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Those known to have served with 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Boyce Alfred Thomas. Rflmn.
- Bradley Reginald Arthur Frederick.
- Brignall Arthur Clifford. Rfmn. (d.24th May 1940)
- Cable Robert Charles. L/Cpl. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Coote Leslie William Henry George. Rfm. (d.26th May 1940)
- Cox Albert Ernest. Rfl.
- Cunningham Thomas Harry . Sgt. (d.3rd Nov 1942)
- Draper James Edward. L/Cpl.
- Evans Ernest Richard. Cpl. (d.20th Oct 1944 )
- Garrard Frank Ernest. Cpl. (d.27th May 1940)
- Gorringe William. Cpl. (d.25th May 1940)
- Hall MID Arther David. L/Cpl
- Harte John James. Rfmn.
- Hunter John Swain. Rfm. (d.27 May 1940)
- Ireland Charles. L/Cpl. (d.10th Jun 1945)
- Irons Samuel David. Rfm.
- Ives John Sidney. Rflmn.
- Judd Ernest Charles. Rfmn. (d.1st Jun 1940)
- Lake Edward John Albert. Rfn. (d.20th Oct 1944)
- Lake Edward John Albert. Rflmn. (d.20th October 1944)
- May Cyril Albert James.
- Payne William Harry Edward. Rfmn. (d.25th May 1940)
- Robinson William.
- Romain Ernest Victor . Rfn
- Smith Herbert Thomas. Cpl. (d.25th May 1940)
- Smith Horace Henry. Rfm. (d.27th Oct 1942)
- Stonell Jesse David. Rflmn. (d.12th Mar 1940)
- Teale DCM. John William. Sgt.
- Unwin Kenneth. Cpl.
- Walsh John James.
- Wright Walter Richard. L/Sgt. (d.14th Apr 1945)
- Wright Walter Richard. L/Sgt. (d.14th April 1945)
- Young James Fredrick. Cpl. (d.23rd May 1940)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps from other sources.
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Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps? There are:1337 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Cpl. William Gorringe 2nd Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.25th May 1940) William Gorringe was my father. He was involved in the Defence of Calais in 1940 and posted missing, believed killed. This was 2 months before my birth, and he and my mother had been married just 9 months. No other information was ever found, in spite of enormous efforts by my mother to contact people who may have been able to help. Bill was a professional soldier, serving for many years in India. It was a life he loved.
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Rfmn. William Harry Edward "Midge" Payne 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.25th May 1940) William Payne was part of the Calais Force sent to defend that town to the end, having been told that no attempts would be made to evacuate them. He was one of the something like 300 who died there and he has no known grave.
My researches indicate that the leading elements of the 10th Panzer Division that took Calais were Panzer Grenadiers armed with flame throwers.
The KRRC were in and around the old Citadel that the Germans totally destroyed.
The fact Midge has no known grave and the use of flamethrowers would seem to be connected.
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John James Walsh 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps I remember my father, John Walsh British saying he was a member of the BEF and ended up at Dunkirk. Fortunately, he was a good swimmer and got out to a ship.
I cannot recall him talking about going anywhere after Dunkirk, and by then he might have been too old as he would have been in his forties. He was most annoyed at having to cut up his army boots as they were told not to leave anything that might be of use to the enemy. I guess that's an infantryman's view of life at the time. I also remember him talking about serving in India before the war and swimming in the Ganges. He had Asian type tattoos on his arms.
My greatest regret is not asking him about his army life (or me not listening), and if anyone can throw light on his records I would be grateful.
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L/Cpl. Robert Charles "Nobby" Cable 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.23rd May 1940) My father, Robert Cable, was at the Battle of Calais in May 1940 with the 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He had been a regular soldier with the 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps from 1931 to 1939 in India and Burma where he had passed exams for Veterinary First Aid and Animal Hygiene.He was on reserve when he met my mother and at the outbreak of war they married in November 1939. My mother, Lucy, was two months pregnant with me when he was reported missing in June 1940 and she didn't find out that he had died until two years later in March 1942.
My mother did not remarry until 1966. I have the last postcard that my father wrote to my mother from Calais on 22nd of May which was full of love for her, "hope to see a second Lucy at Christmas" (me), and telling her not to worry "the devil looks after his own".
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Rfmn. John James Harte 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps I found a poem my grandfather John Harte, and the rest of the platoon wrote in WW2 from the 5th platoon, 2nd Battalion, KRRC.
The war is over so they say
But we fight on in a different way
We see no wops or prussilyns guns
We see no planes no tanks no guns
We do not see the one we fight
Their evil deeds are done by night
A mine laid here, a bomb thrown there
A burst of bullets thru the air
Britons sons the very best
A few more comrades laid to rest
The day will come when we will see
The Jews go down on bended knee
And pray to god that they may live
But what was done we cant forgive
So to you in Briton far away,
these last few words I'd like to say
To you at home the war Is done
But to us out here it's just begun.
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L/Cpl. James Edward Draper 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps All I can remember about James Draper is that he joined up and served with the 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps in WW2. Jim served in France, Belgium, Holland, and ended up in Germany.
They called themselves the "Crazy Spives". You can see the name on the Bren gun carrier in one of the photos. I think it was taken in Belgium.
James died in 2005
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Sgt. John William Teale DCM. 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps The recommendation for Jack's DCM states: "Sergeant John William Teale, 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, 4th Armoured Brigade, 8 Corps.
Sergeant Teale has consistently shown the highest qualities of courage and leadership throughout the campaign in Northern Europe, and indeed also in Africa and Italy. His Section of Carriers had often operated independently, and it is then that his initiative has been
given full play.
On 28th of October 1944 at Reijen, Sergeant Teale was a member of a patrol of one Officer and four ORs. The enemy from short range hit the Officer and a Corporal. Sergeant Teale carried back the Officer, returned and took back the Corporal. The Rifleman who was with him was wounded, so Sergeant Teale returned a third time and brought this Rifleman back. All this under heavy accurate fire.
On 9th of April 1945 at Neuenkirchen, in an independent role Sergeant Teale's Section found itself isolated and surrounded by the enemy.
He directed the fire of his section with such effect that the enemy were driven back in confusion. It was a joy to hear his Section firing all their weapons. After replenishing with ammunition, his Section continued to play a gallant part in the attack, and in the evening led
the advance into the village driving the enemy before him by the weight of his well-directed fire.
The offensive spirit of this NCO and his determined handling of his Section, was on this occasion largely instrumental in the success of the attack. Often during the last year has Sergeant Teale shown similar spirit in action with equally happy results. His example has
inspired his Company with the highest offensive spirit."
John Teale is my grandfather. He lived until he was 94 and rarely discussed the war as he found the whole experience painful. However he always held The British Red Cross in very high esteem as he said they were wonderful to the soldiers in the field.
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Rfmn. Ernest Charles Judd 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.1st Jun 1940) Ernest Judd was my mother's brother.
I visited Etaple Cemetery many years ago and was wandering with my late wife.
We stopped, looked down at a stone and it was Ernest.
I had no idea that he was buried here.
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Rflmn. Edward John Albert Lake 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.20th October 1944) Edward Lake is my father who was killed approx 5 miles south of Tilburg and is buried in a war grave in Bergen Op Zoom.
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Reginald Arthur Frederick Bradley 2nd Bat. Kings Royal Rifle Corps Notes from my Grandad:
- Enlisted July 15th 1939 aged 20
- Discharged Aldershot March 1946
- Photo taken June 1941 at Hothfield Manor, Kent, C Coy 1st Batt Princess Louise Kensington Regiment
- C Coy Number 10 platoon Part of the British Expedition Force - France 1940 With the 51st Scottish Highland Infantry
- Served overseas in North Africa & Sicily
- Sailed from the Clyde Scotland 1942 on the SS Samaria bound for North Afice, no leave until March 1946
- Rear guard action Dunkirk 1940 under Colnl Parker Lost A & D Coy -
- prisoner Escaped 13th June 1940
- 8th Army General Montgomery / Desert Rats
Monte Cassino. The monastery 1944
- Crossed the River Po April 1945
I have lots of pictures of him in Austria, Spittal 1945/1946
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