Messages posted by: GUY

Graham,
I have found details of the deaths of Paterson, Burns and Beckett, they appear to have been attached to 1 Commando.

All three men died as a result of a truck crash in Dundee. The truck in which they were travelling came down the hill on Law Street, crashed through railings and hit a tree in Dudhope Park. Signalman Arthur Brian Burns died at the scene, Sergeant John Arthur Beckett and Lance Corporal Andrew Gray Paterson died later that evening at Dundee Royal Infirmary. Four other men were injured and detained in hospital.

The informant and signee of the Register for all three men was Captain L.M Harper-Gow of 1 Commando, Special Service Brigade.

The incident was reported in the Courier and Advertiser Wednesday 16th September 1942.

It explains why L/Cpl Paterson is buried in Dundee and not his home city of Glasgow.

Guy

On the War Office casualty list Paterson is shown as still being attached to a SS Battalion. Burns and Beckett are listed as Royal Corps of Signals.

Where did the accident occur, I see that Paterson is buried in Dundee and not Glasgow?

From the War Office casualty list 1402, Suffolk Regiment serving with the Kings Own Regiment. Two other Officers from the Kings Own appear on the same list.

Gilbert Randoll Coate was attached to MI9, the London cage. This unit of the Intelligence Corps were involved in the interrogation of German PoW's.
His participation in Operation Archery was to assist with the interrogation of Germans captured during the raid. Many of the German PoW's were interrogated on the voyage home. Coate produced a report on the PoW Interrogations on the Vaagso raid in January 1942 from the offices of MI19.

Gilbert Randoll Coate served with MI9

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?30084-Coate-Randoll

Pete,

Lt. Thomas' award of his Military Cross was published in the London Gazette, 19th December 1944, p5809.

Addendum, LG 16th January 1945, p421.

I haven't been able to find a citation?

Guy

Commando comic books celebrates its 5000th issue with a Commando story, 'Zero Hour'

Jennifer,

'Commando Men' by Brian Samain, details 45 RM Commando's war from D-Day until VE Day.

Guy

Jennifer,
I found a reference to your father's passing out parade at OCTU Thurlestone. It comes from the Western Times, Friday March 29th 1946.
Guy

Roll of Honour from the Evening Express 18th November 1943.

Julie W wrote:
Mollie L P Hulland (mother's name also Hulland) was born in Kensington in 1928. This suggests to me that Mollie/Mary was adopted by the Edwards.

Julie,
I agree, I couldn't find any Mollie L P connected to Edwards/Piggott born in 1928.

Thank you for posting the photograph of Edward.

Hopefully a relative of the Edwards will see the follow up newspaper story and provide a photograph of Vera and Albert?

Julie W wrote:In the Western Daily Press of 27 December 1947, the engagement is announced between Peter, elder son of Mr & Mrs C.G. Chate of Waadi, Egypt and Mary, only daughter of Mr & Mrs A.G. Edwards of Rylston, Beach Road, Portishead. They married in 1949 but Mary's real name seems to have been Mollie L. P. Edwards (just to make things a bit more complicated!)

Julie, thank you, that was the break through needed.

Sadly, Molly Louise P Williams died in Bristol in 1992.

Mollie / Mary was born in 1928 and would have been 15/16 in 1943/44.

I am unable to find a birth registered for Mary Edwards (mother Piggott). The Edwards household has one record closed in the 1939 Register . This may be Mary, as her birth would have been less than 100 years ago?
Obtaining a copy of Vera Edwards death certificate may give some details relating to Mary?

Edward's references to Mary in his letters seem to imply that she is of school age.

"It's best Mary continues school as later she may be glad she did."

"Mary is quite tall now and very much a charming "Miss"."

There are also several references to a Jeanne. He thanks Mrs Edwards for sending Jeanne some books.
Edward writes;

"I wonder if Jeanne will send me a copy of the family photograph? No doubt they will have changed a lot since I received the last photo."

On Ancestry, B K Havell has several photographs of Edward, all are private and can't be viewed.
I wonder if 'Rylston' was Edward's pre-war "digs" or his wartime billet?
He is obviously very attached to the Edwards and Rylston;

" Although as of old I shall know no real peace until I am at Rylston again. Then I will relax and peace and happiness will be mine."

Frederick Pitt returned to England aboard the RMS Olympic, arriving at Southampton on the 4th April 1930. The manifest records seven of his children including Edward, age 12.
Could he have been adopted by the Edwards?
One record for Rylston, Portishead is closed.

Guy

The addressee of the letter is Vera E G Edwards, wife of Albert G Edwards living at Rylston, Beach Road, Portishead.

Vera Edey G EDWARDS (nee : Piggott) was born on 4th October 1897, registered at Barton Regis Gloucestershire. She died in Weston-super-Mare 1Q 1984

She married Albert G Edwards in Bristol 2 Q 1922.

Guy