Military Chat

Ahem. I have received a reply from Susan thanking me for reminding her. Apparently, she is busy........................ :-S

Copied from his entry on the Commonwealth War Graves site...( scroll down and click on 'find out more' on the cemetery section..............

............Historical Information
Following the Normandy landings of June 1944, the Allied advance through northern Europe was extraordinarily rapid and on 11 September 1944, the Second Army entered the Netherlands just south of Eindhoven, the first Allied troops to set foot in the country since its fall in May 1940.

Their next aim was to cross the Rhine before the Germans had time to reorganise after their recent setbacks, securing crossings over the rivers and canals that stood in their path at Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem. 'Operation Market Garden' would involve the United States 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, the Commonwealth 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Parachute Brigade.

On 17 September 1944, the 1st Airborne Division began landing west of Arnhem, but German resistance, bad weather and problems with supplies and reinforcements led to heavy losses, and their objectives were not taken. They were forced to form a perimeter at Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until 25 September, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine.

Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of most of those killed during the September landings, and many of those killed in later fighting in the area.

There are now 1,680 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 245 of the burials are unidentified and two casualties are commemorated by special memorials. There are also 73 Polish, three Dutch and three non-war (former Commission employees) graves in the cemetery.

RAE, THOMAS BELL

Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 3190895
Date of Death: 21/09/1944
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
7th (Airborne) Bn.
Grave Reference 21. B. 2.
Cemetery ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Andrew Rae, and of Margaret Rae, of Gretna Green, Dumfriesshire.

There is a photo of his grave here
http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=3933805

If you wanted a copy, you can order one from the links on that page. For a digital download, the TWGPP requests a donation of £3.50.

His service records would still be with the MOD and can be ordered at a cost of £30. Follow the relevant links from here....

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

Hello Susan and welcome to the Community Boards.




I'll let Susan know that she has replies to her query. :-)

http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic1046-75.html

(above gives Airborne 7th Bat.)

7th KOSB became glider-borne troops with the 1st Airborne Division, and in September 1944 they were flown into the dropping zones at Arnhem, where, surrounded by an enemy force superior in numbers and equipped with tanks, they fought a gallant but ultimately futile action. When the order to retreat was given on 25th September, the 740 strong Battalion had been reduced to 4 Officers and 72 men.

http://www.kosb.co.uk/20thcentury.htm

(always worth a google)

Chris :)

Web: Netherlands, Online-Begraafplaatsen, 1800-2013

Name:Thomas Bell Rae

Birth Date:1919

Death Date:21 sep 1944

Burial Country:Netherlands

URL:
http://www.online-begraafplaat...

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945

Name:Thomas Rae

Given Initials:
T B

Rank:Serjeant

Death Date:21 Sep 1944

Number:
3190895

Birth Place:Dumfriesshire

Residence:Carlisle

Regiment at Enlistment:
King's Own Scottish Borderers

Branch at Enlistment:
Infantry

Theatre of War:
Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45

Regiment at Death:
King's Own Scottish Borderers

Branch at Death:Infantry


Looking online, he may have died in the Netherlands

Try Google



Western Front (World War II)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)


The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Western Germany.[9] World War II military engagements in Southern Europe and elsewhere are generally considered under separate headings.

I am researching Thomas Bell Rae born 1919 Kings Own Scottish Borderers service number 3190895 died 21 september 1944 aged 25. Any one researching Kings Own Scottish Borderers who could tell us where he died( buried Arnhem) are there any war diaries in fact anything. Can find no medal rolls etc.