Gil
I will get the photo and all other details you required, do I send it via this site or would you prefer post. Did you get the photos I sent to your mobile ?

Also their is Jim Eltringham grave at Blurton Cemetery, Stoke on Trent.
Served with 2 Para, attached to TA, finished his time in 1 Para.

Roly

Put this up on the other site too, for information:

Received a few emails and questions on listing blokes details who have gone to the final RV.
Just a point on GRAVEWATCH and the basis on which it was started, it is for those members of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces that died in service, after 1945 not everybody, otherwise it would run into hundreds of thousands.

So for instance, Nobby Arnold would not be on the list as he died long after his service of natural causes. RIP.

Would love to do it lads, but there would not be enough hours left in our lives to try and achieve an accurate record of everyone. If you look at LAST POST in the Pagasus Yearbook you can see how many mates die just in one year that we know about.
Gil

Hope this jogs some memories so I can complete the GRAVEWATCH list entry with 100% fact as to the locations of our muckers and their final resting place.

NUMBER 1

2 PARA in 1971, during the Albert Street Mill tour, in Belfast, A young lad called Pete Doherty whilst on the piss one night was stabbed in the neck by two thugs and left dying.
Thanks to Derring for his info to date on a probable grave site of Southbank Cemetary, Middlesborough, but I phoned the cemetary yesterday, and they advised me to travel up to inspect records that old to establish the actual grave site and its condition.

1. Has anyone anymore information on this lad?
2. Could someone who lives up there check for his grave at the cemetary please when time allows?

NUMBER 2

At about the same time on the return leg to Stranraer, one of the lads fell overboard in the middle of Irish Sea never to be found. There appears to be no Regimental record of this incident or is it my memory going??

1. Has anyone a name for him and his Company/Battalion etc

NUMBER 3

Whilst we were in Malaya in 1973, we were given a fairly generous R&R period and some of us Loxton/Boyd and company went on a diving course.
Others did what was called "Beachcombing", and others nothing but Kyti viewing in Singapore!!.
It was whilst on this beach sorte with countless cases of beer, that one of the lads drowned, and was not found until we had all returned to the UK, and then only was his head and shoulders recovered after the sharks had, had their fill.

1. Has anyone any knowledge of his full details and where his grave is located as he is not on my list. He was with Taff Morgan I remember that much.


NUMBER 4

I was at Sennybridge in 1971 doing live section attacks, and a lad who was a recruit who I think was with a Depot course to make up the numbers, got hit in the back by a richochet and died later in hospital. Again no record easily available to locate him.
I, for the life of me couldn't remember his name either, or where he could be buried now, but remember it as if it was yesterday. What sticks in my mind after all this time, was the fact that he was laughing and joking about being back for scoff, when they put him in the L/R ambulance!!!

Sorry to be so morbid boys, but you will understand its got to be right , for all those that look at this list in the future.

It could be that there are several incidents such as these I have highlighted that people have at the back of their minds, that I could investigate, so please let me know, as I don't want to miss anyone who was serving.

For some unknown reason, PARA Reg don't seem to recognise these "accidents, or mishaps" as recordable back then.

When we set out on this GRAVEWATCH list, I said it would be a list of ALL the lads who served in the PARA BRIGADE who sadly met their fate, whether "On Duty and killed on Operations" or not, since 1946.

If they transferred to any other Corps or unit, that unit would be responsible for recording their details and graves. So for example lads that transferred to 22 will and are now, recorded at Regents Park MOD and buried at Creedon Hill new cemetary, Hereford, a beautiful spot across the road from the camp.
_________________
LEST WE FORGET - UTRINQUE PARATUS

Pete Dochertys grave is still tended by family/friends, his grave stone now has his fathers epitaph on. The grave is in Eston Cemetary, South Bank. I was with my wife Joan visiting family graves in Eston Cemetary when she showed me his grave. Pete Docherty is still being looked after.

Thanks for that Jacko
Gil

Gil
Ive just read your enquirey regarding Pete Docherty. He was a good mate and I went through the depot with him in 68. I was with him in the Abercorn Pub in Belfast when he was stabbed and went with him to hospital. I attended his funeral with his family and became quite close to his mother and wrote often. His brother was in 1 Para I think but left after Pete Died. His mum became very ill after pete passed and I think she eventually died of a broken heart at his loss. I kept in touch with the family for some years but as time went on lost touch. He was burried at Eston as Jacko say's. I think of him often.

Regards

Pete N

Yes thanks for that Pete, I received the full story after the appeal, which jogged a few memories as well. What a tragic loss.
RIP

GIL, If the old grey matter is working a bit ,i think you will find that the lad who fell over board,was called ,forget his first name but his last name was Chapman,and he was in the anti-tanks, ?? do hope this helps a bit AL might remember being ex SP Coy ,that care old mate Trev

Trevor my old mate, you are absolutely right, your memory is still there:

Private 23924988 Victor Richard Chapman 2 Para
Born: Enfield, Middlesex died on the 24.06.1970.
Cross Channel Ferry.
No Known Grave lost at Sea (Irish Sea) Aged 26 years

RIP

Ref VIC CHAPMAN, sadly he did go overboard on the ferry comming back from bfast, he was mortars and a few of us were then when it happened, when I thinkl of it it gives me shivers, it was at nite so there was no hope of stopping or looking, but we did in the morning, a truely sad loss, a great guy, he was my no1 up country,I can still here his laugh, REST VIC, REST

Hi Gil

I seem to remember we lost a bloke when we were on exercise in Greece, it might have been in 1963 we were based outside Volos. At the end of Ex.a number of guys went to visit Athens and there was a beach party or something and this lad as a result of the drink he consumed choked and was found dead the next morning. As far as I know he was buried in Greece. I'm sure there are a number of Para Regt. personnel buried in Greece as a result of wartime ops. Do you know if there is an Allied war cemetary in or around Athens where these guys are interred?

There are a large number of the lads buried at Waynes Keep in Cyprus, also a large number at both Maala Cemetary, Aden, and Moascar Military Cemetary in Egypt.
I have none whatsoever, of lads buried in Greece post war which is the time GRAVEWATCH covers.
If you can give me his name I can tell you where he lays from my records.
I am off to Crete shortly for my lads "PARA" Wedding, but intend to visit the CWG cemetary there and also the German graveyards to update some other areas of interest I have in the Airborne battle that took place there.
Gil

Thanks Gil.
I dont remember the lads name sadly.

I've passed on some relevent info. recieved from 22 SAS Regt Association. Which will enable Terrie Jack to get access to the two memorials regarding her brother L/cpl Jack. One location is in Borneo and the other in Malaya. Has anyone from 2 Para visited the crash site and the local memorial since the end of confrontation days?
Keep up the good work.

Ps Hope the wedding went ok.

Yrs Aye Robbie Burns.

Robbie,
Great wedding in Crete in his number ones, even James Bashall came out with his wife to top up their tans, which was greatly appreciated.

We didn't realise the German Paras took so many casualties. Over 4,000 in total.
The few defending Brits that were there, under our Layforce loads of Kiwi's and Aussies backed by Maori battalions fought a magnificent battle to defend the island and were then pulled back to North Africa.

The islanders love the Brits and still hate the germans.

In respect of the crash site, someone on this site did in fact visit the site recently but I can't seem to locate who it was. They took some phots too which were on the site.
Maybe Al can help, he may have archived them.
Take Care
Gil

Hi Gil
My Dad was Casavac'd to Crete from North Africa (8th Army, Royal Engineers) after Breaking both Legs in an auto accident. He was at the airfiled when the germans dropped in for a visit. I went back there three years ago to visit the war museum near the Marina to see if I could find any pictures of him as I was told they had lots of the invasion. He was captured by the Germans and escaped the same day with two Austrailians by boat back to North Africa.
You are right about the islanders still disliking the Germans. We stayed at a little place near "Gerami Bridge" and I told the owners of the hotel the reason for my visit. As a result I couldnt buy a beer for two weeks.

Hope the wedding went well.

Pete N

Gil, Do you have details on a young guy that was lost in a river crossing in Brecon during training? Would have been 285, 291 or 293 Pln. I don't want the details just concerned that we have lost sight of the fact that he was with the Regt and that his death wasn't recorded.
Danny

Danny, the young guy who drowned during river crossings in Brecon was named Hoyle can't remember his first name. He was 293 Pln with me. Actually we joined the same day and walked into the depot together.

He was from Cardiff and had a full military funeral of which I was one of the bearer party but I'm afraid I can't remember which cemetery it was at.

Danny,
Pte Nigel Beverley HOYLE aged 21 bn 23/11/1943 24059561 died on the 15th July 1965. Never fear on the list mate. I have also checked he is on the Wall of Honour at the Arboretum as well.
Gil

Gil, Al thanks for that....nice to know that his passing has been recorded somewhere.
Danny

Gil ,I think also that we lost a guy in Aden,Danny may remember it,I think he was R.E.M.E. was killed when a tank hit a landrover and it rolled over onto the guy who was sleeping at the side of it,at the time he was attached to us .Trev,will I be seeing you next month ?

Trev, I remember that incident but cannot remember whether the guy that got killed was a 'hat' or not. Wasn't that about the same time that a Land Rover went over a landmine? Probably down the salt pans.

Danny, I can not remember if he was a hat or not,but about the explosion on the salt flats was was old Kermit the frog ( George Ansernoz ) being some were he should not have been.anyway how are you ,you old bugger alright i hope all the best.

Aye Robbie
The only death I can recall in Greece was the result of a Land Rover
rolling down an old railway embankment on an excercise.Middle of the
night,pitch black and of course no lights.It was either Royal Sigs or
REME.We were not far behind when it happened[Mortars]and were first
on the scene.I seem to remember an officer pinned between the front
seats and impaled on something or other.Chad and me dagged one out of the cab and carried him up to the top of the embankment he was concious
but quiet ,and when we tried to get him onto his feet he passed out so we
wrapped him in our lightweight blankets and kept an eye on him till the medics arrived.The worry about the trapped officer was the place was reaking of petrol.We heard later that onr person had died.
Chad and me got charged for a lightweight blanket each!
George

Hiya Trev. Good to see you still knocking about. I'd forgotten that was george's nickname. Sometime mention George's name at work when Domestic Violence crops up. Not that George was a perpetrator of it!!
I know what it is like to be in the wrong place too. Ended up in Crater before Mad Mitch went in there! Was up on Jebel Akhdar for a while whilst you lot were down in Singapore Lines and consequently missed the briefings when B Coy first went arrived there. Took a double mobile out and ended up on a magical mystery tour as I tried to familiarise myself with the Coy area of responsibility. Got 'misplaced' and ended up driving into what I now know to be Crater. First indication that i knew that there was something iffy was when i saw the looks of astonishment on the locals, lots of running around and locals pushing huge trolleys of Coke bottles across the road behind us to block it off. Immediate about turn by 2 Land Rovers and got the fucq out of it. In my defence your honour I was also with 7 other blokes who were supposed to know the area having already been in the area for some while!!! We all kept schtum about it because we knew that we had been somewhere that we shouldn't have been and should havbe known better. Guilty crew apart from myself would have been people like Terry P, Graham L, Norman T, Sid H maybe, Bernie maybe. Most of the same bunch that were involved in that incident down at 'Grenade Corner' that left several dead.

After a lot of research and mis information from CWG I have now had it confirmed that it was Signaller Rich, and here is his last resting place at Khayat Beach in Israel not the Haifa Cemetary as stated on CWG records for the person requesting it, sorry can't remember who asked ....old age:

Signalman RICH , J W
Regiment: Royal Corps of Signals
Service No: 14062211
Date of Death: 28 March 1948
Commemoration: KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY
Israel
Plot F Row E Grave 12.

Location: The Cemetery lies 5 kilometres south-west of Haifa on the Tel-Aviv highway. From the main Tel-Aviv highway No. 2, join road No. 4. After 500 metres the cemetery is on the right hand side but it is hidden from view behind a wall. The entrance is the second gate along this wall. Once inside, the cemetery entrance is on the right hand side, 100 metres along.

Visiting: Please note that care should be taken if parking by the front entrance of the Cemetery. Accidents have occurred due to speeding traffic in this area. Wheelchair access to the cemetery possible via main entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Section on telephone number 01628 507200.

Historical: Haifa was of great strategic importance during the Second World War because of its deep water harbour and airfield. It was also the terminus of the railway line from Egypt and of the Kirkuk-Haifa oil pipeline. Haifa became one of the main supply bases and arms depots serving the Middle East forces and a large naval depot was established at Haifa Bay. The cemetery was prepared in 1941 for the burial of service war dead in northern Palestine (now Israel) but graves were also brought in from Haifa (Sharon) British Civil Cemetery, from Mafrog Cemetery in the former Trans-Jordan and from Dafna Cemetery in Syria. Among the Merchant Navy seamen buried in the cemetery are those who lost their lives when the SS 'Zealand' was torpedoed off the coast of Palestine on 28 June 1942. The cemetery now contains 691 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, and 91 war graves of other nationalities. Among the 95 non-war burials in the cemetery are some of men of the Merchant Navy who died during the war, but whose deaths were not due to war service. However, the majority of the non-war graves are of soldiers who died during disturbances preceding the end of the British Mandate in Palestine in May 1948.


Gil