7th Batt Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry - WW2

[mtrplt]

Hello Adam, thanks for your interest.
My Dad was Private Thomas William Griffin.
My Dad volunteered 15-3-40, lnitially with the DCLI. Transferred to the 4th Oxf&Bucks 25-6-40, then transferred to 7th Oxf&Bucks 3-7-42 and posted overseas, disembarking Iraq 4-11-42.
He then fought with the 7th battalion until Dec.'44.
It was always difficult to get him to talk about his war, I wanted to write it all down, sometimes he would come out with a memory and tell me, maybe it was the time of year bringing it back. These are etched into my mind, l always hoped one day I could get everything on paper, but then he was gone.
Regards,
Bill.

[Drew5233]

Did he go to France with 4 Ox and Bucks? If he did he would have been fighting at Cassel. There's a battlefield guide being published this year on the battle that I helped the author research.

[mtrplt]

No, he joined the 4th at the end of June, '40, that is, those of them who made it back from Dunkirk.

[adam180]

Hello Andy
Does that mean that Bills father would have joint up with the same battallion that was involved in the german atrocities in France may 1940.
I would like to see this guide if its possable, is it available.
Adam

[Drew5233]

Adam

He joined up with the battalion in the UK after what was left of them evacuated from France. The battalion was part of 145 Brigade and fought with 2 Glosters at Cassel where most of the Brigade was captured after being surrounded and trying to breakout under the cover of darkness to Dunkirk.

You may be thinking of the Wormhoudt Massacre a few miles further north of Cassel on the Dunkirk road where the Warwicks, Cheshires, Worcs and some Artillery chaps were murdered?

Cheers
Andy

Ps the book comes out later this year. If you are on Facebook look up France and Flanders 1940. Its the name of my new Facebook page and I'll post on there when the book is available.

[adam180]

Hello Bill
Your father was with my grandfather then for most of the war, they did a awful lot of fighting in that time and were involved in quite a few different battles and on more than one occasion lost so many men, it was almost completely destroyed.
Have you looked into the 7th batt Ox and bucks at this time, I don't want to bore you if you have, because I have, everything from visiting the regiments historians/researchers at Slades barracks and woodstock, to looking around a few of the battlefields in Italy.
I have 3 of the war chronicles books as well as a bit of info from the TNA, so if there was anything you wanted to know or if you wanted me to let you know key things they did, point you to a few websites etc, I would be happy to help.
I am interested to know how your father got away from the fighting in which my grandad got catured in, it was the 16th feb 1944, which was more or less the end of the 7th batt as a fighting force, do you know what company he was in?
all the best Adam
PS yes your right Andy, I was thinking of the other one up the road where they were murdered.
I will look forward to getting this book.
 
 

[mtrplt]

Hello Adam, sorry for late reply, just found your post.
I don't know which company my Father was in. I now have his service records, I don't know about the 16 Feb, sorry.
My Dad's casualty card goes into detail about him being wounded in action, 20-9-43 (at Salerno)
then states form 104-81 to NOK 29-10-43.
Then there is an entry dated 16-3-44 stating Wounded in Action Italy, next line says 2 March, then 104-81 to NOK 16-3-44 but there are no hospital details like his Salerno wound, so i am not sure if he was wounded twice or not.

Regards,
Bill.

[Drew5233]

On the 16th March the battalion moved from Potensa to Matera. No incidents of soldiers being injured are recorded.

[mtrplt]

Hello Drew,
The date 16-3-44 isn't the date wounded in action, rather it is in the column relating to the date the entry was recorded on the casualty form. The only date given as to when wounded is 2nd March.
Regards,
Bill.