Iank

More like peaked caps going by the shape.

I tried to send the cutting but it was rejected as being too big.

I'll consult my technical advisers.

Regards

Ian

Hey, great - we did actually live in the same room at South Barracks Gibralter, 3 or 4 decades apart.

Looks like a sun helmet on display there, with the Welsh Guards pugaree badge on red felt backing?

According to his paybook he was there from 22/4/39 to 16/11/39.

We also have a newspaper cutting of the Welsh Guards marching across Westminster Bridge with Big Ben in the back ground on their way to Waterloo Station. They are wearing sun helmets and have what look like cotton bags attached to their kit on the left hand side.

Hi Leigh,

Here is a photo of the previous occupant of your room in Gibraltar.

George Kitchen Welsh Guards

Hi, I wondered when you would show up - I thought you had the photos of my old man, I'll sort some out for you.

I knew that the Cagny photo was an IWM one & have always intended to follow up the other photos in the series but never got around to it.

Packs & other gear into the water...................& what documentation went in with the packs?

It's uncle Sids 90th soon, I'm waiting for a reply from E.G.Frames about getting a frame made up for him - photos of the four brothers, above each photo their regimental cap badge mounted on regimental silk, perhaps below the photos a formation sign for each, but I don't know what formation uncle Alf served in. Any ideas?

I need to do a seperate frame for a photo of aunt Kit, but if she was in something like Home Guard Auxhileries then I would include her with a badge etc in the main frame.

I don't have the one from the squad photo but I do have the others.

I just know that uncle Alf was in the Royal Marines and was sick and unfit for duty with them and was transfered to the Artillery. It was some kind of kidney problem and I think he died from kidney failure eventually at about 75.

I was told they put their pay books in their packs the pay records were lost and some were paid twice.

There didn't seem to be a series of Cagny photos just the one I was hoping for more but the 2nd batallion tanks came out well.

Dad also told a story of a german sniper in a factory chimney in Bolougne. They kept firing back at him with no result and a sergeant from the Irish Guards fired a Boyes anti tank rifle from the shoulder and demolished the chimney. Dad was not small and he said laying prone he moved back about 2 ft when he fired the thing. Others who know said it was impossible to fire one from the shoulder but that was his version.

regards

Ian

George as a CQMS, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.

He served in both 1st Bn & 2nd Bn of the Welsh Guards, including "The Prince of Wales's Company" of the 1st, & took part in the campaign in France / Belgium of 1940, being evacuated via Bolougne, & the Normandy Invasion & ensuing campaign of 1944 - 45.

Thanks Leigh it was good to see photos of the oldies again although the ones of your father were new to me.

I'm probably teaching my cousin how to suck eggs but I looked up the Cagny photo. I followed the directions of the wikipedia entry for the Welsh Guards and ended up in the photo collection of the Imperial War Museum where the original resides and found more Welsh Guards photos.

I remember that Dad said at the time of the Bolougne evacuation (they were picked up by navy destroyers) that they threw their packs and some other gear into the harbour to make room on the ships.

Regards

Ian