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- Royal Army Chaplains Department during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

Royal Army Chaplains Department



Those known to have served with

Royal Army Chaplains Department

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Banting Gareth Bernard. Chap. (d.10th Oct 1944)
  • Ketley MID Ernest Wilfrid. Chaplain
  • Mackenzie MBE George. Capt.
  • Mackonochie Christopher. Capt.
  • Nesbitt CdeG, MID Gerard. Padre (d.5th July 1944)
  • Urquhart George Blair. Capt.(Chapl).
  • Williams Arthur Wellesly P.. Chaplain. (d.16th Dec 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 Royal Army Chaplains Department from other sources.



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Want to know more about Royal Army Chaplains Department?


There are:1347 items tagged Royal Army Chaplains Department 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.


Capt. Christopher Mackonochie att. Beds and Herts Regiment Army Chaplains Dept.

My father Chris Mackonochie was a padre attached to the Beds and Herts. He went into France on D Day plus 6 across Sword Beach and went all the way up into Holland before being invalided back to the UK in January 1945.

Robin Mackonochie



Capt. George Mackenzie MBE East Lancashire Regiment

My father George Mackenzie was a Territorial from the mid to late 1930's. He was called-up on 7th of September 1939, following his marriage on 9th of September 1939, he went to France with the East Lancashire Regiment. He returned to the UK via Dunkirk. Later he was posted to North Africa with the 1st Army, returning to the UK through illness to became assistant to Chaplain General South East Command, having a difficult responsibility in finding suitable positions for returning Padres. He died aged 94 in 2004.




Chaplain Ernest Wilfrid Ketley MID 2nd Btn. East Surrey Regiment

Ernest Wilfred Ketley was one of the last and one of the oldest to be evacuated from Dunkirk (he was 53 in 1940).

He was referred to in a book (not by name) as a Padre who was carrying 4 rifles who went up and down the queue at Dunkirk comforting and reassuring the soldiers who were all waiting to be rescued. The time and place tallied and he was the only Chaplain in that area so it must have been him. He was mentioned in dispatches for his courage and actions at that time.

He was subsequently promoted to Staff Chaplain at Southern Command, stationed in Andover, for the remainder of the war.

Joy Coles (granddaughter)



Capt.(Chapl). George Blair Urquhart Cameron Highlanders (Queens Own)

Back row: Pte Scott, 1 ivanhoe Cresc., Wishaw; D. Murray, Shotts; Pte Brown, 23 Vere Rd., Blackwood; H. O'Shea, 118A Cadzow St., Hamilton; (1 soldier unidentified). Front row: Cpl. Bruce P(?), 6c Manse Ave., Old Monkland, Coatbridge; Capt. George B Urquhart, Larkhall; Pte George Nisbett, 9 Burnblea St., Hamilton. Possibly in India 1946

Location, date and event unknown. Capt. George B Urquhart back row extreme left.

My father, the Rev. George Blair Urquhart, was minister of Chalmers Church, Larkhall, Lanarkshire at the outbreak of WW2. He was initially rejected for war service on medical grounds due to a heart murmur, but eventually by obtaining further medical opinions, was able to join as an army chaplain. He served with the Cameron Highlanders, and the Black Watch, and perhaps other units. He was part of the advance through France into Germany after D-Day. His unit was supposed to cross the Rhine at Arnhem in the wake of its capture but that did not happen as is well known. He was based in Germany for a while at the end of the war. He later served with his unit in India before leaving the army around 1946-47.

John



Padre Gerard Nesbitt CdeG, MID Att. 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Royal Army Chaplain's Department (d.5th July 1944)

Fr Gerard Nesbitt (Centre) N. Africa

Rev. Gerard Nesbitt was a teacher as St Cuthbert's Grammar School, Newcastle before he joined the DLI in 1940. He served in North Africa and Sicily before joining the D-Day landings. He was killed by a stray shell as he was burying his predecessor. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and was also Mentioned in Dispatches as confirmed in the London Gazette dated 12th January 1944.

Gerry McGregor



Chaplain. Arthur Wellesly P. Williams Royal Army Chaplains' Department (d.16th Dec 1943)

At the age of Seventy am still in the throes of completing the story of my Papa's service as a padre with the 8th Army, attached to 113 Field Regt, Royal Artillery. It's based on my family's recollections, Papa's letters, the official - anodyne - report of his death and the remarkable and totally coincidental meeting I had with one of his brother officers who was in his unit and was present when Papa stepped onto a mine. 'What Really Happened' will never be the definitive version, but unless there is more information out there, it'll have to do. Should anyone wish to read it, I would be delighted to attach the piece to an e-mail. It should only take ten minutes or so to read. However, if there's anybody out there who can give me more details of 113's service up to the hideous battle for the Monastery I should be eternally grateful and will edit my piece accordingly.

I make occasional pilgrimages to his War Grave at Minturno and will be there with my daughter, her husband and their son next week. So if anyone tries to contact me and doen't receive a prompt reply, you'll know why.

Nigel Parry Williams









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