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Thank you for your reply MaxD. Dad's Statement of Services merely state - 6th Jun 44 embarked UK. The next entry refers to his transfer to the BAOR. 14 Coy War Diary refers to the main unit sailing from Newhaven on the 8th of June in R35 and R36. I don't know what these refer to - ships perhaps?  Diary then says that the vehicles embarked R Albert Docks on S.M J or T?/51, also on the 8th. I believe it was an American Liberty ship? Main unit arrived Gold Beach 12.30 hrs on the 9th and was moved to a petrol depot at Sommerieu on the 10th. Diary then notes that on the 12th Lt Waterhouse plus vehicles arrived Coy safely. Dad himself told me way back that they had difficulty getting the lorries up the sandy beach and that they eventually found the others waiting in a field. I was puzzled by the delay until the 12th as Dad always said he was there on D+3. I guess you are right in that they had a problem with the transport, congestion on the beach and perhaps with their map reading!

Please can someone tell me about the badge on my father's (back row, far left) right shoulder? He was Pioneer Corps and as far as I know landed on Gold Beach on D+3.

Thank you - Anne

David Ritchie Williamson McLean was born 1881 in Kirkmaiden, Wigtownshire, the youngest child of John Thomson McLean and Isabella Martin. He worked as a gamekeeper and married Anne Walker in 1912 at Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. They had 2 children, Margaret and John. When war came, David enlisted in the army in 1915 and was mobilised with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in 1916. His army service number was 15754. He was killed on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres and is commemorated with the surname Maclean, at the top of Panel 11 of the Menin Gate. His wife Annie remarried in Scotland in 1919 a Canadian soldier, and together they emigrated and settled in Wisconsin USA. Annie sailed in August 1919 from Liverpool, together with children Margaret and John McLean, and new baby Eveline Goulet. In 1921 Annie wrote to the Scots Guards in London requesting details of her former husband's death. The answer was that he had been buried "at a point east of Boesinghe, north of Ypres." he grave was unregistered. She received a widows' pension of 22s 11d per week for herself and 2 children.

My grandmother and Annie Goulet maintained contact by letter and we have inherited photographs, but sadly contact with David's descendants is now lost, but David is not forgotten. He was my grandfather's youngest brother. Anne P

I'm really sorry, I gave it a while back to someone whose family came from the area.

Anne P

IGI gives the  following information:

Dianah & Mary Scroggs baptised 18 April 1773 at St Nicholas Parish Reg and Nonconf(ormist), Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland.  No birth date given.

Michael Skroggs (sic.) baptised 18 June 1775 Newburn,  Northumberland. No birth date given.

Carlander Scroggs baptised June 1770 South Shields, Durham.  No birth date given.

All are children of Michael Scroggs & Mary.  All are extracted records.

With such unusual names, it is therefore quite likely that Michael & Carlander (Clarinda) Scroggs are brother and sister.

I have not yet looked at the original baptism records, as mention of Michael the father's occupation, or Michael the son's occupation at his marriage in Liverpool in 1804 to Catherine Pikeman, might add weight to the connection, if it were a seafaring one, similar to that of the Pikemans.

Anne