2nd SAS North Africa 1944

[Garen]

I am wondering where to go next to try and find out more about a possible incident off the coast of North Africa in January 1944.

I discovered Bombardier John Holmes (RA, HAA, AAC) was attached to the 2nd SAS Rgt. and died on 11th Jan 1944, "presumed accidentally drowned", "at sea", North Africa. His name appears on the Cassino Memorial in Italy.

With not much more to go on I searched to see if anyone else died on this day with connections to 2 SAS or in a drowning in North Africa and came up with some names:

Gunner Leonard Garnham (RA, AAC, 26 Def. Rgt., 2 SAS), accidentally drowned 11.1.44, Zerizer, Bone, N. Africa - commemorated at Bone War Cemetery, Algeria.

Gunner Trevor John James (RA, 26 Def. Rgt., AAC, 2 SAS) accidentally drowned 11.1.44, N. Africa - commemorated at Bone War Cemetery, Algeria.

Gunner Arthur Betts (RA, 12th Field Rgt., 2 SAS), accidentally drowned 11.1.44, North Africa - commemorated at Bone War Cemetery, Algeria.

There is also a Sapper Donald MacLean (RE, 3 Movement Control Group), died as a result of an accident 11.1.44, North Africa - commemorated at Bone War Cemetery, Algeria (but no mention of drowning or SAS attachment).

The connections are obvious, but the anomaly is that John Holmes is commemorated at Cassino and not at Bone. I do wonder if the others - who all seem to have graves - were found, and Holmes wasn't, thus a later commemoration without a grave. Or maybe it's just regimental admin. Or maybe the date is coincidence and they are completely different incidents.

The specialforcesroh.com website lists these men (except Maclean) and has an additional detail for Betts, Garnham and James: "died during training", but for Holmes it says "ops in Italy - died", though the documentation I've found (casualty listings from Find My Past) say North Africa, so perhaps that is just an inference from the location of the memorial.

One more possible clue is the casualty listing for Donald MacLean, RE, has a note: "Result of accident CL1404/25".

Any thoughts or suggestions on where I could find something on a possible fatal training accident/drowning for the 2nd SAS, at Zerizer in Jan 1944?

Many thanks - Garen

(Extra info: John Holmes b. Jan 1917, Birstall, Yorks, to Robert and Elizabeth, marr. Lichfield, Staffs, 1939 to Millie Hodgkins; death noted in Yorkshire Post of 12 Feb 1944).

[Schoch]

Don't know if any inquiry to this site would get you any further but it's worth a try.
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/4377/23-sas-r/

[Garen]

Thank you, Schoch, I'll see if they might have anything useful there. I'm thinking I might have to get a bit more specialist!

Much appreciated - G.

[JenB]

Don't know if any inquiry to this site would get you any further but it's worth a try.
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/4377/23-sas-r/

I have no personal experience of Forces War records, but you might like to read this thread before you take the plunge 
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=764733.msg6165102#msg6165102

there are others along the same lines 

[Garen]

Thanks, JenB. I remember when they started up there was a lot of unhappiness about what they claimed to offer and how they went about it. Been a long time since I visited though.

[nanny jan]

WW2 service records are held by the MOD;  in case you were thinking of trying to find them.   

[Garen]

Thank you, Jan - yes, I have my grandfather's service record from them. I'm not next of kin in this case, so doubt I can get personal files.

Some 2nd SAS operations and missing persons files are with the National Archives - but none seem to cover the dates I'm after - then again, I probably need an expert opinion (or a visit myself - not easy) to verify that.

eg.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=2nd+sas
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=2+sas
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=2nd+special+air+service

[Regorian]

This Link may be relevant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Maple_(Italy).

[Garen]

Thanks, Regorian. I did look into Operation Maple and came across this useful transcription:

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/operation-maple-thistledown-driftwood.34263/

Doesn't appear to have any immediate relevance to what I'm after - though maybe more info/context will reveal a connection.

Many thanks :-)