merville battery on d-day in gliders ?? Did Lt Col Otway use RUR glidertroops at merville or were they all paras in gliders ??? Any advice or info appreciated.......goz.

 

I think they were all paratroopers.....I seem to recall there being a few names in 'The Day the Devils Dropped In' by Neil Barber......perhaps another member has a copy they could look in.....

I do think one of the glider pilots who failed to make it was Joe Macchie who sadly died only a few months ago......

 

9 para jumped in less A company who went in by glider as a coup de main on the battery, attached were elements from 591 sqdrn R.E. and 224 para field ambulance no members of R.U.R. took part as such but the c.o. Terance ottaway, and a number of others had come from the rifles when 9 para was formed. As airborne medic said see neil barbers, excellent the day the devils dropped in also big drop by john golley or go to www. pegasusarchive.org

 

Tks for the replies people. I have read the pegasusarchive numerous times, an excellent read. I thought that if I could find the names and some had come from the RUR possibly? one might be the wife's late father. Too be honest what started out as an innocent question from me 5 years ago regarding the badges and airborne stripes on her dads medal case as had me ringing museums, all over the country. Wife's dad joined the 1st RUR in 1942 and stayed with them until he was injured 16th June 44. Thats what we thought until the curator of the museum in belfast told us he had been made sgt April/May 44 and had transferred to 2nd echelon 21st army group. (I thought he was already part of that ) however they insist he moved possibly to group HQ ?? or somewhere else, I do know he defo went in on Dday, after reading that Otway had transferred April 44 to 9para I wondered if he had taken some lads with him. The wifes dad was a vickers machine gunner sgt. So if I could find some names I could at least discount him......goz.

By the way medic I can almost see warton from my house.....

 

Goz have you got a copy of "The rifles are there" 1st&2nd battalions the royal ulster rifles in the second world war by david orr & david truesdale.If not let me have your father in laws name and i will see if his name is mentioned in that or the other books i mentioned in my earlier post.

 

Yes mate I have the rifles are there,another bloody good read. His name was John Wood, he was made warsubstantive sgt shortly before d-day.I cant find reference to him in any books BUT we have a newspaper cutting from 44 showing him in a hospital bed being fed and an interview with him detailing that he and numerous other members of his platoon had been stuck in marshes surrounded by germans and had been shown the way through by a french girl (resistance) who was also later injured and came to England on the same boat as John in return for them carrying her husband along with them. However I have recently had communication with a former RUR soldier who says the RUR were nowhere near any marshes so that had me thinking when they said he was possibly gone to HQ had he gone to 9para???

 

Hey goz just wondered are you thinking that john would have transfered to 9 para or been attached to them, if he was 9 para proper he would of had jump wings along with pegasus flash, have looked in my books relating to 9 para and no joy with john wood, or troops in marshes but will look a bit more in case i missed somthing.if he was 9 para there is always the airborne museum or para reg assoc.

 

I am sure he stayed with the RUR but maybe attached to another unit for d-day. He definitely had para wings and also the glider badges etc his cap badge was still RUR but he also had the pegasus badge. Makes things kinda complicated but I read that after the merville battery some of the units involved had spent 6 hours stuck in marshes. This then made me wonder if this was where he was.??

 

Do you have your wife's late father's service record?
This would prove what units he served in including if he did any war time service...
If you can post his number full name etc I will ask a contact at Aldershot if he appears in their Ringway parachute course database.....

If you don't have his service record you can apply to an MoD offcie in Glasgow to get them but you have to be family/NOK.....

 

H airborne medic, yes we have his army records. He was 3456003 John Wood, originally joined the Lancs fusiliers (darwen lad) eventually went to Royal Northumberlands and then in 1942 joined the RUR. The RUR museum kindly deciphered the records for us and found him in page 41 register 22 of the army book sets. They also sent us the following info:
30 RUR 24.6.41
30 RUR 22.6.42
1 RUR 30.7.42
Infantry Reserve 10 June 44
1 RUR appointed war substantive Corporal 1/9/41
1 RUR appointed unpaid Lance-Sergeant 8.3.43
2nd Echelon 21 Army Group: appointed unpaid acting Sergeant :appointed paid acting Sergeant 5 Nov 43
2nd Echelon 21 Army Group: promoted war substantive Sergeant 3 May 44
2ND ECHELON 21 ARMY GROUP and John Wood No 3456003
Orders of Battle Second World War 1939 - 45 Vol II page 463 by Lt Col H F Joslin HMSO 1960
(5 Nov 43 is the first date of membership for John Wood No 3456003)
Campaign in NW Europe 1944-1945
21 Army Group formed in the United Kingdom 9 July 1943
The major changes in the dozens of units took place from 23 May 1944, 1 November 1944 and 15 May 1945
Conclusion:

The Army Book sets Type 358 and the emailed documents fit precisely with John Wood No 3456003 and the latter show him to be in 2nd Echelon 21 Army Group when promoted to War Substantive Sergeant on 3 May 44.

The 2nd Echelon 21 Army Group membership may have been an attachment to this higher level formation that did not take him away from the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles records in the same way as a transfer. None of this would have affected his Service Number.

This research should be on the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum computer records for some time so that an return to this complex subject should be possible at a later date.
The above in Blue is a small portion of what they sent but this is the bit which confuses whether he went in on d-day with the RUR or not.
Exactly who is the 2nd echelon 21 army group ?? I always believed it was the group as a whole which was headed by monty?? But the museum are suggesting different.

 

I agree with airborne medic check on the jump wings although as you said if he stayed badged RUR? tricky but there is always again as airborne medic said the records place in glasgow

 

From looking at what you've written re the service records it is unlikely he was at Merville with the Parachute Regiment as soldiers service records Form W5258 denoted a transfer to 'Army Air Corps' with dates....I'm looking at one as I write this which shows a transfer from coincidentially the RUR to AAC.....
I will ask Aldershot if anyone of that name went through Ringway.

 

Cheers AM, I have also spoken to the RUR museum again yesterday and they are going to check their records and see if that could throw any light on the subject.

 

RUR have turned up nothing in their records, however I sent a letter to a Sgt Harry Pegg who is mentioned numerous times in the book 'the rifles are there' and unbelievably received a phone call last night from him. He is going to contact some of his old pals and see if they can help.
It was better than talking to 'George Best'

 

Goz that is great news hope he can find somthing out for you best of luck, let us know what happens next.

 

No further info from Sgt Pegg, he is asking a fella called Bill McConnell based in Ireland if anyone has any information at their next meeting.
Airborne Medic, did you find out anything regarding Ringway ?? I am currently waiting for the airborne forces museum to e-mail me also.

 

In reply to this there is no trace of your man attending parachute training school at RAF Ringway in the Aldershot records so I feel given there is no evidence of going to Ringway or his service book showing a transfer to the Army Air Corps it is unlikely he was at the Merville Battery.....

 

Hi

I am trying to trace service details for 6031275 Pte James James. So far I know from the Essex Regiment that he enlisted at Number 1 Infantry Training Centre (Warley) on 11/12/41 into 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion, Essex Regiment. He transferred to Class Z Reserve on 30/3/47. I know that was in Palestine post war. Since a lot of the 70th Essex went to 10th Essex which then formed the nucleus of 9 Para and 9 Para were in Palestine, on the face of it he looks a good candidate for membership of 9 Para and therefore a possiblity for Merville. Is it possible to find out whether or not he undertook parachute training at Ringway? If so how would I do it?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Suggest you get hold of a book by Neil Barber called 'The Day the Devils Dropped In'.....it is the story of 9th Btn at Merville......regret don't have a copy myself but perhpas ought to as I know Neil.....if a forum member has a copy is there a noimnal roll included???

Published by Pen and Sword and I believe still available.....

Are you a relative?

 

I have looked in my copy of The day the devils dropped in, The big drop and Cordon and search (6TH AIRBORNE DIVISON HISTORY PALESTINE) can find no mention of a pvt James James all the best. Jason