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Those known to have fought in Battle of Caen during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Baker Thomas William.
- Birrell Charles. A/Cpl.
- Brown Ivan Henry James. Pte. (d.11th Jul 1944)
- Clegg MM.. Norris. Sgt.
- Dalby Albert. L/Cpl. (d.28th Jul 1944)
- Farnell Kenneth Thornton. Cpl.
- Glen Thomas Graham. Pte. (d.4th July 1944)
- Hellings Bernard. Pte.
- Johnson Charles. Pte.
- Keane Philip. L/Cpl.
- Morgan MID.. Charles Wallace. Major
- Rogers Sydney Thomas. 2nd Lt.
- Sharp Arthur Bramwell.
- Shimmons Eric Bert. Pte.
- Watson Lawrence Frank. S/Sgt. (d.18th September 1944)
- Winter Robert Fredrick. Pte. (d.9th August 1944)
- Wood Jack. Sgt.
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
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Want to know more about Battle of Caen? There are:22 items tagged Battle of Caen 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. Bernard Hellings 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment My great-grandad, Bernard Hellings was blown up in the battle for Caen. He woke up in an army casualty hospital in Normandy and was sent back to a hospital in Nottingham, England, where he was treated for shellshock. He was then sent to the South African P.O.W. repatriation unit in Hove, and then to Berechurch Hall in Colchester.
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Sgt. Norris Clegg MM. 6th Batallion Royal Scots Fusiliers  Norris Clegg joined 2nd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers (a territorial regiment) at the Lancashire Fusiliers depot in Bury, Lancashire in March 1940. He served in Northern England and Ireland (Counties Armagh and Down)until 1944 when he shipped with the regiment to Normandy where he landed a on D-Day plus 4.
He was involved in the Battle for Caen and in August 1944 his A Company was transferred to 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers as A Company. After further fighting across France and Belgium he was involved in the Battle of Blerick in Holland. In the battle he was injured and was ultimately recognised for his bravery during the battle by the award of the Military Medal.
After further action including night assault in Reichswald Forest near the Siegfried Line, he ended up in Lubeck where Field Marshal Montgomery awarded him the Military Medal. He was de-mobbed in Lubeck and return to Blighty in February 1946.
I am a nephew of Norris Clegg, he was married to one of the sister's of my mother.
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Pte. Ivan Henry James Brown 1st Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.11th Jul 1944) Ivan Brown was 18 when he died. He is buried in the Bayeux War Cemetery.
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A/Cpl. Charles Birrell 8th Btn. Scots Guards My dad, Charles Birrell, hailed from Forgan in Fife.
On researching him I found out he joined the 8th Battalion, Scots Guards which became part of the 44th Lowland Infantry Brigade and were involved in Operation Overlord, the Battle of Caen, Operation Epsom, second Battle of the Odon, and Operation Bluecoat between June 1944 and August 1944. They then fought in the Northwest Europe Campaign (Siegfried Line Campaign) during which my father was captured in Belgium by the Germans in September 1944.
He wouldn't tell us much about his time during the war or his time in Stalag XII-A but he suffered with his stomach and bowel for years. He did tell us that the men had to forage the rubbish for food and would make soup from potato peelings. He mentioned being liberated by the Americans and said he was glad that it wasn't the Russians, but I don't know why this was. I still have the letter sent to his mother that said he was missing and presumed dead.
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Cpl. Kenneth Thornton Farnell 273rd Bty. 69th Field Regiment Royal Artillery Kenneth Farnell served from the Territorial Army straight into the war and served in France, Germany, and Iceland. In France, he was nearly blown up when the truck he and his mates had been riding took a direct hit from an artillery shell while he was relieving himself by the roadside. All his mates were killed. He was buried under the debris for almost three days before being rescued.
He also broke both arms after falling off a motorcycle while travelling between sites. After the accident, he remounted the bike and returned to camp unaware that he had broken his arms.
He later served as a chauffeur in Iceland and was present at the declaration and signing of the peace treaty at the end of the war.
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L/Cpl. Philip Keane Pay Corps Philip Keane was shot on D-Day plus 4 at Caen and was invalided out of the war. He was hospitalised first in Liverpool and then in Larbert. He ended his service in the Pay Corps in Aberdeen.
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Pte. Thomas Graham Glen 1st Btn. Royal Norfolk Regiment (d.4th July 1944) Thomas Glen served with the 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment in WW2. He died 4th of July 1944 at the Battle of Caen age 35 years and is buried La Delivrande War Cemetery at Douvres in France. Son of Thomas Glen and of Isabell Glen (nee McKenzie) of Glasgow.
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Pte. Robert Fredrick Winter 1st Btn. Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.9th August 1944) Robert Winter, born 16th of January 1923, served with the 1st Battalion Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in WW2. He suffered stomach wounds during the battle for Caen, returned to the Welsh Hospital but died from these wounds in Wales aged 21, on 9th of August 1944.
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2nd Lt. Sydney Thomas Rogers 9th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment Family have recently discovered diary of Sydney Rogers describing his involvement in the Battle of Caen.
He arrived in France on 24th June 1944, had a near miss at 1.30 a.m. on 5th August 1944 (100 metres away) and returned to England on 9th August 1944 for reasons unknown, but was admitted to Woodside Hospital (No 10?) on August 15th. Any other information would be gratefully received.
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Thomas William Baker 61st Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery  I'm trying to trace my Dad, Tom Baker's WW2 footprints. My Dad passed away in 2010 but never really spoke about the war only small parts in later years.
I'm 99% sure my Dad served as part of 242 Battery support unit, 61st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, 51st Highland Division, although he did mention 193 Battery.
I also know my Dad served in North Africa campaign inc Tunisia etc (Desert Rats). He also served in Sicily campaign. They returned from Sicily to UK and was stationed at High Wycombe where they prepared for D-Day
I'm sure My Dad's regiment landed on Sword beach on D-Day+1
I know my Dad was injured during this time with shrapnel wounds from a Mortar shell and was taken back to England to Hospital before he rejoined his regiment.
I'm not sure though about where or when my Dad was wounded although he told me it was at Caen and after treatment back in England he rejoined his regiment in Eindhoven? I still have to get this part confirmed.
My Dad met my Mom whilst billeted in Enschede, Holland before his regiment pushed into Germany towards Bremen and later he must have returned back to Enschede because he married my Mom on 19-08-1946 in Enschede.
Any help would be very gratefully accepted.
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