Paratrooper Pte William Roberts #3657611 (WW2)

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Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Private William Roberts #3657611 was a paratrooper in WW2 & was in the Carrier Platoon in the 2/4 South Lancs Reg.
His DOB was 3rd April 1917.

He was my Mother's older brother (my Uncle). RIP both of them.

I'd appreciate any advice in helping me trace his war record as my Mother had mentioned he was dropped into Caen (France) the night before the D-Day landings & once actually captured a German 'Pay-Master'.

This clip got me confused as it doesn't mention the 2/4 South Lancs Reg ?

Tactical drop: British Paratroopers’ drop to D-Day victory - News stories - GOV.UK

Cheers

P
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Jan
Posts: 6943
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:34 pm
Location: Bootle

Hi Paul,

You would have to contact the MOD for the records, you will need to prove Kinship and have birth and death certs, I am not sure what they charge now for the records, it was £30, and it could take up to six months to get them sent to you.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... ce-records

Best of luck.

Jan
Old genealogists never die......they just lose their census.
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Hi Jan...........Thanks for the prompt advice..........just ordered the Death Cert..........due 16th December.

A thousand mile journey starts with a single step ...!! (or something like that). :-)

Cheers

P
WatsonTommy
Posts: 293
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:48 pm

paul.. ask the british legion they will put you right
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Hi Tommy...........Thanks for advice............presently I've posted off my Uncle's death cert & sent it off to the Army with the appropriate fee. (Thanks Jan too).

They've acknowledged receipt of same but have reminded me it could take 6 months.

Watch this space :-)

Cheers

P
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Just an (eventual) update (??)……...in 2017,I did indeed receive my favourite Uncle's military record. (see enclosed pics), the stand-out date being; "Deplaned to NW Europe on 5/6/44"...….the night before 'D-Day'.

Can't imagine his thoughts as he prepared to parachute in (with a bicycle) !!.

Anyway, I was delighted & proud to see he got promoted to Sergeant just one month later & chuckled to see he got a right royal rollicking for letting a POW escape in 1945. (Although, he was a compassionate man)

Then in November last, I visited ;

http://www.lancashireinfantrymuseum.org.uk

It's FREE ….just get the 'X2' bus to Preston then the #6 bus to the barracks...…….it's 'Jam-packed' with stuff...……..well worth a visit.

During my visit, I noticed some photos & information regarding "2/4 Lancs Regiment" during 'D-Day', …...Bill's regiment, with incredible timing, one of the volunteers from the Museum asked me; "Need any help Sir ?".

He was obviously a retired military man, dapper, red'g tie, well spoken in clipped terms. So I asked for more information & explained about my Uncle & that he had indeed landed the night before.

I'd been to my cousin's funeral that day before & inside my jacket pocket, & by pure chance, I had Charlie Wallace's letter addressed to my Uncle with me,as his brothers (my other cousins) would be interested.

I produced the letter as if to illustrate my credentials. (!!), he read the address; "Bill Roberts, Carrier Platoon, 2/4 redg, Cheltenham"...…….his eyebrows raised & he asked me two quick questions;

"Did he come back alive ?" & after I answered 'Yes'.....his promptly asked; "Was he wounded ?"...….I replied 'No'.

He then informed me that 'The Carrier Platoon' was the elite squad & that he will have seen "Heavy Heavy Action"...……..he then further informed me of where my Uncle would have been involved...….another 'Big One' was a battle in 'BURE' connected with the 'Battle of the Bulge"...….then into the Rhine...…...then out to the Baltic to meet Russian troops.

I was in a trance & struggled to take it all in.

I know he is featured on the famous "World at War" series...Episode 'Nemisis'……...he appears for a single second, sitting on an Allied tank as they met up with the advancing Russians...…….he later said it was 'stage managed' for the cameras.

It was when I got home that I finally decided to look for 'Charlie Wallace'. (!!)

Happy New Year Y'all.

P



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jimmyocx3
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 12:38 pm

Hi, you must be extremley proud of him, is he amongst this group of airborne soldiers in this clip starting at 5.26
https://youtu.be/8qzBLRXjcw4?t=326
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Hi Jimmyocx3...…….Thanks for the 'You Tube' clip.....what a find.

Yep....he's there, I've not seen it for a long time….BUT....watch carefully to exactly 05mins & 43sec.... Bill Roberts appears.….in the background..... but directly central in the cameras frame......he even makes eye contact with the cameraman !.

I remember my Mother (Rose, his sister) freeze framing the VCR & taking a photo of him on the TV when the "World at War" series first aired...!!...Ha Ha.

Cheers & ATB

P
jimmyocx3
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 12:38 pm

Paul McCabe wrote:Hi Jimmyocx3...…….Thanks for the 'You Tube' clip.....what a find.

Yep....he's there, I've not seen it for a long time….BUT....watch carefully to exactly 05mins & 43sec.... Bill Roberts appears.….in the background..... but directly central in the cameras frame......he even makes eye contact with the cameraman !.

I remember my Mother (Rose, his sister) freeze framing the VCR & taking a photo of him on the TV when the "World at War" series first aired...!!...Ha Ha.

Cheers & ATB

P
Hi Paul, a fantastic piece of family history, thank you for sharing with us.
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Brilliant story. I do like it when things work out well. Keep up the searches.
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Well, I'm just back from (3) days cycling with a couple of mates to (4) of the beaches used on 'D Day' ; (Omaha, Sword, Gold & Juno).

Fab trip...…...the 'Cherry on the Tart' was crossing Pegasus Bridge & then visiting the Museum adjacent it & to actually walk over the original Bridge that is now kept there & then to witness an actual glider that Bill would have dashed from. (enclosed photo)

"WoW" that was a huge adrenalin rush for me.

I strolled & savoured my 'Rush'...…..God only knows how Bill felt..(!!).

We advanced into Ranville... (the first French town liberated by the Paras in WW2)….& visited the War Graves Cemetery there......a sombre, sad place.

There are German soldiers there too. We had small remembrance crosses with us to place on random graves, so we looked up in the cemetery register for a Scouser from Bill's regiment to honour.

"Bingo"......we found a 'Bootle Buck';.....Thomas William Medlicott……...from Bootle & from "2/4 Para" too.

We laid a cross, said a prayer, saluted & said "Thank You"...….so he is not forgotten.

(I will post images of his grave & more details of him on a separate post ASAP).

It was the trip of a lifetime for me.

My (2) mates who were with me both knew Bill when they were young boys, & also wore his logo on our nerd Tee-shirts with pride. (enclosed).

& 'Yep' that's his mug-shot from "The World at War".

We used Arromanches as our base & I can recommend this gaff without hesitation.

Cheers

P


http://www.normandybeach.co.uk/

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Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

I recently came into possession of this photo of Bill & his sister Rose (my Mother), suspect it's just post war & in the Lakes (?).....any detectives recognise
the background ? (ha ha).

(Apologies for the size & quality)

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Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

Well, with the help of another nerdy friend & all this 'Lockdown' I've discovered a few images concerning "Uncle Bill"

Below is The 13th Lancashire Battalion in February 1945......these men survived 'D-Day' & The Battle of the Bulge / Bure........Bill is 12th along on the back row.
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Below are the names on that back row;
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Below is a 'Blow up' of that back row........Bill is extreme right at the rear;
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Below is a newspaper report of the Battle at Bure
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Also enclose an account of the Battle at Bure.......it reads like a violent video game, so make strong coffee.

Now I know why that regimental guy in Preston Barracks (Fulwood) asked me those (2) telling questions about my Uncle;

1; "Was he killed ?"

2; "Was he wounded ?"

http://www.battleofthebulgememories.be/ ... ennes.html

Cheers

P
Paul McCabe
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Bootle, Merseyside

A friend lent me a copy of the book "13-Lucky for some. The history of the 13th (Lancs) Parachute Battalion" by Andrew Woolhouse.

It's 2 inches thick & contains first hand accounts of over 50 veterans who served 1943 to 1946 & civilians too.

Some of the first hand accounts are Jaw-dropping.

I enclose (2) such snippets......from a War correspondent & another from a villager from Bure.

Now I realise why why the guy asked me those (2) pertinent questions !!

Phew.

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