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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment



   1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was stationed in Hong Kong when war broke out in 1939 where they saw action and were taken prisoner of war. A new 1st Battalion was formed in 1942 by the redesignation of the 2/8th Battalion, they went on to see action across North Western Europe.

 

23rd of May 1940 Withdrawal

12th Dec 1941 Attacks

13th Dec 1941 Peace Delegation

14th Dec 1941 Enemy Active

15th Dec 1941 Shelling

16th Dec 1941 Shelling

17th Dec 1941 Peace Efforts

18th Dec 1941 Hard Fighting

19th Dec 1941 Under Attack

20th Dec 1941 Counter Attacks

21st Dec 1941 Counter Attack

22nd Dec 1941 Shelling

23rd Dec 1941 Enemy Active

24th Dec 1941 Enemy Active

25th Dec 1941 Counter Attacks

23rd March 1944 Relief completed  location map

1st Jun 1944 Orders

2nd Jun 1944 Orders

3rd Jun 1944 Orders

21st Jun 1944 Orders

23rd Jun 1944 Briefing

25th Jun 1944 Preparations  location map

26th Jun 1944 Move  location map

28th Jun 1944 Orders

1st July 1944 Orders  location map

2nd July 1944 Reliefs  location map

3rd Jul 1944 Locations

3rd July 1944 Relief Complete  location map

4th July 1944 Conference

6th Jul 1944 Paswords

6th July 1944 Passwords

11th July 1944 Conference

13th July 1944 Orders

14th Jul 1944 Orders  location map

14th July 1944 Orders  location map

15th Jul 1944 Orders

15th July 1944 Orders  location map

16th Jul 1944 Shelling  location map

16th July 1944 Air Raid  location map

17th Jul 1944 Bombs

17th July 1944 Air Raid  location map

18th Jul 1944 Orders

18th July 1944 Orders Issued  location map

19th Jul 1944 Minefields

19th Jul 1944 Moves

19th July 1944 Instructions  location map

21st Jul 1944 Orders

21st July 1944 Orders  location map

23rd Jul 1944 HQ Moves

23rd July 1944 Divisional HQ Moves

24th Jul 1944 Conference

24th July 1944 Conference

25th Jul 1944 Minefields

25th July 1944 Minefields

26th Jul 1944 Orders

26th July 1944 Orders

28th Jul 1944 Orders

28th July 1944 Instructions

30th Jul 1944 In Action

30th Jul 1944 HQ Moves

30th July 1944 Divisional HQ Moves

31st Jul 1944 Advance

31st Jul 1944 Attack Made

31st Jul 1944 HQ Moves

31st July 1944 Orders

1st Aug 1944 In Action

6th Aug 1944 Attacks

6th Aug 1944 Attack Made

30th Oct 1944 Reliefs


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Bond James William. CQMS (d.1st October 1942)
  • Burgess John Thomas. L/Cpl (d.25th December 1941)
  • Cheney James Michael. L/Cpl.
  • Cooper William George. L/Cpl. (d.24th December 1941)
  • David Howell. Pte. (d.12th May 1945)
  • Despy Stanley Malcom.
  • Flood Thomas Michael. Pte.
  • North Frederick Ernest. Pte. (d.1st Oct 1942)
  • Oliver Norman George. Pte. (d.20th January 1940)
  • Page MID Leslie Charles. Sgt.
  • Rich Jack. Sgt. (d.23rd December 1941 )
  • Ryan Michael Christopher. Pte.
  • Ryan Michael Christopher. Pte.
  • Sword MC. Roderick Dennistoun. Mjr.
  • Tunmer William Arthur. Bndsmn. (d.1st-2nd Oct 1942 )
  • Wilderspin Harry Albert. L/Cpl. (d.4th March 1943)

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment from other sources.



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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment?


There are:1405 items tagged 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


L/Cpl. William George Cooper 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.24th December 1941)

My father never knew what happened to his brother, William Cooper apart from that he died in the War. It was about 30 years ago that my family research began and in 1996 I visited the Sai Wan Bay Memorial, Hong Kong and found William's name in Column 14. I sat there on a beautiful day with tears falling down my face because I had found him and was the first member of his family to come and pay respects. I have no photographs of him so do not know what he looked like.

Brenda Owen



Pte. Michael Christopher Ryan 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment

Michael Ryan, son of Timothy and Margaret, came from Buttevant, Co. Cork, Eire. He joined the British Army in 1937 joining the 1st Middlesex Regiment, the Die Hards.

He fought in defence of Hong Kong and was captured on Christmas Day 1941. He was imprisoned in Sham Shui POW camp. He was later transported by hell ship to Japan where he laboured in the docks. He survived his captivity and was liberated in September 1945.

He returned home. He died on the 30th June 1977 at Chadwell Heath Hospital, Ilford, Essex

Paul Ryan



Pte. Michael Christopher Ryan 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment

Michael is bottom right in this photo

Michael Ryan, son of Timothy and Margaret, came from Buttevant, Co.Cork Eire. He joined the British Army before 1937 joining the Middlesex Regiment, the Die Hards. He fought in defence of Hong Kong he was captured on Christmas Day 1941. He was imprisoned in Sham Shui Po camp. He was later transported by hell ship to Japan where he laboured on the docks. He survived his captivity and returned home. He died in late June 1977 at Chadwell Heath Hospital, Ilford.

Paul Ryan



L/Cpl John Thomas Burgess 1st Battalion, C Coy. Middlesex Regiment (d.25th December 1941)

My Great Uncle Tommy Burgess was a regular soldier from 1934 and was posted to Hong Kong in 1936ish. We have photos of him on leave and in Training at Mill Hill. He is listed on the Memorial to the Missing at Sai Wen Cemetery.

Tony Hellard



Sgt. Jack Rich 1st Btn. A Coy. Middlesex Regiment (d.23rd December 1941 )

Letter from Tim Carew, Author

Sergeant Jack Rich was my uncle. He was the son of Jewish immigrants and born Ovaser Ricklovitch, he was a tailor. By the time he was called up for military service Ovaser had changed his name to George Rickman, at some point George became Jack and Rickman was shortened to Rich. As Jack Rich he became an army boxing champion and as Sergeant Jack Rich he gave his life for his country in Pillbox 14 during the battle for Hong Kong.

Pillbox 14 was on the east-facing shore of Brick Hill, giving covering fire over Deep Water Bay. When the Japanese pushed west, they had to take the position to eliminate the machine guns. According to Carew (and he knew more about the Middlesex than any other regiment, so I believe it is correct), Marsh, the CO of C Coy was at Little Hong Kong (where I am giving my presentation on April 1st) and was on the phone from there to Sergeant Rich all through the battle for the position. In a straight line, it would only be half a mile away. The pillbox was finally overrun, and all inside perished. Rumours persist that they may have been captured alive and murdered. Middlesex soldiers were seen, tied up and bayoneted, in that general area, but there is no proof of who they were. Interestingly, the police force here has a legend that a few years after the war, policemen on a cross country run on Brick Hill found a skeleton crouched over a rusting Vickers machine gun in a gully nearby.

Tony Banham



Pte. Thomas Michael Flood 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment

My father, Thomas Flood, was born in Tipperary Ireland. He moved to London in his late teens. He joined the British Army (a thirty-niner) and was dispatched to Europe, was at Dunkirk and I have his membership to the now ceased association. After Dunkirk he was moved about a reasonable bit, then was assigned to the Middlesex Regiment. He was at the Battle of Normandy, they eventually got to the Belsen Prisoner of War camp and witnessed the liberation of the prisoners, the horrific treatment they received and eventually the end of the war.

Not too sure if I'm missing a number off the end of his service number as I viewed the old wedding certificate that was conducted in Hackney London

Tom Flood



Mjr. Roderick Dennistoun Sword MC. 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment

Roddy Sword was my father-in-law. He was a regular and served with the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in the BEF. He got his MC during the retreat to Dunkirk when his commanding officer told him to stand and protect the retreat of the battalion, which he did with proper gallantry. He was taken off later and became Lt-Col (before reverting to substantive rank at end of war).

Edward



L/Cpl. Harry Albert Wilderspin 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.4th March 1943)

My dear uncle Harry Wilderspin, who I never met and only learnt of his existence when I was 30 years old. Whilst visiting my widowed mother at her home I noticed she had a photograph of a young man whose photograph I had never seen before. I knew it wasn't that of my father, so I asked who it was. It's my brother Harry she said, he died in the WWII, he was 26, and a POW in Japan. Why I never asked her any more questions I will never know. After my mother died I looked frantically for Harry's photograph but could not find it anywhere. I did find a postcard from him to his mum and dad, it had printed on the front the words 'Cheerio, Till We Meet Again' and a picture of the boat he was sailing on, the HMT Dilwara. On the other side was a simple message from Harry saying Dear All, my last remembrance of sunny England. With lots of love Harry.

Sometime later in 2009 whilst commuting to work I was reading the Metro newspaper and just by chance noticed a caption saying 'Tribute' mess tin of WWII hero. On reading further it said the family of Cpl Charles Goddard, of Middlesex Regiment, were to auction his mess tin, he had etched the names of his dead comrades on the tin whilst at a Japanese camp. The last name on the tin was Wilderspin. I could not believe my eyes. The other names on the tin were Fennick, Funnell, Gentry, Pope, Webster, Francome, Morley, Remer (killed in action) and Ridden. I believe Harry died in the POW camp along with his comrades named on the tin, albeit Remer who died in action. So Harry was fighting in Singapore, captured and transferred later to POW camp in Japan.

If anyone has any photographs of the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, WWII, I would be very grateful if you could get in touch. Harry's War memorial grave is in Yokohama War Cemetery. I have promised to visit his grave one day.

Sheila Sparks



Pte. Norman George Oliver 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.20th January 1940)

Norman Oliver is a first cousin (once removed). I came across his details whilst researching my family tree. He was killed whilst serving in China 1939-1940.

James Turner



L/Cpl. James Michael Cheney 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment

My father, Jimmy Cheney, served as a machine gunner with the Middlesex Regiment defending Hong Kong in WW2. Very little of this story is from him. He never spoke about within my hearing when I was young (I was born in 1947), although I did overhear a little when he spoke about it occasionally with his two brothers who served in Europe during the war. The eldest brother was killed in North Africa. He did speak more freely when I got older but, unfortunately, he died at an early age which meant that much of his experiences were left un-said. I did get some of his stories from my mother and some of the other older members of the family but as always with family stories, they are embellished or parts forgotten.

He claimed he was captured by the Japanese on 25th December 1941 although his record shows it was 26th December. He was incarcerated in Hong Kong for nearly a year and then embarked on the Lisbon Maru for transport to Japan. The ship was torpedoed by USS Grouper on 1st October 1942 and my father was one of the lucky ones to escape from the holds and spent some time (he said more than a day) until he was picked up by a Japanese warship and transported to Osaka. He was put into a POW camp and was forced to work in the docks. I still have to find out which of the camps he was in. During his time as a POW he contracted various diseases including malaria and beriberi. The camp was bombed a number of times by the US Air Force, which my father said was because they mistook it for a troop camp. I suspect it was no more than some saturation bombing of the dock area which meant the camp was likely to be hit by mistake rather than design.

He spent some time in a sweat box for stealing sugar and claimed that probably saved his life because one night the camp was hit by bombs and some of his friends were killed.

He was finally liberated by the Americans following the Japanese surrender and, according to my mother, was transported home via Canada and he arrived at Londons Waterloo station. My father was 6ft 2in tall and a well-built man with a full head of hair. When he went to Hong Kong he weighed almost 15 stones. When he arrived home he was almost bald and weighed about 8 stones. For much of the fifties he suffered from the effects of his time as a POW including malaria. He finally died in 1972 aged 54. He never bore any ill will towards the Japanese and said that although the officers were cruel and brutal, the ordinary soldiers were just doing what they were told. If they were ordered to punish someone they knew if they didn't, they would be punished and the person would get punished anyway by someone else. He always wanted to go back to Japan and see the country but never made it. I have been lucky; I have lived in Singapore for four years and have had the opportunity to visit Osaka. It felt a little like a pilgrimage for the old man.

Thomas Cheney









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