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Those known to have served with 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Adams Frederick George Victor. WO2. (d.24th September 1944)
- Clark Stanley Leonard. Pte. (d.11th July 1944)
- Gabe Evan Percy George.
- Grose Eldred John. Pte. (d.11th July 1944)
- Hornsby Arthur. Pte.
- Horton Thomas Luther. Pte.
- Hurt Joseph Alexander.
- Hurt Joseph Alexander. Cpl
- Jennings Leslie. Pte. (d.11th July 1944)
- Rabet John Raymond. Capt. (d.9th Apr 1945)
- Rogers Ronald Martin. Pte. (d.8th October 1944)
- Rose Robert Henry. Pte. (d.11th July 1944)
- Sandalls George Gaston. L/Cpl
- Smythe James. Pte. (d.13th Aug 1944)
- Ticehurst Frederick Alfred. Pte. (d.11th February 1945)
- Toy Edwin Jesse. Pte. (d.11th Jul 1944)
- Trevethan Joseph William. Sgt
- Waddington Alan George Albert. L/Cpl. (d.18th Nov 1944)
- William Guille. Private
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 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry from other sources.
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Want to know more about 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry? There are:1381 items tagged 5th 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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L/Cpl. Alan George Albert Waddington 5th Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (d.18th Nov 1944) Alan Waddington was the uncle I never got to meet. He was my Dad's much loved older brother, some ten years older than Dad. Shortly before the attack in the forest where he was killed in 1944, Alan had received a letter from back home, saying that his wife had given birth to their first baby, a little boy, and he had written back saying how pleased he was to have become a father. He also asked that the baby boy be called David. This was the last letter he would write. Maybe it was just too painful for my heartbroken aunt to use that name, for some reason she decided instead to call the baby Leslie.
My grandmother told the family that my uncle was 'missing, presumed dead,' and my father (for a very long time) clung to the dream that maybe his brother would turn up one day (having been in hiding, or taken prisoner, or lost his memory). As the years went by, this seemed less and less likely.
When my parents had their first child in 1950, they knew straight away that they must call him Alan, after my Dad's brother.
It was only after my grandmother died in 1966 that, sorting through her possessions, the family found a much-read crumpled letter addressed to her, and written by a friend of my uncle's in November 1944 sent from the front. The letter said how sorry he was to have to tell her that he had witnessed her son being killed by an exploding shell, and that death would have been instant.
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Pte. Leslie Jennings 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (d.11th July 1944) Leslie Jennings was part of Operation Jupiter launched on 10th July 1944 to capture Hill 112.
He was killed in action a day later and was initially buried near Hill 112 before being re-interred at Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery.
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Evan Percy George "Podger" Gabe 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry My father, Evan Gabe, known as Podger, died in 1988 although his first death certificate was issued during the war after he was hit by a shell and left for dead on the battlefield at, I believe, Hill 112. Whilst crawling around drinking from dead men's water bottles a German soldier, presumably trying put him out of his misery, shot him in the head but the bullet hit the arm of his metal rimmed glasses and passed down the side. Eventually dragged back by colleagues to a field hospital where a captured German doctor operated on him and saved his life.
Waiting on the harbourside in rows of stretchers waiting to get back to England first a Stuka strafed them but missed him. About 3 or 4 stretchers before him they stopped loading the ship which sailed and sunk (mine or torpedo?) just outside the harbour.
Eventually back in England in a Leeds hospital a nurse was shaving off many days growth and said "My God, Podger Gabe, but you're dead!" Her mother who lived in his village had written telling of his reported death. Having lost his dog tags and all ID he had trouble proving his identity (and getting his back pay!) but returned home to Weymouth.
His wife died in the early 50's and he married my mother in 1954 and they had me. My mother donated his medals and papers to the Regimental Museum at Bodmin several years ago. I wish I had recorded his story but it was many years before he would even talk about his experiences.
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Private Guille "Bill" William 5th Btn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry My Great Grandad Bill Guille was evacuated from Guernsey just before the German invasion/occupation.
He enlisted into 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, I believe in July 1940.
The only things I know about his service are that he guarded a place where the transatlantic telegram cables came ashore and was shot in the knee somewhere near a bridge in the Netherlands. He survived the was and returned to Guernsey. I'd love to know more about his service!
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Pte. Frederick Alfred Ticehurst 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (d.11th February 1945) Unknown to the family, I found his grave in the Reichswald War Cemetery. He was 18 at the time of his death and probably died in the Battle for Goch.
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WO2. Frederick George Victor Adams 5th Btn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (d.24th September 1944) Warrant Officer Class II Frederick Adams was the Son of George Victor Adams, and stepson of Florence May Adams of Newport, Monmouthshire, husband of Agnes Eliza (June) Adams of Lanivet, Cornwall.
He was 33 when he died and is buried in the Heteren (Driel) Protestant Churchyard, Gelderland, Netherlands.
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Pte. Thomas Luther Horton 5th Btn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry My father, Lew Horton was captured at Hill 112 and was injured by shrapnel when being transported by train with red crosses on top from British and American planes. The third time the planes straffed the train, my father was hit.
The train stopped, and the German guards ordered everyone off the train.
A colleague of my father, Jack Foster, said as he saw my father being helped off the train, he didn't think he would survive it. A German officer started walking towards my father and got his pistol out of the holster ready to shoot him dead. Apparently, he was greatly distressed as his wife had been killed on the train. Fortunately, another German officer came over and put his arm around the distressed fellow officer,and guided him away. The German people had not much food themselves. They lived on a diet of cabbage soup, potatoes and black bread. Some of the younger German guards were a bit sadistic and would knock crutches away from injured English.
My father was blonde and blue-eyed, and with a name like Luther we felt it must have helped him.
My father was freed in May 1945 when I was 8 months old.
He always said that he thought the Germans did what they could for him, even though his Achilles tendon was cut in an operation.
He never talked about it much, but he was captured when laying communication lines in the 5th Battalion 43rd Wessex Division, in Hoven Woods, and were surrounded by Panzers.
He died in 1990 aged 69, bits of shrapnel having surfaced from time to time, some lodged in his stomach.
The old comrades association kept him and his comrades in touch all through his life, which was a great joy.
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Cpl Joseph Alexander Hurt 5th Btn. A Coy. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Just received my dad's service record and it states that he was wounded in action and suffered GSW (mortar) to the face and was evacuated to UK on 28 June 1944 before being sent back to NWE in March 1945. His name was Joe Hurt. He was promoted first L/Cpl then Cpl before being discharged on 27 December 1946. He was also a member of the Battalion Boxing Team who won a championship whilst in Germany with 43rd Wessex, BOAR.
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Joseph Alexander Hurt 5th Btn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Joseph was with the DCLI. He was injured in some way early in the war and spent some time in hospital having burns and shrapnel in his back, it led to the loss of his hearing also. By the time he returned to the fighting there were very few people left from those he originally served with. He moved through France and the low countries and on into Germany where he appears to have remained after the war's end. He was stationed in Hamburg at one point and we have photos of him boxing at the 43rd Wessex Divison army boxing championships when his team were the winners.
I would be grateful if anyone who knows of him or any mention of him could let me know.
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L/Cpl George Gaston Sandalls 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry My Dad George Sandalls, joined the 4th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regt on the outbreak of war and went to France with the BEF. Dunkirk was the only time in his life he swam. Back in the UK he transferred to 5DCLI, going back to France on D-Day +2, I believe. He then stayed on active service (as a Signaller) through to the end of the War, in N Germany, finally discharging via Shornecliffe in April 1946. I'd love to hear from anyone who can fill in the bits of the story I don't know.
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