A Special Request

I know I said I wouldn’t write further until I’d actually gone, but another bit of information has come my way, along with a special request.

Our friend Pat, a neighbour at the cottage, knows that I’m going on this trip and has asked me to visit the grave of her Uncle James who is buried in the Commonwealth War Grave in Catania, Sicily.  James is the brother of Trix who was Pat’s mother. The family home was in Brighton, England.

James was a Lance Corporal scan0002with the 1st Battalion, London Irish Rifles (LIR), which at that time in Sicily was part of the British 50th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on July 18th, 1943.  From what I can tell about the 50th Infantry Division at that time they were attempting to relieve paratroopers who were trying to take the Primisole Bridge on the southern outskirts of Catania.

If any of you know more about the specifics of the action that James might have been involved in please let me know as I know that the family would be interested.

The London Irish Rifles were a Territorial Army (TA) unit which is similar to our Canadian militia. We know that in July, 1940 James was employed by Lloyds Bank Ltd., in London and was engaged in “essential” banking services, although he may also have been part of one of the LIR battalions.

There is not much more known by the family but there is a coincidence that is rather sad.  On July 26th Mrs Taylor received a letter from James.  It was dated July 18 th, the day he was killed. He wrote to Mum, Joyce and Trix at #4 Stafford Road, Brighton. “We’re all OK here and enjoying ourselves in our own way”.  He hopes they are not receiving more raids (bombing) and lets them know that two of his mates from London, Bert and Alf, are keeping him in stitches with there jokes.  He ends “All my love to you all. Ever your true loving son. Jim”.

It wasn’t until August 20th that Mrs Taylor was informed that James had been killed in action on the very day he wrote the letter.

There scan0003were two other bits of correspondence to Mrs Taylor. The first told her that he had been buried at Boce Bottaceto, 4 miles SSW of Catania, near where he fell. The second told her that James had been reintered in Catania War Cemetary, Plot 3, Row E, Grave No. 32.  The family has a picture of Mrs Taylor boarding a Hunting Air Travel aircraft bound for Sicily and another photo of her standing behind James at the cemetary.  In the distance, directly behind her, is Mount Etna.

I will go and visit James and pay my respects.

12 thoughts on “A Special Request”

  1. How special for James to be remembered. His family is sure to appreciate your interest, Ken. Enjoy the rest of your research. xox Jane

  2. Ken. This is a wonderful project and I look forward to reading more. In recent years, to my surprise, I’ve become very interested in military history when visiting first and second world war sites in France and Belgium and learning about the places where two uncles fought in WWI and two uncles and my father in WWII . Lest we forget All the best, Patricia

  3. So great that you can do this Ken. I look forward to following and thanks for the link.

  4. Hi Ken, Steve passed along your posts. I have enjoyed reading about your research and plans to trace your dad’s path during the war. What an interesting project! Hope that your travels are rewarding. All the best to you, Margit?

    2. Jonathan. I had a chance to read the piece outlining the action that James was involved in. I am going to the cemetery in Catania and I’ll see if I can find the actual battle site. Your directions will be very helpful. More to come for sure. Thanks again.

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