These messages were added to this story by site members between June 2003 and January 2006. It is no longer possible to leave messages here. Find out more about the site contributors.
Message 1 - Fox Troop
Hello Researcher 249840.
It may interest you to know that my Brother-in-Law was a gun sergeant on Bofors in the same area at the same time unfortunately his gun received a direct hit destroying the complete detachment. He was fortunate in as much that they had a land line and the phone rang, he jumped into the ditch to answer it and was the only survivor. A question which you may be able to answer is; were your guns fitted with power control?.and did they use it? I landed on Gold beach leading a Subsection of three guns, from previous bitter experience in Sicily the Battery was divided between six ships. The battery wasn't particularly busy in the Bayeux area so it appears you got more than your fair share.
Regards John Absolon
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Message 2 - Fox Troop
Hello John
Sorry to hear about your brother-in law. One of our six guns was hit by mortar fire and set alight but the sergeant very bravely removed the ammunition and put the fire out There were no fatal casualties and the gun was able to carry on.
Our guns were very much manual, I was not aware there was such a thing as a power controlled 40mm Bofors. There are pictures of the guns complete with regimental history on www.geocities.com/lightackack/ prepared by the son of one of the gunners on the gun that got hit.
As a wireless operator it was part of my job to lay and repair landlines to each gun.
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Message 3 - Fox Troop
Please ignore the first line of my reply.
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Message 4 - Fox Troop
Thank you Jim I have been in touch with Tom who sent me a copy of The Loyals
regards John Absolon
Message 1 - Dash for the Bridges
Jim,
Many thanks for your posting. I am researching Sword Beach on D-Day and have much on the dash for the bridges by the Commandos, RE, Royal Warwicks and the RASC but yours is the first from the RA.
I would be pleased to hear any other recollections you have of your journey.
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 2 - Dash for the Bridges
Posted on: 08 November 2003 by Jim Holder-Vale
Andrew
Thanks for your interest. May I refer you to a website generated by the son of one of the gunners who took part in the D-Day landings www.geocities.com/lightackack/.
It contains the complete history of the regiment so I suggest you start at the paragraph headed Sword Beach. There are a number of photographs as well.
Plaease let me know if you want any further details.
Regards
Jim Holder_vale
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Message 3 - Dash for the Bridges
Jim,
Thanks for the link, great site and very interesting
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 4 - Dash for the Bridges
Jim,
Reading through the history I may have filled in a gap for you. I looked at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site (www.cwgc.org) and found the following:-
Private Hewitt, William 3863734 Killed 06/04/41. Scarborough (Manor Road) Cemetery.
Hopefully this is one of your missing comrades, unfortunately I could only find one record. I think the CWGC can run searches for you by Regiment and dates which may help you find the other Private.
Please let me know how you get on.
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 5 - Dash for the Bridges
Posted on: 06 December 2003 by Jim Holder-Vale
Andrew
Thank you for your interest. I presume you are referring to the loss of two privates of the Loyals Regt killed on the coast near Scarborough by a sea mine on 5 April 1941. I shall take a look at cwgc and see what it has to say and get back to you. certainly looks interesting. I shall also be contacting the author of the Regt's history website.
Regards
Jim
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Message 6 - Dash for the Bridges
Posted on: 13 December 2003 by Jim Holder-Vale
Andrew
I apologise for the delay in getting back to you but am pleased to confirm that Pvte Hewitt was one of the two soldiers killed by the sea mine. I passed on to Tom McMarthy the Regt'd historian, the details and he was delighted to receive them. He had spent some time trying to identify the two privates with no luck. Like me he is puzzled as to how you were able to find Pvte Hewitt on cwgc without a name. However I shall do as you suggest and try some research myself. Once again my sincere thanks for your interest and kind help.
Jim Holder-Vale
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Message 7 - Dash for the Bridges
Jim,
Glad to have been of help.
With the latest CWGC search page you can search by cemetery name so I just put in the locations the Loyals were based and ran through the lists.
I think that you may be able to ask the CWGC to search their database for all Loyals casualties (they may charge for this) but it may help find the final name for the History.
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 8 - Dash for the Bridges
Posted on: 20 December 2003 by Jim Holder-Vale
Andrew
Thanks for the inspiration. An email to cwgc produced the details of the second soldier with no problems. We now have a complete list of all the casualties of 92 LAA Rgt RA/ 7 Btn Loyals.
Thanks again for your interest and help.
Best regards
Jim
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Message 9 - Dash for the Bridges
Jim,
It was an absolute pleasure, thank you for sharing your experiences in the first place.
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 10 - Dash for the Bridges
Posted on: 10 February 2004 by Andy1971
If theres any interest im in touch with a Normandy veteran who landed at Sword beach with the Royal Engineers, he was pretty quickly at Pegasus.
He was wounded twice and the second time in Holland was a blighty.
Let me know if you would like to contact him, hes got a great story.
Andy
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Message 11 - Dash for the Bridges
Andy,
I would be delighted. Don't like posting email addresses so please call me on 01903 231426.
Best Regards
Andrew
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Message 12 - Dash for the Bridges
Andy,
Would be delighted, please contact me on asb.groves@btopenworld.com
Best Regards
Andrew
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