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18th March 1945On this day:
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Figg Percy Eric George. Pte. (d.18th Mar 1945)
- Judge Karamjeet Singh. Lt. (d.18th March 1945)
- Ryan Charles. Pfc. (d.18th Mar 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,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about the 18th of March 1945? There are:19 items tagged 18th of March 1945 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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Stories from 18th March 1945
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CERA. Ernest Harold "" Toon. Croix de Guerre Royal Navy, HMS Lookout. My story relates to the events involving HMS Lookout on the night of 18th March 1945. The ship was the last survivor of the (Lightning) class fleet destroyers. We had had a busy war, mainly in the Mediterranean in fact I think statistically we were the most heavily bombed of the flotilla to survive the war.
At the end of 1944 life was beginning to quiet down although our major task from then on was to carry out bombardments of the German armies as they marched northwards up the left flank of Italy. The Italians had surrendered and the German activity diminished and by the time we had reached Spezia there was a definite feel of peacetime in the air.
We lay alongside at Spezia and took advantage of the quiet period to tidy up the ship. On the 16th March we sailed to take up a patrol position in the Gulf de Juan. Our captain Lt Cdr Hetherington DSO, DSC and two bars
informed us of our appointed task for the next period.
Because the war had eased to almost zero in Italy our troops were to be transferred from Spezia to Marselles allowing them to join up with our troops in northern France who were pressing on toward Germany.
Information was received that the enemy were in the process of laying mines on the route to be taken for our troop convoys.
Four allied destroyers were to patrol 50 miles apart on the route Spezia to Marseilles, this force known as le Grande Guarde, lookouts position was nearest to Spezia whilst meteor was followed another 50 miles toward Marselles by a French vessel and then the last 50 miles was covered by another Frenchman.
At approximately 0200 hrs we went to action stations, three enemy minelayers had been sited off Spezia. Lookout opened fire with all three turrets firing 4.7inch flashless ammo. The enemy was taken completely by surprise one being sunk by lookout and one being severely damaged by a combined attack from lookout and meteor,the third ran of with tail between its legs and was found within the next few weeks beached and badly bent in Genoa. Was this, the battle of Cape Course, the last firing of naval guns in battle during the war in Europe? Ernest Toon. Ernest H. Toon
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Lt. Karamjeet Singh Judge. VC British Indian Army, 4th Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment. (d.18th March 1945) Karamjeet Singh Judge was 21 years old, and a lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment, when he was awarded the VC.
"The King has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge (IEC. 5504), 15th Punjab Regiment, Indian Army. In Burma, on 18th March, 1945, a Company of the 15th Punjab Regiment, in which Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge was a Platoon Commander, was ordered to capture the Cotton Mill area on the outskirts of Myingyan. In addition to numerous bunkers and stiff enemy resistance a total of almost 200 enemy shells fell around the tanks and infantry during the attack. The ground over which the operation took place was very broken and in parts was unsuitable for tanks. Except for the first two hours of this operation, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge's platoon was leading in the attack, and up to the last moment Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge dominated the entire battlefield by his numerous and successive acts of superb gallantry.
Time and again the infantry were held up by heavy medium machine gun and small arms fire from bunkers not seen by the tanks. On every such occasion Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, without hesitation and with a complete disregard for his own personal safety, coolly went forward through heavy fire to recall the tanks by means of the house telephone. Cover around the tanks was nonexistent, but Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge remained completely regardless not only of the heavy small arms fire directed at him, but also of the extremely heavy shelling directed at the tanks. Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge succeeded in recalling the tanks to deal with bunkers which he personally indicated to the tanks, thus allowing the infantry to advance.
In every case Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge personally led the infantry in charges against the bunkers and was invariably first to arrive. In this way ten bunkers were eliminated by this brilliant and courageous officer. On one occasion, while he was going into the attack, two Japanese suddenly rushed at him from a small nullah with fixed bayonets. At a distance of only 10 yards he killed both.
About fifteen minutes before the battle finished, a last nest of three bunkers was located, which were very difficult for the tanks to approach. An enemy light machine gun was firing from one of them and holding up the advance of the infantry. Undaunted, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge directed one tank to within 20 yards of the above bunker at great personal risk and then threw a smoke grenade as a means of indication. After some minutes of fire, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, using the house telephone again, asked the tank commander to cease fire while he went in with a few men to mop up. He then went forward and got within 10 yards of the bunker, when the enemy light machine gun opened fire again, mortally wounding Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge in the chest. By this time, however, the remaining men of the section were able to storm this strong point, and so complete a long and arduous task. During, the battle, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge showed an example of cool and calculated bravery. In three previous and similar actions this young officer had already proved himself an outstanding leader of matchless courage. In this, his last action, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge gave a superb example of inspiring leadership and outstanding courage"
S. Flynn
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Pte. Percy Eric George Figg. British Army, 2/7th Btn. Queens Royal Regiment (West Surrey). (d.18th Mar 1945) Percy Eric George Figg served with the 2/7th Battalion Queens Royal Regiment during WW2 and died age 27 on the 18th March 1945.
He is buried in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery having died on the freedom march after being held prisoner in Stalag 20a.
following his capture at St. Valery after Dunkirk.
He was the son of George Albert Arthur and Alice gertrude figg of Worthing, Sussex.
I have known about 3 people who had served in WWII. My uncle Percy Figg. Also my father Charles Figg who was Royal Navy and Major Bernard Wilmshurst from heavy artillery.
Percy was captured at St Valery after Dunkirk where he was supposedly transported to Stalag 20a where he saw the rest of the war out. He died unfortunately on the freedom march and his final resting place was Berlin war cemetery. I have not yet been to either of these places but I hope to very soon. I am surprised Percy fell as he was always as I have been told a master sportsman who was always respected by all in his home town of Worthing in Sussex.
My father Charles Figg was on a tank landing craft all the time. He saw all five invasions during his time in the war. He described the horrors of the war blow by blow. From the smell of death as the flotilla cruised around the shores of North Africa from decaying bodies in the hot sun. To waiting of the shores of Italy waiting for the naval bombardment to start and being woken up from the splash of water from a shell landing close to the carrier. Finally the Normandy invasions where all the American troops he was carrying were hit by a wall of bullets as the ramps dropped. Most never made it off the landing craft. We may scoff at the Yanks for being many things, but one thing for sure is those boys went up that beach the same as our boys did.
Major Bernard was a great character, famous for blowing the top off of Gosport town hall during some practice drills shortly before D day. He got it a couple of clicks too low and took the dome clean off. I always chuckle to myself when I see that building. Had many stories to tell including being faced by his superior officer during the France invasion onslaught. Montgomery himself.
Paul Figg
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