Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : LCpl

Army Number : 4858698

Unit : 2nd Bn

Biography :

Campaign Stars, Clasps and Medals:

Burma Star
General Service Medal & Clasp – Palestine
1939-45 Star
Africa Star 1st Army & Clasp
France and Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45

Served in the 16th Infantry Brigade.

Biography:

17.8.1919 Born, Derby, Derbyshire

19.4.38 - 4.4.39 Enlisted at Nottingham, England and did basic training at Glen Parva

5.4.39 - 14.5.41 Active service Palestine

17.9.40 Moved to Egypt (Western Desert)

13.12.40 Admitted to hospital-gun shot wound left hand-Sidi Barrani, Egypt.
“The Battle of Sidi Barrani”

17.12.40 Transported to hospital ship-Egypt

3.1.41 Discharged Con. Depot-Egypt

7.1.41 Reposted to unit-Egypt

4.41 Helped stem the German advance at Mersa Matruh, Egypt (This date is incomplete and according to my search, the battle happened in 1942?)

15.5.41 - 28.5.41 Defence of Heraklion, Crete Airfield against German Paratroops.

28.5.41 Evacuated to Egypt

29.5.41 - 14.3.42 Middle East – Western Desert (Egypt, Palestine, Syria)

15.6.41 - 21.6.41 Fought the Vichy French on the Damascus, Syria front as part of the
6th (later 70th) division

19.9.41 Dispatched to relieve the Australians in the defence of Tobruk, Libya

29.1.42 Remained for 3 months

15.2.42 Proceeded on Temp. Duty

20.2.42 Rejoined from Temp. Duty

6.3.42 Embarked Egypt

15.3.42 - 25.1.43 Disembarked for Ceylon

26.1.43 - 8.7.44 India

26.1.43 Embarked India

26.1.43 Disembarked India

20.3.43 Appt U/L Cpl. (Appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal)

10.4.43 Gtd Pay of Appt-P/L/C (Granted Pay of Appointment-Paid Lance
Corporal)

10.4.43 Awarded Africa Star 18.12.43

8.43 The division became part of Major-General Orde Windgate’s Special
Force (The Chindits) at Gawilor, India for Commando training for
Operations deep behind enemy lines. Chindit base was at Sylhet,
Assam, India.

18.12.43 Entered Concession A area –India

Preparing for the Second Chindit Expedition into North Burma,
Codenamed Operation Thursday

3.44 Landed in North Burma

5.5.44 Left Concession A area (flown out of Burma)

25.5.44 Posted to AHQ British Base Reinforcement Camp at Deolali, India (pending repatriation) located in the western Ghats of India. (180 km from Bombay). A point of embarkation for those returning home.

Listed(v)(abbreviation for soldiers attending training/Courses)

25.5.44 Relinq Appt of P/L/C upon posting to x (v)(Relinquished
Appointment of Paid Lance Corporal to Private)

5.6.44 Embarked-Bombay, India

24.6.44 “5 G” for UK

9.7.44 - 7.5.45 Home

8.5.45-11.6.45 North West Europe

12.4.45 Transferred to Army Air Corps, Parachute Regiment, 2nd or 3 rd
Battalion

Parachute training was a 12 day course, carried out at the No. 1
Parachute training school, RAF Ringway.

Landed in Denmark at the time the German’s surrender. They were part of the Liberation of Denmark.

12.6.45 - 1.6.46 Home

19.6.45 Married Ethel May Hannam in Lancaster, UK

2.6.46-18.4.50 Sec ‘B’ RAR

19.4.50 Relegated to Class Z Reserve

23.2.51 Discharged (emigrated to Canada in 1948)

17.12.2008 Died, London ON Canada
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A Short History of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment - THE SECOND WORLD WAR: 1939-1945:
In September 1939 the 2nd Battalion in Palestine formed part of, and, except in Crete, remained with the 16th Infantry Brigade throughout the war. In September 1940 it moved to the Western Desert and took part in the December ’push“ of Wavell‘s 30,000. It was engaged at Sidi Barrani and again at Bardia, advancing through Buq Buq and Solhuh. In April 1941 it helped stem the German advance at Mersa Matruh. From there it was rushed in two cruisers to Heraklion to take part in the bitter fighting in the May battle of Crete against the German paratroops. After being evacuated to Egypt, the Battalion was hurried off in June 1941 to fight the Vichy French on the Damascus front as part of the 6th (later renumbered 70th) Division. In September 1941 the Battalion was despatched with the remainder of the Division to relieve the Australians in the defence of Tobruk. There it remained for three months and took part in the breakout and made subsequent contact with the newly formed 8th Army.

Leaving the Western Desert in December 1941, the 2nd Battalion went to Ceylon in February 1942 and together with 16th Infantry Brigade rejoined 70th Division in India in January 1943. In August the Division became part of Major-General Orde Wingate‘s Special Force (the Chindits). In January 1944 the Battalion marched into Burma from the Ledo Road with the 16th Infantry Brigade, the epic march over the Naga Hills to the River Chindwin, which drew from General Wingate the signal ’Well done Leicestershire Regiment – Hannibal eclipsed“. The Battalion took part with distinction in several battles round Indaw, some two hundred miles behind the enemy‘s lines. By the time it was flown out in May 1944 it had covered some 500 miles on foot with mule transport only and entirely supported by air supply.

Some information from a private source.

Date of Birth : 17.8.1919

Place of Birth : Derby, Derbyshire

Date of Death : 17.12.2008

Place of Death : London, ON, Canada

Period of Service : 19.4.1938 - 23.2.1951

Conflicts : WW2

Places Served : Palestine, Crete, North Africa, Ceylon, India, Burma and North West Europe (France, Low Countries and Germany)