The Wartime Memories Project - The Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment

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Information. The Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment, was formed in 1881 when the army was reorgansied. The 43rd and 52nd Regiments had historical links going back to 1751 and so it was decreed that they should become the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Oxfordshire Light Infantry. (The old regimental numbers continued in unofficial use.) The new regiment was based at Cowley, Oxford. In 1908 'Buckinghamshire' was added to the title. During the Second World War, the 1st (43rd) Battalion (TA) of the Ox and Bucks were in France with the British Expeditionary Force and were rescued from Dunkirk after suffering heavy casualties. The 4th (TA) Ox and Bucks were not so lucky, being overwhelmed near Watou, many were taken prisoner. The 7th Battalion saw action in Tunisia and Italy taking part in the Anzio and Salerno landings, The 1st Battalion (43rd) took part in the Normandy landings and saw action in the advance from Normandy to Hamburg. The 2nd Battalion (52nd) were part of the airbourne glider troops being among the first to arrive in Normandy, before the beach landings had begun, they siezed and held the bridges over the Caen Canal (Pegasus Bridge) and River Orne (Horsa Bridge). In March 1945 the battalion suffered heavy losses in an assault landing while attempting to cross the Rhine. They then took part in action across Germany eventually meeting up with the Russians on the Baltic. The 6th Battalion saw action in Burma from Arakan down the west coast to Tamandu. In 1958 the Regiment changed its title to become the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) My late father Reginald Albert Wilkins, served with 'C' Company, 5th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (having enlisted via his involvement in the TA) and I do have a few photographs. Unfortunately my father passed away on 27th December 2001, though I do remember some of the stories he told me when I was considerably younger. Alas I can find no record "online" of where his battalion served, though I recall he mentioned he was stationed in Ireland for some time during the war and seemed to do little work, but a lot of fishing! He then went in with the liberation forces and faced horrendous scenes as the result of booby traps etc. He was not a national hero but he did his bit and was always a hero to me! My dad Arthur Soilleux known as Solly was a Millitia boy, called up from London 1938/9 and sent to Oxford. He was trained as a Signaler and was captured at Cassel. When coming off duty he went to lay on a bed when a shell came through the wall tracking down his body and killed his Major who was sat at his desk. This is all dad told us, apart from being transported in trucks then told to get out and walk into the woods, a German Major came by and stopped what was about to happen. Dad was then sent on to Stalag 8b where he was moved to many different camps. He did the long march around the Sudeten Mountains and was found by the Americans near Nuremburg on St Georges day 23rd April 1945 they all remarked on this. A few days later they were flown home to Great Missenden in a Dakota aircraft. My grandad, Corporal Frederick Charles Ball, joined the army 1st Dec 1939 and was in a few different battallions and companys in the oxford and bucks, B company 1st batt 1940, HQ company 1st batt 3rd platoon, C company 4th batt, HQ company 7th batt 18th platoon 1943. From 1943 he was a pow after getting captured in italy (i think) and spent the rest of the war in Stammlager 7a. I would like to know more about how he was captured if anyone knows. My nan was beatrice skinner and she was in the some kind of army at home(territorial army?) Adam Bennett I am researching the war time activities of my uncle Jim Richardson who I believe served with the 7th Airborne Battalion Oxford and Bucks Regiment. All I have is a photograph of him in uniform showing a L/corporal stripe and that I was named after him. He came from Buckingham Road Bicester Oxfordshire. Some years ago I met a person, Basil Collins, who said he was a Sgt in the same platoon but have since lost contact with him. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has any information on my uncles war time activities and the other soldiers who served with him. Charles "Jack" Beecham's relatives are seeking information and believe that he may have died in Burma, possibly on the railway. Before the war, Jack lived in Kingswood in Bristo. If you can help, could you please contact Chrsi Bradley Photographs This is a group photo of 'D' Company, 2nd Bn Oxf.Bucks Lt Infty. Who were involved in the Coup de Main operation, Pegasus Bridge on D-Day. Sadly no similar pic exists for the 2 Platoons of 'B' Company or the 30 Royal Engineers. Read their story Denis Edwards If you have any Photographs you would like to share please get in touch. List of those who served. Sgt Basil Collins. 7th Btn.Read his story Donald Anderson. Pte Annetts 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Cpl Aris 2nd Btn. Coy. B 14 Platoon Read his story Lieut M. Aston. N°15 platoon commander B Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Baalam 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Cpl Bailey 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Corporal Frederick Charles Ball Read his story Lieut H.J.C. Bashford. N°11 platoon commander A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Bates 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Charles "Jack" Beecham.Read his story Pte Bourlet 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Capt Martin J. Brabner. Second in command B Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. (d. 19th June 1944.) Lt. Brotheridge 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Cdr Read his story Cpl Burns 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte. Frederick George Bryant. (d. 7th October 1940) Lieut P.G. Bulford. N°2 section commander Recconnaissance platoon. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Leslie Ernest Butler. (d. 22nd November 1944) Cpl Caine 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte Chamberlain 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte Chatfield 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Lieut G.C. Chicken. Mortar platoon commander Support coy. 2nd Airbourne Btn. Pte Cheesley 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Clare 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Clark 48 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Clarke 33 2nd OBtn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Collett 2nd Btn. Coy. 2nd Oxf.Bucks 17 Platoon Read his story Cpl Cowperthwaite 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Lieut C.T. Cross. N°20 platoon commander C Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut W.A. Bousfield. N°8 platoon commander 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut H.D. Brotheridge. N°24 platoon commander D Coy 22nd Airborne Btn. Pte Dancey 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Major M. Darell-Brown. Second in command HQ Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. L/C Drew 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Lieut E.H. Budds. N°9 platoon commander 2nd Airborne Btn. Capt J.F.S. Busher. Transport officer. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte. Ronald Joseph Cordas. 2nd Airbourne Btn. (d. 26th November 1942) Lieut C.H. David-Goff. Second in command Recconnaissance platoon. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte D S Davis. 2nd Airbornee Btn. (d. 08 May 1945) Lieut T. Deacon. N°3 section commander Recconnaissance platoon. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte. Reginald Bob Dell. 2nd Btn. (d. 2nd February 1945) Pte. Christopher Arthur Downton. 7th Btn. (d. 8th June 1945) Pte. Ronald Drew. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry att. 4th Bn (d. 22nd September 1944 ) Pte. Frank Herbert Durden. 2nd Airborne btn. (d. 6th February 1945) Major J.S.R. Edmunds. Company commander B Coy. 2nd Airbourne Btn. Pte Edwards 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Cpl Evans 2nd Btn. Coy. B 14 Platoon Read his story Capt P.K. Everett. Heavy Coy. Second in command 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl. Frederick Danvers Kirkham Faulkner. (d. 22nd September 1941) Major E.V.M Favell. Company commander Support coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut D.B. Fox. N°17 platoon commander B Coy. Read his story Pte Gardner 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Lieut R.E. Gleed. Reserve transport officer 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl Godbold 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Lieut P.H. Godsal. N°10 platoon commander A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut C.W. Groos. Reserve mortar officer 2nd Airborne Btn. Major J. Granville. C Company commander. 2nd Airborne Btn. Albert Gregory. R.A.M.C att. to D Company 2nd Airborne Btn. Read his story Pte Gray 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Lieut K. Gunter. N°13 platoon commander A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Harman 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Sgt Harrison 2nd Btn. Coy. B 14 Platoon Read his story 2/Lieut S.G. Harvey. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Major S.J. Heath-Smith. Heavy Company commander 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut P.G. Henstridge. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl Higgs 2nd Btn. Coy. B 14 Platoon Read his story Lieut C.A Hooper. N°25 platoon commander D Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Major R.J. Howard. Officer Commanding Coup de Main Force Read his story Pte Hubbert 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story L/Sgt D H Hunt. 7th Btn. (d. 14 Sept 1944) Cpl Ilsley 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Jackson 08 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Lieut J. James. Quartermaster. 2nd Btn. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut P.S. Jones. N°1 section commander Recconnaissance platoon. 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl Lally 2nd Oxf.Bucks 2nd Btn. Coy. 17 Platoon Read his story Cpl. William Henry Lambley. 2nd Airborne Btn. (d. 8th February 1945) Pte Lawton 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Sgt Leather 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Leonard 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Lewis 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story L/C Loveday 2nd Btn. Coy. 2nd Oxf.Bucks 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Malpas 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Capt J. Marriott, G.M. Second in command A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Capt A.C. Mason Recconnaissance platoon commander. 2nd Airborne Btn. L/C Minns 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Capt J.J.W. Molloy. Second in command 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut C.M. Moncrieff. N°26 platoon commander 2nd Airborne Btn. Lt. Charles Edwin Morley. 1st Btn. Attd 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders. (d. 16th November 1944) L Cpl. Walter Frank Morris. 2nd btn. (d. 3rd February 1941) Pte Musty 2nd Oxf.Bucks D 24 Platoon Read his story Lieut E.H. Nankivell. N°19 platoon commander C Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut D.M. Neale. N°12 platoon commander A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lt L. Nicholson. Loading officer. HQ Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Padre Capt A. Nimmo. att 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte O'Donnell 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte O'Shaughnessy 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Sgt Ollis 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Lt R.M. Osborne. Intelligence officer HQ Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte. Frederick William Oxford. (d. 14th September 1943) L/C Packwood 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Lieut J.A. Pankhurst. N°16 platoon commander B Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Parr 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte Pepperall 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Peverill 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Pope 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Lt. Robert "Bob" Preston. att. from The Kings Liverpool Regiment (d. 24 March 1945) Capt B.C.E. Priday. Second in command D Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut R.N. Prince. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. John Bertie Pusey. 1st btn. Cpl. Herbert Denis Pyne. 2nd Airborne Btn. (d.11th May 1943.) Pte John William Charles Reeves. 2nd Airborne Btn. (d. 7th December 1944) Pte Radford 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Major G.B. Rahr. Company commander A coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl Reynolds 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Jim Richardson. 7th Airborne Btn. Read his story L/C Roberts 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Lt Col M.W. Roberts. Commanding officer HQ Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Sgt. Donald George McIntyre Robertson. 1st Btn. (d. 22nd November 1944.) Lieut S.F. Robin. Signal officer Support coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. 2/Lt Alan Derrick Roscoe. att. 1st Wing Glider Pilot Regiment A.A.C. (d. 14th June 1942.) Pte Rudge 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Lieut B.M. Rutherford. N°18 platoon commander C Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut H.J.S. Seville. N°7 platoon commander 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut F.B. Scott. N°21 platoon commander C Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl. Jack Small. 2nd Btn. (d. 14th January 1943) Lt. Smith 2nd Btn. Coy. B 14 Platoon Cdr Read his story Lieut D.O. Smith. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airbourne Btn. Lieut R.A.A. Smith. N°14 platoon commander B Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Medical Officer Capt S. Smith (RAMC) att 2nd Airborne Btn. Arthur Soilleux. Signaller. 4th Btn. Read his Story Pte Storr 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Major C.H. Styles. Reserve Company Comander 2nd Airborne Btn. 2/Lieut M.L. Southern. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Summersby 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte. Bertram Swan. (d. 23rd December 1942) Lieut H.J. Sweeney. N°22 platoon commander D Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Cpl Tappenden 2nd Btn. Coy. Wireless Operator, Coy. HQ Read his story Sgt Thornton 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Tilbury 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Capt J.M. Tillet. Adjutant HQ Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Frederick Arthur Tofield. (d. 11th February 1943) Lieut G. Van Klaveren. Pionner platoon commander. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte Ward 2nd Oxf.Bucks B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Warmington 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Waters 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Pte Watson 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Ptes. Harold Francis Watts. 6th Btn. (d. 29th January 1941) Pte Weaver 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Read his story Cpl Webb 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte. John William James Webdale. 1st Btn. (d. 22nd November 1944) Lieut A.F. White. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Pte White 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte Whitbread 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Pte Whitehouse 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Reginald Albert Wilkins. 'C' Company, 5th Btn. Read his Story Pte Windsor 2nd Btn. Coy. D 25 Platoon Read his story Pte Robert Frederick Winter. 1st Btn. (d. 9th August 1944.) Lieut D.J. Wood. N°23 platoon commander D Coy 2nd Airborne Btn. Lieut F.H. Wood. Reserve Coy. 2nd Airborne Btn. Lt. Wood 2nd Btn. Coy. D 24 Platoon Cdr Read his story Pte Woods 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story Sgt. Edward Frank Woodley. 2nd Airborne Btn. (d. 28th July 1943.) Pte Wyatt 2nd Btn. Coy. B 17 Platoon Read his story If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch. 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