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Those known to have fought in Operation Bluecoat during the Second World War 1939-1945. 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,
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Want to know more about Operation Bluecoat? There are:43 items tagged Operation Bluecoat 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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Gnr. Edward Stollar 124th Bty. 151st Field Regiment Royal Artillery I have a very complete record of the war service of my Uncle Ted, my mother's brother.
Edward Stollar joined on the 27th of February 1941 at the age of 29 and joined the 72nd Coastal Training, 223rd Battery He had served in the Orkneys before joining the Ayrshire Yeomanry in 151st Field Regiment, B troop of A Battery on the 8th February 1944.
151st Field Regiment had spent 1941 travelling up and down the country developing and becoming proficient in its Gunnery skills. In May 1942 it became part of the Order of Battle of 11th Armoured Division with the Black Bull being the divisional sign.
Following training in Yorkshire and the Isle of Wight on the 8th June he left for Tilbury where the regiment was divided in two to be loaded on the Empire Canyon and the Empire Farmer bound with full escort to the English Channel and Normandy. The coast came into view at dawn on the 13th June and 124th Battery landed on the most easterly beach near Ouistreham. Ted and his mate concentrated on Lantheuil village eight kilometres inland for ten days whilst the bridgehead was established.
From the 26th of June to 6th of July he was involved in bridgehead Operation Epsom with the aim of passing Caen and crossing the River One to the south. Further operations included Goodwood (18th - 22 July) and Bluecoat (30th July - 7th August). From the 14th - 19th August the next phase of battle commenced with the closure of the Falaise pocket with Flers liberated on the 16th. The 22nd saw Ted and his mates in action at Face against Tiger tanks. The Allied Liberation of Paris was completed on 30th August ending Operation Overlord. The period 29th Aug to 4th September took Ted across the Seine and in the six days the division had advance 340 miles fighting on five of the six days. This took them to Antwerp. The next stage was moving into Holland and on the 12th September, 151st Regiment fired in support of the Welsh Guards eventually assisting them and breaking through to Arnhem which turned into a bridge too far. Over the next few weeks 151st fired at targets over the Maas.
He returned to the UK and was discharged to the Reserve on 16th Jan 1946, being awarded the France & Germany Star, 1939-45 Defence Medal and Victory Medal.
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A/Cpl. Charles Birrell 8th Btn. Scots Guards My dad, Charles Birrell, hailed from Forgan in Fife.
On researching him I found out he joined the 8th Battalion, Scots Guards which became part of the 44th Lowland Infantry Brigade and were involved in Operation Overlord, the Battle of Caen, Operation Epsom, second Battle of the Odon, and Operation Bluecoat between June 1944 and August 1944. They then fought in the Northwest Europe Campaign (Siegfried Line Campaign) during which my father was captured in Belgium by the Germans in September 1944.
He wouldn't tell us much about his time during the war or his time in Stalag XII-A but he suffered with his stomach and bowel for years. He did tell us that the men had to forage the rubbish for food and would make soup from potato peelings. He mentioned being liberated by the Americans and said he was glad that it wasn't the Russians, but I don't know why this was. I still have the letter sent to his mother that said he was missing and presumed dead.
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Lt. Stanley George Rumble 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry Stan Rumble was my father.
He was a Canadian Officer who volunteered to serve with the British Army in World War II. He was Canloan officer number 498 (Canloan was a scheme in which Canada loaned officers to serve in the British Army.)
He crossed the Channel into Normandy on 16th of July 1944, was posted to the 10th HLI on 20th of July 1944.
He was wounded in action on 6th of August 1944 in Operation Bluecoat, and was evacuated back to England, where he received treatment for his wounds at No. 24 Canadian General Hospital in Smallfield, Surrey.
His nurse was Audrey Murdoch, whom he married on 31st of March 1945, before being transferred back to the continent. They were my parents.
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Sgt. Arthur Holbrook 4th (Armd) Btn. Grenadier Guards I know a little about Arthur Holbrook only because he opened up to me as I had joined the Armed Forces myself, his only grandson to do so, so we had that very little but brief bond. He told me about his involvement in Operation Bluecoat which I understand was an Armoured Brigade Assault. He spoke to me of Normandy having landed there towards the end of June after the main Operation Overlord landings. His medals are now on display on a wall at the Grenadier Guards Club in Windsor but I've not been there since he passed.
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