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The Light Infantry & All Former Light Infantry Regiments
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| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 23) |
| Author | Comment |
Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy Bermuda
 Jan 2, 08 - 1:19 PM |
WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
MISSING MOST WANTED!! TOMMY ATKINS 1944 MERXEM BELGIUM An earlier posting from a former German Soldier, Jochen Nubel now 82, see Message Board Inquiry first dated 5th December 2007 and subsequent replies, is a fine test for the readers of this website. The website icon lhs opens the URL for "The Search for Tommy Atkins" which depicts the considerable information that has now been amassed and published, but we need more from any British Soldier of WW2 who might have been in the action at that time. Tommy might have been a Para who was dropped too soon in Operation Market Garden, as he had sustained the unusual injury of 2 broken legs when he was found and rescued by his compassionate German friends. More probably he was Infantry as KSLI were also operational in the Battle of the Bulge at that time in the Albert Canal area. This episode in WW2 history is a brilliant example of human survival and the more noble behaviour of so called enemies of yesteryear. One can imagine the result if this frozen time window was opened in today's conflict in Iraq or Afghanistan and Tommy was found by his enemies in 2007/2008. He would have been cowardly emasculated and abused and his body burned and dragged through the streets. Let's kick off 2008 with some action - cheps - and show some positive reaction to a genuine inquiry from a bloke who is still living and still searching for Tommy Atkins who he rescued 53 years ago. Amicus verus est rara avis (a true friend is a rare bird) Carpe Diem! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI \"A\" Coy Bermuda
Jan 10th, 2008 - 10:05 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
THE ONGOING SEARCH FOR TOMMY ATKINS We have again apppealed the London Symphony Orchestra Archives to assist the search for Tommy who was an LSO flautist before his call up, and hopefully - after his return to civvy street. Logically, there can be only one LSO flautist, injured with 2 broken legs in the Albert Canal region during the Battle of the Bulge. However - further logic indicates that such an injury is an unusual battle injury in that there is no mention of bullet wounds by his German rescuers. Read the story so far by opening and browsing the website icon - lhs - under my name and email address. Our observations recorded in the initial message above suggest - maybe - a Para, but on further thoughts Tommy might have bailed out of a tank with the hope of quicker treatment by the 'enemy' instead of putting the remaining tank crew at risk, who clearly would have been on a battlefield mission during the Battle of the Bulge. Anyone reading this with a thought or two - please do not hesitate to contact this writer. What a wonderful story this will make for battlefield compassion - particularly if Tommy is still alive today. Unlikely that Tommy would have been so considerately handled in Iraq or Afghanistan! Tempus Fugit! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy Bermuda
Jan 14th, 2008 - 4:40 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
STILL SEARCHING FOR 'TOMMY' So far we are out of luck with the LSO, which has kindly examined those records available without result. However the LSO Archivist has made the obvious suggestion that (maybe) Tommy played with the Philharmonic Orchestra, and we have today appealed that body to assist. The LSO also suggested an approach to the Musicians Union and the Incorporated Society of Musicians. So if any of you readers can assist with maybe a lead or a contact, we shall shout you a beer - in due course -Fosters naturally - icy cold!! Carpe Diem!! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 17th, 2008 - 2:20 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
UPDATE IN THE SEARCH ACTIVITY We have been thoughtfully advised by Terry Joll that the former 5DCLI Intelligence Officer in 1944 is today, a well known Musical figure of National and International repute. On Terry's suggestion we are attempting contact to request his possible assistance and/or re-direction into other avenues. We shall keep you all posted of developments. Check out the website icon left hand side if you are new to this interesting exercise that we are all fascinated with. Carpe Diem! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 21st, 2008 - 2:42 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
FURTHER UPDATES FOR TOMMY Since last message posting, the author has undertaken many more hours of research, producing some very interesting background intelligence on 'Tommy'. The results, that include a gps mapping of Merxem, video clips relating to Paratroopers, Canadian Army and several publication references, are shown on the Tommy website. A message board posting has also been placed on the Para messaging facility. Click the icon lhs to open the URL. What is needed NOW - cheps - is some serious opinion, after analysing the intelligence thus gathered. Is there an Old Soldier out there with an opinion, suggestion, helpful remark? If so please GOYA. Tempus Fugit! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 22nd, 2008 - 6:41 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
THE SEARCH FOR TOMMY ATKINS IS HOTTING UP! Today the 23rd January in OZ, I have just received my ordered copy of "The Great Mistake" by Peter Beale, 5 days after buying it from the US. I have also the good fortune to speak personally with Peter, who lives in NSW Australia (where all the good guys are!) and he has graciously agreed to release copying approval for selected content from the book to assist our discovery of Tommy. As I read Chapter 10 - (Allied Operations 4 - 17 September 1944) I am again encouraged to consider that Tommy might have been 4KSLI, several Companies of which together with 3rd Monmouthshires and 1st Herefords were dispatched to reconnoitre the Merxem area north of the Albert Canal. Kindly peruse the website, click the icon lhs to bring up the URL to browse. The Search is narrowing, although we do not yet have an ID yet for Tommy. Maybe an Old KSLI Soldier, or his family, are prepared to help. I'd love to hear from you. Tempus Fugit! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 23rd, 2008 - 11:22 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
1944 BRITISH ARMY SCALE MAP OF ANTWERP & MERXEM AREA We have today published to our Search for Tommy Atkins website, a large scale map (cropped to the Merxem area) kindly contributed by Peter Beale, author of "The Great Mistake" in the hope that an interested reader will be able to identify the 4KSLI movements in the area in September 1944. We shall also invite Tommy's German rescuer, Jochen Nubel, to closely examine the road layouts in the Merxem area to attempt identification of the discovery position. Kindly open the icon lhs to browse and advise if you were there, or know of a British Soldier who fought around the Albert Canal. Carpe Diem! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 25th, 2008 - 12:14 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
THE SEARCH IS NARROWING Recent email exchanges with Jochen Nubel fairly well narrow the time window of the discovery of Tommy to after 14th September and before 29th September at which time the German soldiers were captured by the British. Given that airborne operations in the corridor vicinity towards Arnhem commenced on the 17th September, it is now fairly conclusive that Tommy was a Para or Glider trooper. His injuries make such conclusion quite evident. The absence of paratrooper uniform and gear suggest a gliderborne soldier. Follow the unravelling investigation by browsing all the data on the Tommy website. Click the icon lhs and open the URL. Comments to this editor are very welcome. Tempus Fugit! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 28th, 2008 - 12:25 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
THE SEARCH WINDOW NARROWS FURTHER A BBC narrative of the events on 18th September 1944 proclaims that Lt. Col. Haddon of the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment crashed in his glider near Antwerp and proceeded on foot to link up with the Dorset Regiment. This indicates that glider borne troops of The Borders were in the Antwerp area on the 18th September. Could Tommy have been a flight companion of the Lt. Col. and could the glider have crashed at Merxem? I have appealed the Antwerp news media to scour for WW2 Belgian residents, surviving today, who might have memories of such a crash. I have a also appealed the Borders' Museum for records. The Search for Tommy narrows even further! Please click the icon lhs for our website and my email if you can offer thoughts. Carpe Diem! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 28th, 2008 - 5:59 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
AVENUE EXPLORED AND DISCARDED The Curator of The Borders Museum has kindly accounted for all crew and troopers aboard the crashed glider referred above with Lt. Col. Tommy Haddon on board. None of them were injured in this accident. So, we continue the search for Tommy and seek information of other glider crashes near Antwerp and particularly Merxem. Carpe Diem! |
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Terence Joll
Jan 29th, 2008 - 2:19 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
It is a pleasure to read that results are coming in, not the end result yet but I am sure that with all the determination being displayed by those involved there will hopefully be a happy ending. Good Luck Terry |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI \"A\" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 30th, 2008 - 1:37 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
LATEST PHOTOS OF PARA TROOPS SEPT 1944 Unidentified and rare photographs of pre Operation Market Garden troops on the ground and in the air now published. Also an interesting link to many other photos that might lead us to an ID for Tommy Atkins. See URL link to icon lhs. Opinions welcomed. |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Jan 30th, 2008 - 1:13 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
READ ALL ABOUT IT!! Extremely important information is to hand from Steve Marshall of The Market Garden website and I simply await his approval to publish the email and web link. Steve has listed some 31, maybe 33 glider crashes that occurred over Holland during the 3 ‘lifts’ for Operation Market Garden on the 17th, 18th and 19th September 1944 and has made significant observations of the typical Glider Pilot injuries sustained by Tommy. It must now be fairly conclusive that Tommy was a GP and had removed his insignia prior to being discovered. What needs to happen now is to discover the possible precise whereabouts of a glider crash site at Merxem, which intelligence I shall explore. Logically the crash site could not have been too far from the wooded perimeter where Tommy was found. The Antwerp news media has been appealed to publish the narrative thus far to uncover a living Antwerpian today who has recall of the events of the time frame. Tempus fugit, non autem memoria (Time flies but not memory)!! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Feb 6th, 2008 - 1:01 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
THE NARROWING SEARCH CONTINUES My thanks to the select few who are assisting in the Search for Tommy. We continue to focus in on Glider Pilots of September 17th - 19th 1944, but names uncovered so far are not the ID for Tommy. The Tommy website (see icon lhs) continues to grow with added intelligence from many contacts and Guestbook postings to related Regimental sites have been logged in, in addition to the publishing of interesting web links. The journey of discovery for Tommy is an interesting exercise, taking this editor into many avenues of nostalgia for the "D" Day campaign in June 1944 and the Arnhem history. It is too easy in 2008 to forget the valour and gallantry of the paras and glider men of September 1944. So too is the clear message to we Old Soldiers who need to read the poignant requests from families and friends of now departed fathers and uncles and grand fathers, who have left so little record of wartime experiences. If you can help, please do so, any small snippet of information helps along the way. Manus in mano - Hand in hand |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy. Bermuda
Feb 9th, 2008 - 3:59 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BELGIUM
OUR SITE NOW LINKED TO THE GLIDER PILOT REGIMENT WEBSITE. Approval today has been given to link our 'Tommy' site to the GPR website and additionally an offer to publish our search detail in the April Magazine issue of the GP Association. This is another major step in the right direction and we again thank those few who take the time and make the effort to assist us. We must be very close to finding "Tommy Atkins" of September 1944. Kindly click the lhs icon to open the Tommy site. |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI "A" Coy Bermuda
Mar 15th, 2008 - 3:41 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
TOMMY ATKINS MESSAGE FORUM NOW OPEN Click the website icon lhs to open and scroll the Tommy site to post any helpful messages and comments in the continuing search. Forum message banks are a popular growing web method for discovery of important snippets of information that might form part of the big picture. Carpe Diem! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI \"A\" Coy Bermuda
Mar 27th, 2008 - 1:24 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
INCREASING USE OF THESE MESSAGE BOARDS We are continuing our search for Tommy Atkins presumed Glider Pilot, brought down near Merxem Belgium, September 1944 and the hope is that the increased number of LI Messages for March 2008, signifies a growing interest in all military history, which will in the future, include some helpful comments for Tommy. Disappointingly, some earlier approaches made to musical connections of the 1944 era have been ignored. A flutepaying 'Tommy' with 2 broken ankles, presumably finishing (we hope) WW2 as a POW, must be a fairly unique identity. If you the reader know of or are connected with music in some way and can give us direction, we shall be most appreciative. The little icon lhs links you to the URL for our 'Tommy' site. Please peruse all the current information and contact us if you can help. Tempus Fugit! |
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Keith
Mar 27th, 2008 - 2:05 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
Unfortunately Derek you are correct in your summary, very few replies to my own letters out to groups etc who should I thought would have known something, and some do not even reply. Never mind lets stay resolute. |
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terry joll
Mar 27th, 2008 - 8:51 AM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
I am very surprised the Music connection I suggested has not replied, He is a busy man but an acknowlegment would have been something. Never mind, it is again left for the faithful few to carry on regardless of all the obstacles. Good luck in the continued search Terry |
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Derek Lovemore 22935157
Jul 1st, 2008 - 3:35 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
5TH RANKING ON GOOGLE Just an update report to keep Tommy at the forefront of our collective thoughts and minds. There is no further news to add to the search for Tommy, except to state that we remain ever hopeful. Our website (URL icon lhs) on Google delivers a 5th ranking first page from 152,000 search results. Even the tiniest clue will be helpful - particularly those former WW2 servicemen with musical backgrounds. Tempus Fugit! |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI
Nov 20th, 2008 - 12:51 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
EMAIL MESSAGES FROM THE PAST We have today received an email contact that reaches back over 64 years to 3rd September 1944 from the son of Sgnt Jones who took "A" Company 1KSLI into the Albert Canal area and was captured during the fighting. Sgnt Jones survives to this day and we hope that his memory will assist us further in our search for Tommy Atkins. The webmaster also reported a similar email from the past on the SCLI Message board, so it just shows to never give up hope to find a contact. Check out the web icon lhs to connect to the Tommy Atkins website. Carpe Diem! |
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Terence Joll
Nov 20th, 2008 - 2:33 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
That is encouraging news Derek, keep up the good work, hope all will eventually be revealed |
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Derek Lovemore ex 1DCLI
Nov 21st, 2008 - 6:59 PM |
Re: WANTED: TOMMY ATKINS 1944 - MERXEM BBELGIUM
4KSLI AT ANTWERP, ALBERT CANAL MERXEM SEPT 1944 A response received from Sgnt GR Jones (indirectly via his son, Alan Jones) promises greater detail of the part that 4KSLI played in establishing a bridgehead across the Albert Canal at Merxem in early September 1944. Sgnt Jones led a platoon (we believe) of "A" Company 4KSLI into a heavily protected sector of the north bank, undergoing fierce combat with German tanks - and as reported on pages 135-136 of The Great Mistake by Peter Beales - were 'never seen again'. We are looking forward to the written Memoirs of Sgnt Jones and any possible light that can be shed in the Search for Tommy Atkins. Having written that, there is substantial doubt that Tommy was part of the Infantry Divisions at that time, T.A. having suffered injuries on or about the 19th Sept - some 14 odd days after the 4KSLI assault on the German positions on the Albert Canal and moreover of a Para or Glider pilot nature. This detail is revealed on the "Search for Tommy Atkins" website - just click the web icon lhs to show the URL. What is enormously gratifying however - especially to this writer - is that we can bridge a time span of over 64 years via these Message banks and Guestbooks - and still discover a living hero in our midst who is willing to recall his battle history and provide us all with a personal insight into what actually happened. Thank You in anticipation Sgnt GR Jones. |
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