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8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
The 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry served in N Africa, Gazala, Gabr el Fakri, Mersa Matruh, El Alamein, Mareth; Landing in Sicily, Primosole Bridge. The also took part in the assault landings in Normandy in June 1944 and saw action in the advance towards Germany, Villers Bocage, St Pierre la Vielle, Gheel.
22nd Oct 1939 Accomodation
30th May 1940 Perimeter Defence
31st May 1940 Evacuation
27th June 1942 Battle of Mersa Matruh
28th June 1942 Battle of Mersa Matruh
11th Jun 1943 Transfers
25th of June 1943 Signals
25th of June 1943 Instructions
25th of June 1943 Frequencies
25th of June 1943 Detachment Duty Card
25th of June 1943 Instructions
25th of June 1943 Ammunition
25th of June 1943 Signals
25th of June 1943 Orders 
28th of June 1943 Orders
28th of June 1943 Traffic Control
26th of June 1943 Orders
13th July 1943 On the March
14th July 1943 In Action
15th Jul 1943 Hard Fighting
16th July 1943 In Action
16th July 1943 Hard Fighting
21st Jan 1944 Exercise
6th Jun 1944 Almost to Plan
6th Jun 1944 Advance
6th Jun 1944 Advance
6th Jun 1944 Landing
6th Jun 1944 Advance
7th Jun 1944 Area Secured
7th Jun 1944 Advance
7th Jun 1944 Objectives Taken
7th Jun 1944 Small Enemy Parties Engaged
7th Jun 1944 On the Move
8th Jun 1944 Resistance
8th Jun 1944 Consolidation
9th Jun 1944 Attack Made
9th Jun 1944 Counter Attack
10th Jun 1944 Attack Made
10th Jun 1944 Counter Attack
10th Jun 1944 Heavy Counter Attacks
10th Jun 1944 In Action
11th Jun 1944 Shelling
11th Jun 1944 Attack Made
12th Jun 1944 Prisoners
13th Jun 1944 Reorganisation
15th Jun 1944 Holding the Line
16th Jun 1944 Active Patrolling
17th Jun 1944 Advance
18th Jun 1944 Advance
19th Jun 1944 Under Shellfire
20th Jun 1944 Under Shellfire
21st Jun 1944 Shelling
22nd Jun 1944 Patrols
23rd Jun 1944 Heavy Shelling
24th Jun 1944 Rotations
28th Jun 1944 Reliefs
13th Aug 1944 Attack Made
1st Sep 1944 Prisoners
4th Sep 1944 Advance
2nd Oct 1944 Air Raids
4th Oct 1944 Orders
5th Oct 1944 Objectives Taken
7th Oct 1944 Orders Cancelled
8th Oct 1944 Moves
11th Oct 1944 Orders
13th Oct 1944 Reliefs Completed
15th Oct 1944 Very Wet
16th Oct 1944 Orders
27th Oct 1944 Raid
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Those known to have served with 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Bailey Alan. Pte. (d.17th Jan 1944)
- Banks Jack. (d.21st Jul 1944)
- Banks Jack. (d.21st Jul 1944)
- Booth Raymond. Pte. (d.30th May 1940)
- Booth Raymond. Pte. (d.30th May 1940 )
- Bradley Thomas. WO2.
- Clarke James John Murray. Cpl.
- Clements George Daniel. Pte. (d.2nd Apr 1943)
- Cowell Joseph Robert. Pte. (d.12th April 1945)
- Dixon John Frederick. Pte. (d.10th September 1944)
- Gill Edward. Pte. (d.26th May 1940)
- Gillan Robert. L/Cpl. (d.22nd March 1943)
- Harrington William. Cpl.
- Lewsey Kenneth James. Pte. (d.27th Aug 1944)
- Liversage William Arthur. Pte. (d.10th Sep 1944)
- Long Stanley. Cpl.
- McBeth John Francis Gray. L/Cpl.
- McCreary Richard. Sgt.
- McEvoy John. (d.2nd Nov 1942)
- Nesbitt CdeG, MID Gerard. Padre (d.5th July 1944)
- Noone Albert. Pte. (d.22nd Mar 1943)
- Pearson Joseph Henry Foster. L/Cpl. (d.8th Jun 1943)
- Proctor Norman. Pte. (d.17th July 1943)
- Richardson Thomas Alan. Lt. (d. 21st March 1943)
- Shepherd Ronald Frederick. Pte.
- Thomas Glyndwr. Pte. (d.13th July 1944)
- Welsh Joseph. Cpl. (d.2nd Nov 1942)
- Willis Thomas Marshall. Sgt.
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 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry from other sources.
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Want to know more about 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry? There are:1388 items tagged 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry 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. |
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Jack Banks 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.21st Jul 1944) I found the headstone of 16year old Jack Banks at the Jerusalem War Cemetery in Normandy about 5 years ago. There is quite a lot of information about the young man near his grave. I think he enlisted without his family knowing about it and the authorities were searching for him but they were too late.
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Jack Banks 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.21st Jul 1944) I found the headstone of 16year old Jack Banks at the Jerusalem War Cemetery in Normandy about 5 years ago. There is quite a lot of information about the young man near his grave. I think he enlisted without his family knowing about it and the authorities were searching for him but they were too late.
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Pte. Raymond Booth 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.30th May 1940) Private Raymond Booth served with the 151st Brigade and the 50th Division
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L/Cpl. Robert Gillan 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.22nd March 1943) Lance Corporal Robert Gillan was serving with 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry during the Battle of the Mareth Line, unfortunately the Company he served in is unknown at present. He was killed in action on 22nd of March 1943 as were many other men from the 8th Battalion on that day. He may have died from enemy shell or tank fire during the intense enemy action of the 22nd, his remains were not found and he has no marked grave but his name is remembered with honour in the Medjez-El-Bab Memorial in Tunisia along with others of the 8th Battalion. He was 23 years old when he died and was the son of Henry and Mary Gillan of Sunderland, Co Durham.
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WO2. Thomas Bradley 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry     Thomas Bradley was born on the 12th of August 1904. He enlisted in Chester Le Street on the 30th of May 1925. He served with the BEF in France from 24th of April 1940 to 28th of May 1940 when he was rescued from Dunkerque. He was in Iceland from 20th of October 1940 to 22nd of December 1941. He was later transferred to Northumberland Fusiliers. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal TA Clasp and received a Medical Discharge on the 18th of August 1944, his Military Conduct was ExemplaryMy Father's Uncle Alf who was in the same Regiment as my Grandfather was taken prisoner during the retreat to Dunkerque told me at my Grandfathers funeral when I was 21 years old that my Grandfather rescued him and another man from a bomb crater when they were lost and disorientated. My Grandfather appeared blazing away with a Bren Gun, jumped into the hollow and shouted 'right follow me!' Alf was later captured when he saw fit to go against my Grandfathers orders to keep their boots on and be ready to run. Alf took his off to soak them in a nearby stream and got captured. My Grandfather told me little about the war, except that they were not just retreating from the Germans, the Germans were all over them and they were running to escape heavy machine gun fire.
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Cpl. Stanley Long 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry My father, Stanley Long, sadly passed away many years ago. But I do know that he escaped from Camp PG75 in Italy and made his way to Switzerland.
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Pte. George Daniel Clements 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Apr 1943) Danny Clements was the son of John Henry Clements and Harriet Jane Field. JOhn & Harriet were originally from Bethnal Green, but moved their young family to Harefield in Middlesex in the 1900s. Danny was my Great Uncle, one of his brothers was my maternal Grandad (Henry Francis Clements). Danny is buried in Alexandria, Harda War cemetery AL Iskandariya in Egypt, North Africa. We named our son after Danny.
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Pte. Glyndwr Thomas 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.13th July 1944) Glyn Thomas was born to David and Charlotte Thomas, who lived in River Street, Ystrad, Rhondda, Glam. He served in the British Army in the 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He was in the Expeditionary Force and was firstly reported as Missing, and then afterwards reported as Killed in Action on 13th of July 1944 aged 25 years.
He is buried in Hottot-les-Bagues War Cemetery, Calvados, France. The historical information states that there was much heavy fighting throughout June and July 1944 as they were moving to the south of Caen.
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Cpl. Joseph Welsh 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Nov 1942) Joe Welsh served with the 8th Durham Light Infantry, he is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery.
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Pte. John Frederick Dixon 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.10th September 1944) I'm researching for my elderly family and our relative, John Dixon, was killed in action on 10th September 1944 while attempting to gain a bridgehead at the Albert Canal.
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