Capt Schooley RWF - DOW 8 June 1944 Normandy

[Angela G]

I remember being told that his sergeant visited my grandparents and aunt to tell them exactly what happened to their son/husband on 7th/8th June 1944 - it must have been truly awful for them to learn all the details particularly as my aunt was pregnant at the time. Eleven weeks later my aunt gave birth to their son (my cousin). The death of my uncle came as such a dreadful shock to her that she never really spoke to my cousin about his father and he was
sent away to a boarding school. Fortunately, my mum and dad told me everything they knew about him and I've been able to share much of it with my cousin. For so many years I've wanted to discover where my uncle was and what he did during the lead up to D-Day but it was impossible to apply for his service record(s) while my aunt was alive, however I now have them and I'm gradually finding out more. I'm going to Normandy for the day this Saturday, it'll be my fourth visit and I have a lovely posy of poppies for his grave. I'm sorry that my cousin won't be coming too but he never knew his father, only his step father as his mother re-married, and my uncle means even less to my cousin's children. I just don't want my uncle to be forgotten.

[ap1]

Good on you Angela. We will post his details/picture on our Facebook page on the 8th of June. If you can send us a picture of his grave that would be appreciated.

[Angela G]

Will the 9th Infantry Division War Diaries include those for the 3rd Infantry Brigade?

How should I send the photo(s)? To this site?

[ap1]

No! This is the direct link into the 9th Bde: http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...e/C4440725?v=h You need HQ 171/616

[Angela G]

I've, sort of, answered the question about the photo(s) but please advise which section of the "Gallery" I should send them to.

[Angela G]

That's what I've asked for.

[Angela G]

Reg 2 - Copy (2)_edited-1.jpg Reg 2.jpg Reg 1.jpg Reg 1 001.jpg

[ap1]

I think the group picture is possibly when he was OC D Coy 13 RWF.

[Drew5233]

Hi Angela

Within the Brigade war diary there will be several Officer Field Returns every month. Some field returns in diaries also list what a officers job was so you may get lucky. As a rule officers are well documented in the diaries compared to ORs and their deaths are normally mentioned in some way shape or form. Some just get a mention by name and others get everything. The problem may be the timing of his death, the Bde and the Bns under its command would still be very busy so information may be basic. In short you never know until you look.

The National Archives charge around a £1.00 a page so make sure you are sitting down when you read the quote. A far better alternative would be to use me to copy the diary for you. I charge 10p per page and have been copy war diaries for other people for around 4 years now. More details of the service I offer and some examples of the pages that can be in the war diaries can be seen on the link below and more importantly feedback from people who have ordered files:

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/2871...onal-archives/

I advertise the service on WW2 Talk and Mod the 1940 section of the forum.

Cheers
Andy

[ap1]

Nice one Andy, thats sounds like a great option.I concur on the costs of the NA copying service…I asked for a Battle of Donbaik quotation, some two months in total, the cost was in the £100's