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- 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment



   1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment was in the Far East when war broke out in 1939. They saw action in the Malayan Campaign, suffering heavy casualties, the survivors were held as prisoners of war. In 1942 the 8th Battalion was redesignated as the 1st Battalion and joined 147th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division, they saw action across North Western Europe.

   location map

21st Jan 1942 Patrols

22nd Jan 1942 Dawn Patrols

22nd Jan 1942 Advance

26th Jan 1942 Attack Made

6th Jul 1944 Reorganisation

9th Jul 1944 Unexploded Ordnace

10th Jul 1944 Recces

11th Jul 1944 Reliefs Complete

11th Sep 1944 Attack Made  location map

26th Sep 1944 Infiltration

28th Sep 1944 Orders

29th Sep 1944 In Action

30th Sep 1944 A Missunderstanding

2nd Oct 1944 Orders

2nd Oct 1944 Situation

3rd Oct 1944 Orders

3rd Oct 1944 Support


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Barnes Cyril Arthur. Pte. (d.12th February 1942)
  • Bonnington Robert James. Pte.
  • Doughty James Clarence. Pte. (d.21st Oct 1944)
  • Doughty Wayne James Clarence. Pte. (d.21st Oct 1944)
  • Ellis Albert. Cpl.
  • Grice Frederick. Pte. (d.10th July 1944)
  • Hennefer MM. William. L/Sgt. (d.5th Dec 1941)
  • Rule Victor Frank. Pte. (d.15th Apr 1945)
  • Turner Albert Henry. Pte. (d.12th February 1942)
  • White Joseph. L/Cpl.

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 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment from other sources.



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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment?


There are:1335 items tagged 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment 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.


Pte. Wayne James Clarence Doughty 1st Battalion Royal Leicestershire Regiment (d.21st Oct 1944)

Wayne Doughty died near Wuustwezel at the Battle of Stoney bridge during the Battle of the Scheldt to free the port of Antwerp along side the Canadians. He was my great uncle.

Wayne White



Pte. James Clarence Doughty 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (d.21st Oct 1944)

My Great Uncle, James Doughty, of the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment died at the Battle of Stone Bridge near Wuustwezel in Belguim on 21st October 1944 aged just 20. He is buried in Geel cemetery Belguim alongside some of his fellow comrades from the aforementioned Battalion.

Wayne White



L/Cpl. Joseph White 1st Btn. Royal Leicestershire Regiment

My father, Joseph White, had his 18th birthday on route to India and became a POW in changi jail [Changi Prison Prisoner of War Camp]

Maureen Grevatt



Pte. Victor Frank Rule 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (d.15th Apr 1945)

My uncle on mother's side of family, Victor Rule died last days of war. He was unmarried.

Alan



Pte. Robert James "Jimmy" Bonnington 1st Btn. Leicestershire Regiment

Jimmy Bonnington was wounded in the right arm and leg by machine gun fire in Normandy on the 22nd of August 1944.

Julie Stevens



Pte. Frederick "Fred" Grice 1st Btn. Leicestershire Regiment (d.10th July 1944)

Fred Grice was a soldier before the war. Here is an article that was printed in The Billet, something that was sent out from Coalville to troops abroad about Fred and his comrades in Malaya and Singapore.

Nita Pearson



Pte. Cyril Arthur Barnes 1st Btn. Leicestershire Regiment (d.12th February 1942)

Cyril Barnes lost his life in Singapore. He is buried in the Kranji War Cemetery.

Muriel Walker



L/Sgt. William Hennefer MM. 1st Btn. Royal Leicestershire Regiment (d.5th Dec 1941)

William Hennefer enlisted on 5th of January 1929, he was in 1st Btn Leicestershire Regiment. He was a stretcher bearer in operations in Lybia, Crete and Syria. At Sidi Barrant he brought in several wounded men under heavy shell fire and dragged them. In Crete under dive bombings and aerial MG attacks his work was outstanding. In Syria he showed outstanding courage and devotion to duty. He was awarded the Military Medal whilst serving in the Western Desert.

He died on 5th December 1941 aged 31yrs, when the SS Chakdina, carrying 380 wounded soldiers and 100 German & Italian Prisoners of War, was sunk by an Italian torpedo bomber while on Convoy from Tobruk to Alexandria. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt.

Lisa



Pte. Albert Henry Turner 1st Btn. Leicestershire Rgt. (d.12th February 1942)

Pte. Albert Turner served with the 1st Btn Leicestershire Regiment during WWII. He died on 12th February 1942 and is buried in Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.




Cpl. Albert Ellis 1st Battalion Leicester Regiment

Albert Ellis was held at POW Camp Fukuoka 17 Japan. He served with the 1st Battalion, Leicester Regiment in 11th Division enlisted on 9/8/1933. He was born on 16th November 1911. His address was 20 Herbert St, Mansfield, Notts. He was captured in Singapore on 15/2/1942 and was held in Changi 14/2/1942, Havelock Rd 15/5/1942, Thailand 8/10/1942 and Fukuoka 26/6/1944.










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