A Gallery of Heroes.

If you see anyone you recognise in this gallery I would love to hear from you. Many of these photographs were taken after the war, when the men were allowed to wear a collar and tie. Some bearing an inscription as they were gifted to old comrades as a reminder of their time spent together. These are an example of the men that were enlisted into the army from all walks of life – Butchers, Farmers, Farmhands, Builders, Bakers, Milkmen, Solicitors, Factory workers, Directors, etc… trained to be soldiers and defend the country. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

My Father – 4040028 George Henry Neal, W Coy 6th Bn. KSLI, C troop 178 Bty.

4040197 L/Cpl Edward James Henry Rock, Photographed at a tented camp in Sherwood Forest c. Sept/Oct 1940, known as Jack or Rocky- part of the Bren carrier crew 6 KSLI, and posted to 179 Bty. This photograph was sent by his daughter , Mrs Doreen Byrne who spotted him on my original website. Jack was seriously wounded at Gheel Sept.1944 when his carrier was hit, he spent the remainder of the war in hospital and not discharged until April 1946. Sadly he died just 3 years later, deemed as a result of his war wounds. There is no record of how many men who died long after the war ended and received no lasting memorial.

L/Bdr Kenneth Warmington, forward observation post signaller (FOP,sigs) 179 Bty. FOP- forward observation post, a most dangerous position, forward of the guns, with the infantry, selecting targets for the guns, and bringing down a storm of shells on the enemy.

Bill Magnuss (Long Eaton), Ernest Cooper (stoke on Trent), Ron Geeson (London). A group of friends and comrades showing the insignia, and medal ribbons. The gold bugle badge was worn by every man and was unique to 181 field regiment to represent their regiments, infantry ancestry.

Bdr Jack Forder from Leicester , wearing his Tam O’Shanter, and the Royal Artillery cap badge and back patch as worn by 181 field regiment (FR) during the war.

Named only as Jack? wearing his campaign ribbons- already a Veteran when he joined 181 FR.

4040378 Sgt George Cowern

L-R 4040378 G.Cowern (Wolverhampton) & 4036662 Jack Onions M.M.,(Oakengates) Sgt. Stanley Bull, 4040491 Sgt George Holliday and Sgt.Onions, who won his Military Medal (MM) when crossing the River Elbe.

4040067 Pte Godfrey Alfred Lacey (known as Goff) joined 6KSLI the same date as my Father, the left hand photo dates to around mid 1942, when 6KSLI were part of Northern Command, still wearing the famous KSLI cap badge. And post war, a more serious looking Goff From boy to man. wearing his campaign medal ribbons. These photos came from Goff’s son -Paul, who I met through my web site. Paul was also an artillery veteran of the Falklands campaign.

Gnr/Signaller Alfred Abbis, C troop 178 Battery(Bty)

The Abiss Family , young john Abbis visits the area were his Dad was billeted .

1077089 Gnr Frank Curtis joined 181 FR in Jan.1944 from coastal artillery, just before they went to Normandy. It was a stroke of bad of bad luck for Frank. He was one of three gunners seriously wounded when their gun pit was hit by a shell the day before they went into action. Three other men were killed in the same tragedy, luckily all three wounded men got the fullest attention from the Medical officer(MO) *Stuart Lowden, before being shipped back to the UK where Frank spent the next five months recovering. This photo was sent by his son Ron, his father never mentioned the war or the tragic incident that befell him before his war started. * Stuart Lowden was killed in action later in the war when he stepped on a mine whilst going out to rescue his orderly , who was also killed.

4040568 Sgt E. Mottram. C troop 178 Bty. an excellent shot of the insignia.

Cpl.. E.W. (Ted) Packer C troop 178 Bty. wearing the cap badge of the N’hants regiment. When the regiment was disbanded post-war Ted was re-posted. Ted went on to serve in the Surrey police force and H.M prison service.

14282735 Gnr/Sig David McNair received a Commander in Cheif’s commendation. Born in 1917 in Larbert, Scotland. enlisted 17.9.42, posted to 38 signals training Regt., classified signaller 4.7.43 . post war, transferred to 6th airborne Div. while serving in Palestine, de-mob 13.12.46. to Res. re-called for the Suez crisis. A joiner by trade also a semi-professional footballer, played goal-keeper for – Falkirk, Steinhousemuir, & Partick Thistle, and of course, played for the R.A. regimental team. He was in the carrier when Capt. Meredith strayed behind enemy lines.

Lt.C.M.Marsh and Lt A.C.M.P. Duqueunoy 178 Bty officers mess Breitenfelde, Germany, 1945

Captain (later major) John Meredith M.C.178 Battery commander and Lt. C.M.Marsh. John Meredith was awarded the Military Cross (M.C.) and mentioned in Despatches (MiD) – enlisted as a private soldier in July 1940.

Lt Rod Gow and Lt. Mitchell

Rod Gow at home.

Gnr Parkes – was Rod Gow’s batman and saved both their lives in a one to one shoot-out with a Nazi fanatic in Uelzen.

20446 Lt Philip Mulholland, a great supporter of my project. enlisted into the 11th bn. Worcester regt. and commissioned into 6KSLI 2Lt. 1941. He was assistant command post signal officer. In his book “The quiet gunner” Maj. R. Gorle MC describes the command post one night in October 1944. – ‘The command post was the nerve centre where fire plans were drawn up . distance, weather conditions, position, air pressure communications are all calculated in the C.P. the slightest mistake could result in shells landing amongst our own men. Presiding over this centre of clear thinking is a 2nd Lieut. Philip Mulholland, he looks like like a schoolboy (see phot) but is a little over twenty one, but he is cool, clear and an excellent organiser. Only a subaltern, but the keystone of the unit, if the CPO.(command post officer) should fail the consequences could be ghastly’ . Philip is standing between two tables answering phones, giving orders bringing all the batteries together like a well orchestrated overture. This gives the reader an insight into the calibre of that generation, do you know any 21 year olds?

4040026 Bdr George Aspley M.M. from Walsall decorated for outstanding gallantry in the Gheel bridgehead.

4040418 Sgt Fred Darby C troop 178 Bty. was my Father’s gun Sgt. And was generous in his praise of my my Dad – “a fine gunner and a fine friend”

4040028 Gnr.George Neal (my father) & 4040442 Sgt Frank Foster also a brummy, from Aston, war time pals. Frank served in D Troop.

4031935 Sgt Edund Linard & 4031603 Sgt ‘Dick’ Fletcher ‘old sweats’ the sad story of Sgt.Linard is told on page ‘killed at war’.

Sgt. Darby, Sgt. Gibbons & Sgt. Mottram. post war Breitenfelde, Germany

L-R – Lieut David ‘Sam’ Small, Lieut George Easter, Lieut Moss Walters, Lieut Wlodyslaw Rolski (Polish interpreter). AND FINALLY:- Those who also served . The following photographs were sent to me by Philip Mulholland, kept by him for over 70 years. They were taken after the fighting for identity cards, they are all men who served in 179 Bty.181 FR. looking relaxed and happy to have survived.