David Charles Edwards

[dcdl12976]

The 53rd (Welsh) Division landed in Normandy on 28 June 1944 the second last infantry division to land, and was placed under command of XII Corps, now defending the Odon Valley position. The division was involved in heavy fighting in this area, with the 158th brigade detached to fight with the 15th (Scottish) in the second battle of the Odon (Operation Greenline) from what I found out

158 infantry brigade
4th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (left 3 August 1944)
6th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (left 3 August 1944)
7th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (left 27 April 1945, rejoined 14 June 1945)
There is a couple more possibilits though in the same brigade were 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment (from 4 August 1944) and 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers (from 26 April 1945)
So I do agree its unlikely if not impossible he was any where near any fighting at Arromanches.
I have advised him to get his Grandads service record at least that will tell us the units he served in and dates for same.
I wonder if the story has been corrupted over the years and he was not in the RWF but one of the other Welsh regiments but for some reason said he was a Fusilier

[ap1]

Where did he get his service number from originally? We know there was a D C Edwards in the bag….We just don't know his battalion or when he was captured.

[dcdl12976]

will ask him Al thanks

[dcdl12976]

just checked is POW record is on ancestry but I don't have access sadly from the search criteria I put in it would appear he WAS RWF

[ap1]

Agreed. However, how does your friend link his father, with that man on Ancestry?…..Where did your friend get his fathers service number from? Normally familys who don't have much detail on a WW2 veteran, rarely have the service number?

[dcdl12976]

I have to say I did wonder myself I have sent a message asking him