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Those known to have served with 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Ashton Alfred George. P Sgt Maj
- Barnes Raymond Charles Edward. Pte. (d.13th May 1944)
- Bowdidge Ronald. Pte.
- Brain Gordon Leonard. Pte.
- Burnett Ernest Roy. Pte.
- Coles Edward John. Pte.
- Ellery William Harold. Pte.
- Foster Sydney Ronald. L/Cpl. (d.23rd Nov 1940)
- Froud William Frederick George. L/Cpl. (d.1st Jun 1940 )
- Green Frederick Charles. Cpl (d.24th April 1943)
- Hawke Cyril Vivian. Sgt.
- Heal Albert George. Pte. (d.12th May 1944)
- Hook Sidney. Pte.
- Howlett Nelson Robert John . A/Cpl. (d.27th May 1940)
- Kempster William. L/Cpl
- Knight MC. James Murless. Maj
- Linehan Patrick Edward. Pte.
- Miell Ronald William Henry. Pte.
- Monk MID. William. Cpl.
- Peachey Fredrick William. Pte. (d.6th Jun 1944)
- Riddle Leonard William George. Sgt. (d.25th May-4th June 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, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry from other sources.
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry? There are:1346 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 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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Pte. Ronald Bowdidge 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry My grandfather, Ronald Bowdidge served in Italy with the 2nd DCLI.
Although he died when I was young, I have been interested in what these men went through as my Mother said that he would not talk about his experience and become very quiet and reflective and almost unapproachable every Remembrance Day.
He fought and was taken prisoner in Italy and that is all my mother knew about his experience direct from my Grandfather. I want to know where these men fought and try to discover what experience these young men endured which moulded them for the rest of their life. My research into the 2nd's time in Italy led me to discover the route of the 2nd Battalion's march up the Italian Peninsula, from their opening battle during Operation Diadem at Monte Cassino to their penultimate engagement on the 25th-26th Oct 1944 in Northern Italy crossing the River Ronco, in which, due to a combination of factors unrelated to the men's bravery, the battalion lost over 120 men and officers killed, wounded or PoW in a single night.
I am looking to fill in more details from any relative of these brave men and also share what I have.
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Sgt. Cyril Vivian Hawke 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry Cyril Hawke was called up in October 1941 on his 18th birthday.
He trained in Bodmin and Northern Ireland.
Serving with C Company 2nd Btn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry he went overseas to North Africa in 1942, stayed until end of campaign in May 1943.
He then went to Italy landing at Salerno in autumn 1943 and fought through Naples, Cassino, Rome and ended up in Northern Italy by the end of 1944.
He was sent to Greece in December 1944 and then transferred to the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (reason not known) and served in Greece until end of the war.
He arrived home in 1945 and re-equipped to go to the Far East but whilst sailing through the Med the war in the Far East ended and they were taken to Libya to carry out garrison duties in Benghazi.
Later he went to Palestine for garrison duties there.
He was discharged in Canterbury on 5th of June 1947.
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Pte. Gordon Leonard Brain 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry Len Brain became a prisoner of war at Monte Casino.
He gave his Red Cross parcel of chocolate to German child sheltering at the Munich hospital in Christmas 1944. The next day the child and her mother died in Boxing Day air raid on Munich. He was liberated by USA soldiers.
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L/Cpl. William Frederick George Froud 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (d.1st Jun 1940 ) William Froud was my grandfather.
He died at Dunkirk when my mother was young.
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Pte. William Harold "Chips" Ellery 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry My father, William Ellery, joined the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on the 15th of January 1940. He served in the 2nd Battalion. Dad was posted to North Africa then to the Italian Campaign as a driver/mechanic carrying ammunition and personnel to the front. He was released from service in May 1946.
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P Sgt Maj Alfred George Ashton 2nd Btn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Alfred is my husband's father and we are enjoying discovering all of his military exploits. Trying now to find movements of DCLI 2nd Battalion
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Pte. Albert George Heal 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (d.12th May 1944) Albert Heal is buried in Cassino War Cemetery.
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Maj James Murless Knight MC. 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry James Knight was awarded the Military Cross as a result of his actions at Incontro Monestry in Italy.
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Pte. Fredrick William Peachey 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (d.6th Jun 1944) Fredrick Peachey is one of my relations. I discovered his memorial in Italy on the web, while compiling my family tree
In the words of his parents "Time does not heal whilst memory lives."
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Pte. Ernest Roy Burnett 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry Ernest Burnett served with 16th Platoon, C Coy. 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
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