221603 Trpr. James Alexander Russell British Army 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards from:Hackney Road, Bethnal Green, London My dad, Jimmy" Russell joined the 'Skins ' in 1932 and was living in London at the time. He was posted to Colchester in 1939 as part of the 5th Inmiskilling Dragoon Guards.
He was a part of the BEF to Dunkirk on the Florence ship and was one of the lucky ones evacuated back on the 3rd/4th of June. The regiment then spent time training and doing army things until he went to France just a few days after D Day. With his tank he covered ground up through France via Caen, Falaise Gap etc into Germany over the Rhine.
Jimmy was demobbed 1945 and settled down in Colchester with his wife This year 2014 I made a trip back to Normandy and followed his route through France. It was very humbling to have elderly Frenchmen shake my hand and thank me for my father coming through those villages in his tank.
I felt that I was getting to know my father in a different way and found it hard to think of him in these circumstances.
I belong to the Regimental Association but would welcome any feed back from anyone who had a connection with the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. I appreciate that it is possible any of the 'Skins' are no longer with us
but perhaps some of their families will see this and wish to contact me.
Thank you.
|