South Africa RESEARCH - Be DILIGENT : Be rewarded with SUCCESS

[David B 1812]

DOING PROPER MILITARY HISTORY RESEARCH:

Here is an example of how you can get a great deal from very little.

Doing good research is, or can be a bit like criminal forensic investigation,

and in-depth, careful and diligent research can often bring a good result.

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So, more than twenty years ago, I found an old Kodak Brownie photograph

in a box of other photos at a dealer's stall at a Durban flea market. It was

just a simple 10.7cm X 6.8cm black and white photo, and not of great quality

either. If one examines it closely, it is of what appears to be a fresh, flower-

covered military grave, with a hand-made white cross stuck into the mound

of fresh earth. (See attached photo)

If you look closely at the cross, it reads: Cpl. P.W. Renou, 8 Field Sqdn,

S.A.E.C. with below that, a date, partially obscured.

So, that is all one has. That is the starting point. Who was Cpl Renou?

Where did he die? When did he die? What did he do? What can we find

out about this man? So first we get his military papers from the Defence

Archives in Pretoria.

We find that he was:

189597V Cpl. Percy William RENOU, 8 Field Squadron, South African

Engineer Corps. He died of wounds in Italy, 27 June 1944. He enlisted

in June 1940. He was married in July 1943. His records show that his

medal entitlement (issued in 1951) was: 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star;

Italy Star; 1939-45 Defence Medal; 1939-45 War Medal and the Africa

Service Medal. In addition, Cpl Renou was MENTIONED in DESPATCHES

in March 1942.

And apart from the usual technical details of Cpl Renou's training, transfers,

promotions, as so on, there is not much more to tell.

But I was not finished. Off to my library. And, sure enough, the index of

"Salute to the Sappers" by Orpen and Martin, has a entry for Cpl Renou,

on page 139, Chapter 11 of S.A. Forces in WWII, Part 2. And here is what

it says:

"SETBACK AT CHIUSI - ITALY, JUNE 1944"

The South Africans managed to clear a way through the drab and narrow streets

(of Chiusi), only to be held up beyond the outskirts by enemy fire. Once again the

Germans were hitting back and the Sappers (Engineers) had to bear much of the brunt.

Both L/Cpl. P. Kelly and Spr. H.H. Dittman were slightly wounded by mortar bombs,

but with a section sent off to join an unsuccessful effort at a left hook, work continued

after dark to open up a road to Acquaviva. On 27 June the squadron suffered a further

loss when Spr. A. Blair was wounded by an “S” mine. Within five minutes, Spr. A.E.

Meiring was killed by another and Cpl. P.W. Renou was mortally wounded in going to

Meiring’s assistance. No other South African Sapper units in the whole of Italy were

so severely cut up by enemy action.

(And NOW here is the INTERESTING BIT...................................)

For years, Cpl Renou had longed to visit Assisi, some 60km almost due east of Chiusi,

and on moving to Italy (from the north African desert campaign), he had written to his

wife to tell her that at last his ambition might be realised. On the very eve of his death

he had written home to say that he was on his way to Assisi, little knowing how true

his words were to prove. To the amazement of his widow, years later, she was informed

that because 13 graves at Chiusi were placed too close to the main road, 11 of them

were being moved to the main War Cemetery at Castiglione (where many South Africans

who were killed in Italy were buried) – but that those of Cpl. Renou and Spr. Meiring

were being moved to Assisi, thus fulfilling a Sapper’s ambition long after he had lost his

life in trying to help a friend.

And so, in this very sad way, Cpl. Renou did get to Assisi.

(See attached photo)

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(Note : Chiusi is a small Italian town, roughly midway between Rome and Florence).

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And SO, all that information (and much more besides), resulted from finding one,

little Kodak World War II black and white photograph.

Isn't research great !!!!! ????

David B 1812

April 2013

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Edited April 6, 2013 by David B 1812

[IrishGunner]

Well done and thanks for sharing. Priceless photo now with a story.

[Ulsterman]

Very cool.

[peter monahan]

From tiny acrons are mighty oak trees grown. Very nice detective work and what can make this hobby so rewarding. Instead of an anonymous black and white photo an tragic and uplifting tale. Well done!

[David B 1812]

Thank you for your very kind words, Peter, Ulsterman and IrishGunner.

It is nice when one can complete this sort of work, to a successful ending.

But as I am sure you know, yourselves, not every research project has a

full, or complete ending. I think also, that a fair degree of luck is involved.

Thanks again,

With best wishes,

David B 1812

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[Pylon1357]

David, right you are that many times our research is not complete. I find unfortunately in most soldiers I research, their post war years are total blank. Some cases I have not even be successful finding a date of death,

[David B 1812]

Yes, P1357 - You are quite correct...........

Medal research mostly (unless the recipient was your own family / friend, or a famous

person) tends to end, in my experience, with the miltary career ending.

That is why if you want to complete the job, you have to get into family history, or genealogy. And

that can be very difficult and time consuming.

BW

David B 1812