Robert Milton (service number 14709787) was killed in action on 15 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was 19 years old and a private in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, 4th Battalion. He was buried in a field grave near a small farm in Holthees and reburied in 1947 at Overloon War Cemetery in grave IV.C.10. His gravestone reads: Gone but not forgotten, Father Mother Brothers and Sisters.

Family background

Robert Milton (known to his family as Bobby) was born on 24 August 1925 in Bermondsey, London. His parents were Henry Cecil Milton (1901-1963) and Jane Taylor (1901-1973).
He had two brothers, Henry (Harry) Milton (1919–2000) and Leonard Milton (1929–2023), and three sisters, Iris Milton (1934), Rose Milton (1936-2025) and Edna Milton (1932).
He attended Midway Place School in Rotherhithe, South East London.

His brother Leonard recalled that he last saw Bobby when he mistakenly went home an hour early for lunch. On his way home, he encountered Bobby, who had just left the house to go to war.
Henry (Harry) became a prisoner of war (POW) in Kalamarta, Greece. He was transferred to the notorious Stalag 306 prisoner of war camp in Germany. This extremely difficult journey to the camp has often been discussed. It involved being packed into a train and forced to march long distances. Many died along the way from exhaustion. Fortunately, Henry survived.

Military career

It is not yet known when Robert Milton enlisted in the army but according to one of his sisters he firstly joined the Royal West Kent Regiment. In his first letter to his parents, dated around 1 October 1944, he writes that he has changed regiments and been transferred to the 4th Battalion of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry.

The 4th Batallion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

The Territorial Battalion of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry landed in Normandy on 14 June 1944 and fought its way through France, the Netherlands and Germany until May 1945.

On 3 September, the 4 KSLI reached Ninove in Belgium, south of Antwerp. Their destination for the next day was Antwerp. About four miles outside the city, the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, who were ahead of the 4 KSLI, reported that the outer perimeter of the forts was not in enemy hands and that the city, held by about 2,000 enemies, had been taken by surprise by the speed of the advance. The battalion therefore continued its transport to the outskirts of the city. A dense crowd, cheering and embracing ‘their liberators,’ made military operations very complicated.

Their first objective was to occupy a park in the centre of the city. As they approached the park, they encountered no resistance and the crowds turned it into a triumphal procession. However, the enemy had strong defences at the park and the leading company came under heavy machine gun fire. After desperate hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy surrendered. A company was then sent to clear the mayor’s house. The garrison there held out until dark, when they finally surrendered. During the night, one company was sent to hold one of the bridges on the northern edge of the city.

The War Diary reports that all operations were carried out with the greatest effort due to the enthusiasm of the citizens, who literally carried entire platoons and companies on their shoulders. The battalion headquarters was established in the park behind the German barbed wire, and the guards were mainly concerned with keeping out the cheering population.

The four KSLI remained in and around Antwerp until 8 September, when they moved to Leuven, Heusden and then to Hecteren, which they reached on 11 September and where they remained until 21 September. By that time, they had taken on men from various regiments and it was said that they were becoming a mixed bunch. While they were here on 15 September, they heard about a planned major advance to Arnhem, and on 17 September they saw many fighter planes and heavy bombers flying overhead in support of the largest airborne operation ever. This would be the advance to Arnhem in Operation Market Garden.

On 18 September, they travelled to Bree and took part in a deception plan to conceal a bridge operation over the Escault Canal. On 20 September, they crossed this canal at Lille St Hubert and entered the Netherlands. They spent the night in Budel. The diary mentions that “everyone seemed very happy to see us and they waved orange flags with great enthusiasm”. On 21 September, they moved on to Vaarsel, where they waited for the Herefords to build a bridge over the Willemskanaal. The next day, they captured Asten with the Fife and Forfars. On 25 September, they moved on to Gemert, where they received an excellent welcome, and then to Sint Anthonis. The next day, they heard that the bridgehead at Arnhem had been evacuated. They remained in Sint Anthonis until 29 September, defending the village and patrolling the surrounding area, including Boxmeer.

Letters home from Robert

The family receives his first letter in early October, undated, followed by several more a few days later:

Overloon and the attack on Smakt

They were relieved of their duties in Sint Anthonis by American troops, allowing them to return to a rest area in Gemert, where they remained until 7 October. They had the pleasure of enjoying bathing and entertainment facilities there. On 7 October, they went to the area around Mullem to take over defensive positions from the US 7th Armoured Division.

The Peel region was a difficult area for warfare, which benefited the German defence. The regiment witnessed the failed attempt by the American 7th Armoured Division at close quarters and knew that they would soon need to make an attempt to cross the Meuse and enter German territory. When the 4th KSLI battalion is added to the 3rd Infantry Division, the time has indeed come for the British: 12 October, the Battle of Overloon.

On 15 October, the battalion was ordered to launch an attack from an area occupied by the 2 KSLI, targeting the village of Smakt, with the boundary of the operation being the railway line running north-south, a few hundred metres west of Smakt. They passed Overloon with some effort because heavy traffic had left the roads and paths in very poor condition. Overloon had only been captured the day before.

The attack included assistance from the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and a rolling barrage of artillery that would move every 2 minutes at a speed of 100 metres. The barrage needed to remain at the opening line for 10 minutes. Unfortunately, some guns fired too short and fell into the KSLI’s area, causing some casualties.

The attack was difficult, chaotic and messy, because the troops not only had to attack the enemy, but also had to protect their own comrades who were in the front line. Providing cover was therefore risky: every shot fired at the enemy could also hit their own men, which made the battle even more tense and confusing.

The barrage eventually continued, but the momentum of the attack was halted until the attacking guns stopped firing. The attack continued and the barrage was called off, replaced by the firing of explosive charges. The ground over which the battalion was moving was a large sandy plain, marked by sand dunes – impassable for all vehicles except tanks and carriers (with effort). The commander’s reconnaissance vehicle was towed all the way by the tank of the regimental commander of Fife and Forfar to maintain communication with the rear radio link. Several companies encountered some resistance but reached the railway line.

When the battalion had taken up its position, the enemy began shelling the area and bombarding it with mortars, with the companies on the right being hit hard by 105 mm, 88 mm mortars and Nebelwerfer rockets. A considerable number of aerial bombs were also dropped. The attack that day cost the battalion 4 dead and 29 wounded.
It was on this day that Robert Milton was killed. He was hit by shrapnel after a patrol. His comrades and Major Urwin Thornburn laid him to rest in a quiet corner at Loonseweg 8 in the small village of Holthees, where the battle had taken place, and held a funeral service at the grave.

On 3 June 1947, Bobby was reburied in grave IV.E.10 at Overloon War Cemetery.

During the attack on 15 and 16 October 1944, several of Bobby’s comrades were killed. Also buried at Overloon War Cemetery are:

Pte Frederick Harrington, Pte Ronald Keel, Pte Bernard Oakley, L/Cpl Patrick Sweeney. 
On Mierlo War Cemetery: Pte Savage A. and Pte Scott S.W.  
On Venray War Cemetery Pte Neary A. 
Pte Chilton W. is still missing (MIA)

In early November, the family receives a letter of condolence from Major Urwin Thornburn:

Letter of condolence Major Urwin Thornburn

Sgt George Harold Eardley

It is also worth mentioning in this biography that Sgt George Harold Eardley, a comrade from A Company, was later awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on that day. Sergeant Eardley took out three machine gun nests under heavy fire, enabling the platoon to continue the attack and ultimately reach its objective after heavy fighting and suffering heavy losses.

During the weekend of 3-5 October a large group of Bobby Milton’s cousins and nieces visited Overloon. We organized a battlefield tour for them in the Overloon area and took them to the fields in Het Schaartven where Bobby was killed and where he was temporarily buried in a field grave. We also attended an emotional and very beautiful memorial ceremony where the family commemorated their uncle Bobby with beautiful words and music and thanked him for what he meant to freedom but also to his family.

For us as a Foundation, it was yet another confirmation of how important our work is in finding families, telling their stories, and bringing them together at the graves of the military at the war cemetery in Overloon.

Ancestry family trees and other information sources
Wikipedia: King’s Own Shropshire Light Infantry
King’s Own Shropshire Light Infantry War Diary from website Traces of War
After Antwerp – Major Ned Thornburn
Information and photo’s Ken Milton, nephew of Bobby Milton
This biography has been compiled by our foundation based on our own research and stories from other soldiers who served in the same regiment or participated in the same battle. Part of the collective work within the foundation has been used for this purpose.

Research Anny Huberts

George Rose Elliott (Service No. 4399223) was killed in action on 12 October 1944 aged just 27. At the time of his death he was a Private in the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. He was initially buried at the Cemetery De Kleffen, Overloon and subsequently on 30th January 1946  in grave I. A. 10 at the Overloon Commonwealth War Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads “Deep in our hearts a memory kept of the one we loved and shall never forget.”

Family Background

George Rose Elliot was the son of Henry Elliott and Margaret Ann Rose who had married in the Tynemouth District in Northumberland in 1911. Henry had been born on 30 May 1890 in Earsdon in Northumberland. Margaret Ann Rose had been born on 8 October 1889 in Annitsford, Longbenton in Northumberland. Earsdon and Annitsford are both to the north east of Newcastle upon Tyne, between Whitley Bay and what is now the 1960s new town of Cramlington.
 
Henry and Margaret had six children as follows, all in Earsdon: Lilian 1913, Edwin 1915, George Rose 15 March 1917, Henry 3 December 1922, Dorothy P 1926 and Ethel Rose 11 March 1930. They also adopted another daughter called Maureen.
 
In 1921 Henry and Margaret were living at Second Square, Earsdon with their first three children, which included George. Henry was working as a Horsekeeper underground at East Holywell Colliery.
 
In September 1939, Henry and Margaret were living at School House, Church Way, Earsdon. With them were their three youngest children. Henry was now working as a builder’s labourer and Margaret herself was working as a School Cleaner. Henry (Jnr) was an apprentice bricklayer.
 
George had married Jane Leck Wood a few months earlier on 10 June 1939 in Newcastle.
 
Jane was born on 29 April 1917 to Robert Wood and Barbara Wallace who had married in 1902 in Lanchester, County Durham. Robert had been born in Hookergate on 24 April 1874 and Barbara on 11 March 1880 in Byers Green. Hookergate is between Consett and Gateshead while Byers Green is near Spennymoor, both in County Durham. Jane was one of 14 children born to Robert and Barbara between 1904 and 1926, though one died as an infant in 1906 and another at birth in 1926.  It is thought that the children were born in Thornley, near Blaydon and Winlaton, just south of the Tyne and west of Gateshead in County Durham.
 
In 1911 Robert and Barbara had been living as boarders at Leather Burne House, 4 Hugar Road, High Spen, Chopwell, Durham in the household of William and Janet Bell and family. Four of their first five surviving children were with them. Their remaining daughter, Margaret, was with her grandparents, John and Mary Ann Wood, at High Thornley, Blaydon, Winlaton. Robert was a Miner Hewer.
 
By 1921, Robert and Margaret were themselves living at High Thornley, Winlaton, County Durham with all their surviving children, including Jane. Robert was a Coal Miner / Shifter for the Consett Iron Company. In September 1939, Robert and Barbara were still at High Thornley which was now described as being in Rowlands Gill, but only their two youngest children were with them. Another child, William E Wood, born on 8 December 1936 was also present, but unlikely to be their child. He may have been a grandchild. Robert was still a Shifter in a coal mine and his 19 year old son was a Coke Works Labourer.
 
As has been seen, George Rose Elliott married Jane Leck Wood on 10 June 1939. By September that year they were living at 16 Waverley Avenue, Whitley Bay. George was working as a bricklayer.
 
They had a child, Valerie Elliott, on 16 August 1940 in the Durham North Western district.

Military Career

George initially enlisted in the Green Howards on 4 December 1941. He stated that he was born on 15 March 1917. He gave his address as 11 High Thornley, Rowland’s Gill, Co. Durham. He gave his wife as his next of kin at the same address. It seems that they had moved back to be close to Jane’s parents. He was described as being 5ft 6 ¼ in tall and weighed 148 lbs. He had blue eyes and brown hair. His occupation was given as a bricklayer. He was declared A1 medically fit.

Apparently, his younger brother Henry also tried to join up but was not accepted, perhaps on health grounds.

He was posted on the day he enlisted to No. 5 Infantry Training Centre which was based at Richmond in North Yorkshire. He was posted to the 10th Battalion of the Green Howards on 29 March 1942. This Battalion had been formed by the conversion of the 2nd East Riding Yeomanry in 1940.

A photo of him in his uniform was taken on 9 December 1942.

The 10th Battalion of the Green Howards then became the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion attached to the 5th Parachute Brigade in May 1943. On 16 July 1943, George was transferred as a Private to the 11th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. At some point he qualified as a Driver i/c.

At the beginning of June 1944 the 11th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry was based at Thetford in Norfolk. On 12 June, 6 days after D-Day, they landed at King Beach near La Riviere – with some having to wade ashore.

By 17th June, they were based at Ducy St Marguerite and had yet to take part in their first major action. On that day, George wrote the following letter to his parents, full of all his thoughts and concerns about them:
 
“Dear Ma & Pop & Family
 
Just a few more lines to let you all know I am still OK hoping you all at home are the same at present, well Ma I’m writing to you from Somewhere in France but don’t take it up the wrong way as I am still happy and still healthy.
 
Well I wrote you a day or two back but I only got it posted yesterday so you will know when you get it the reason of it been later than you think, but I may not be able to write every Day so try to write to me if you ever have the chance as it is Good to have a letter from home.
 
Well Ma I have not had anymore letters from Fred yet but I may get some that I should have had when I was in England but they will all follow me. I got two from Jennie yesterday which were wrote on the 2nd & 4th June so you see for yourself.
 
Well how are you going on these Days I hope you are still able to get about as I have never heard how you got over your illness whether you are improving or not how is Pop and the rest of the Family are they still alright how is the Greenhouse going you will not be long before you are having some Tomatoes but I will just have to think I have had my share have you got the Son home yet you know who I mean Dorothy’s Husband as you said you were expecting him home out of hospital on June 11th so I guess he may be home now.
 
Well Ma let Mary Wood know that everything is still alright as I was just talking to Billie this morning after breakfast and asked me to remember you to leave word next Door when I wrote to you so do that please so I will draw to a close now as I have not much more news till I here from you but I tell you what don’t send me any money but if wish to send me anything send Cigs please but you can’t register them but they will get here alright so will say Cheerie oh to you all at home with heaps of Love for Ever and don’t forget be Good to tell them all behind and also my two (Love Birds) at home Jennie and Valerie.
 
From Your Ever
Loving Son & Brother
xxxxxxxGeorgexxxxxxx
Sails with Love and Kisses
To You (Ma)”
 
The Battalion played a major part in an attack on Rauray towards the end of June. This was to the east of Caen. On 22/23 July there is a reference to rain and mud hampering preparations for a move the following day to Demouville which is just west of Caen.
 
It may have been around then that George wrote another letter to his family which has been preserved:
 
“Dear Darling Mother & family
 
Just a line or two in answer to your letter and two Snaps, one of the family and one of Pop, but as it turned out to be a good one of Pop, he had to Spoil it with this Usual Carry on of his.
 
Well Ma I am honestly Proud of the family Group as everyone has taken such a Good Photograph especially all the Children not forgetting the Pianist and the Working Man.
 
Well Ma the weather is not to good down here today of course it has had to turn to Rain, but it does not matter as now we are getting used to it now we take it as it comes. ………………………… letter from Fred yesterday and he was telling me about Dorothy been down beside him so it will be a change for him.
 
Well hope you still get all your Company yet I bet there was a right houseful when all that crowd was there together, especially Dolly fancy hearing about her arriving up at Newcastle for a Holiday she would when I was not there but I will write to her if you send me her address and how is Annie going on she does not look any different according to the Snap you sent me she is still the same old face.
 
Well I was talking to Mr Wood yesterday and he is still OK and happy but he is not so Browned off as I am, he is just sick so would you let his Mrs know he is happy  and thinking of all he knows also he is asking kindly after you and Pop and all the family.
 
Well Ma I have a bit more work to do so I will come to a close for now, with heaps of love to you Both and all the family from
Your loving son
And Brother
xxxxxxxGeorge xxxxxxx
Somewhere in France”
 
The Battalion moved to Thury Harcourt on 21 August. This was south east of Caen. It had been decided that the Battalion was to be disbanded and the men would be transferred to other regiments. D Company, to which George belonged, were transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. This took place on 26 August while still at Thury Harcourt.
 
The Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel C.D. Hamilton, issued a farewell message that day as follows:
 
“General Montgomery’s news that the end of the War is in sight has softened the blow which suddenly hit the 11th this week. We are suffering, for the sake of the War, the fate so many Battalions have had in the past year. Good reinforcements are wanted quickly and we, who had been raised for this emergency, were the ones who would provide them.
 
In the midst of our sadness I would say this. For five years we trained a team to beat the Hun. Our success at Rauray and since will be a Regimental Battle Honour – our overwhelming defeat of the German counter-attack has had a vital effect on the campaign. We have been allowed to prove ourselves – and we were found good.
 
I admire the spirit with which you have already taken the news. Luckily our new postings mean that most friends can be kept together.
 
You have been ‘Faithful Durhams’.
 
That has brought you success in the past. Those standards will bring you through to the future.
 
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL”.
 
The 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment had taken part in the D-Day landings in June 1944 and lost many men as a consequence. A substantial number of reinforcements joined the Battalion in late July when it had returned across the Orne to Beuville, near Caen. It played a part in action to secure a road junction at Vire in mid August. It was shortly after this that George together with the rest of D Company of the 11 Durham Light Infantry joined them. However, they played no further part in the Battle of Normandy.
 
In September they were in Belgium and successfully crossed the Escaut canal as part of the ill-fated Market Garden operation, arriving in Gemert in Holland on 26th September where they received a tremendous welcome. October saw the 2nd Battalion involved in some of the heaviest fighting since the end of June, amid continual rain and mud. At noon on 12 October the order was given for the Battalion to start the attack on Overloon from the north alongside the 1stBattalion of the Suffolk Regiment. Their task involved clearing woods of the enemy, but they faced considerable shell and mortar fire and also mines. The Battalion achieved its objective, but George Rose Elliott was one of the casualties that day. The battalion continued to play its part in capturing Overloon on 12 to 15 October, suffering 49 casualties.

George had served for 2 years and 314 days of which 127 days were in Europe.

The Newcastle Evening Chronicle of 31 October 1944 reported that five Durham Men had been killed in action and included their photos. This included “Pte J.R. Elliott, East Yorks, husband of Mrs J Elliott, of 11 High Thornley, Rowlands Gill.” Unfortunately, this misreported his name which should have been Pte. G.R. Elliott.
 
On 3 November 1944 the following item appeared in the Newcastle Journal
 
“Roll of Honour
Elliott (11, High Thornley, Rowlands Gill), Pte. George R., aged 27 years dearly loved husband of Jennie (nee Wood), and darling daddy of Valerie and son of Mr and Mrs H Elliott of Hazelrigg, killed in action Oct 1944. ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning We shall remember.’ Service in St Barnabas’, Rowlands Gill, Sunday Nov 12 1944, 6.30 p.m. Deeply mourned by his loving wife and daughter, relatives and friends.”

George is commemorated on the war memorial in Rowlands Gill

He was awarded medals as follows: 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star and War Medal 1939/45. His wife was awarded a pension of £1/12/6 a week and an allowance of 11s a week for their child, both to be paid from 21 January 1945. 

On 1 March 1945, a very brief memo was sent to his wife at 11 High Thornley, Rowland’s Gill, Co. Durham enclosing his personal effects which consisted of a handkerchief, a leather wallet, a cigarette case, a broken cigarette lighter and 14 photographs.

Aftermath

After George’s death, Jane Elliott went on to marry John Johnson in 1949 in the Durham North Western District.
 
George’s mother, Margaret A Elliott, died in 1957 in the Northumberland South district and his father, Henry Elliott, in 1959 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
 
George’s daughter, Valerie, married David Tinnion in 1961 in the Durham North Western district. They moved at some point to Buckinghamshire and had children there as follows: Paul in 1964 and Karen in 1965. However, Valerie died aged just 42  in Maidenhead, Berkshire in 1982.
 
George’s wife, Jane Johnson, died in 1992 in Maidenhead.
 
George is survived by his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Military records from ForcesWarRecords website
Service Record for GR Elliott from the National Archives ref WO 423/658096
Wikipedia: Green Howards and 12th Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion
11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry War Diary and other information from North East War Memorials Project  – 70th Infantry Brigade 1939-44 https://70brigade.newmp.org.uk/wiki/Main_Page
East Yorkshire War Diary from Traces of War Website
Information on the East Yorkshire Regiment from a thesis written by Tracey Cragg for her PhD with the Department of History, University of Sheffield 2007 “An `Unspectacular’ War? Reconstructing the history of the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War”.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle Oct 31 1944
Newcastle Journal 3 Nov 1944
Photos, Letters and information from Kevin Corby (George’s nephew), Karen Medhurst (George’s granddaughter) and Maureen Scoines who is George’s adopted sister.

Research Tracey van Oeffelen, Elaine Gathercole

John Nicholson (Service No. 3858979) was killed in action on 27 October, 1944. He was aged 26 and a Bombardier with the Royal Artillery. He was initially buried at Maria Regina Monestry, Stevenbeek and subsequently re-interred on 22 May 1947 in grave II. E. 12 at the Overloon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Overloon. His inscription reads “Worthy of Everlasting Remembrance.”

Military Career

The initial casualty record which recorded the death of John Nicholson stated that he was in the R.A. 92nd Lt A.A.R. This was the Royal Artillery 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. However, this was subsequently corrected to indicating that he was in a Royal Artillery Field Regiment but doesn’t specify which one – and a Casualty Card indicated that he was in the Royal Artillery (3 Infantry Division Counter Mortars). However, a book by Tom McCarthy entitled “True Loyals – A History of 7th Battalion, The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) / 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, 1940-1946” seems to indicate that he was in a Counter Mortar unit working with the 92nd Loyals at the time of his death.
 
It isn’t known when he joined up, though it is likely to have been early in the war. It may well be that, as he came from Lancashire, he was initially in the 7th Battalion of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). It had been formed on 17 July 1940 with a core of experienced officers from the Loyal Regiment, some of whom had just returned from Dunkirk, and a draft of new conscripts largely from Liverpool and Birkenhead. In November 1941 this battalion was converted into the 92nd Loyals Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. It was a mobile air defence unit of the Royal Artillery. On 24/3/1942 it became part of the 3rd Army Division with which it served until the end of the war. Prior to D-Day, it spent time training in the UK and also in anti-aircraft activity when required.
 
On D-Day, one troop of the 92nd (Loyals) landed on Sword Beach to deploy around bridges at Benouville while the others landed in the following days and weeks. Benouville proved to be a hot spot for anti-aircraft activity, sometimes with as many as 50 aircraft attacking the Allied positions. By 2 July the whole regiment had arrived and were deployed around Hermanville-sur-Mer to protect gun and vehicle concentrations and on Perrier Ridge. Three troops advanced with 3rd Division in an attack on Caen (Operation Charnwood), but the advance stalled. It then participated in Operation Goodwood, setting up observation posts to spot enemy mortar positions and call down divisional artillery or Royal Air Force fighter-bombers to counter them. The regiment was deployed east of the Orne for three weeks after Goodwood and suffered a number of casualties from night bombers.
 
3rd Division moved back west of the Orne on 31 July to participate in Operation Bluecoat. By this time, the Allied air forces had complete superiority over the Normandy beachhead and the need for AA defence was reduced. 92nd LAA Regiment was reduced by three Bofors Troops and three 20 mm Troops, leaving each battery with two Troops, one each of towed and SP Bofors. From now on the Bofors regiments were often used for direct and indirect ground shoots. 92nd LAA Rgt also retained responsibility for 3rd Division’s counter-mortar teams.
 
A key part of the Royal Artillery was the need for intelligence in order to direct artillery fire. However, it entered  World War 2 with much the same artillery intelligence and counter-battery equipment as it ended World War 1. Also, the use of mortars had largely been ignored in the inter war period and little or no attention had been given to the need to locate mortars or to the arrangements for countering them. The main methods in use for counter battery operations were sound ranging and flash spotting, but each had to be improved during WW2 and methods developed for dealing with counter mortar activity. Sound ranging involved the use of several microphones triangulating to detect the source of the incoming fire and flash spotting involved several observers using very narrow field of view telescopes to fix the location of a hostile battery.
 
It was estimated that 70% of UK casualties in Normandy were from mortars with new sound ranging equipment only reaching Normandy by early July, after which three counter-mortar batteries were formed to use the new equipment. In Tom McCarthy’s book “True Loyals”, Jack Prior recalled how the counter-mortar system, though seemingly makeshift, worked remarkably well right from the beginning, especially because of the radio link-up. “It had, of course, to be practised before it worked every time. But within a few hours, the German mortar crews suddenly found themselves being bombed or strafed by our Typhoons or Spitfires. Naturally, the mortar crews speeded up their delivery and then tried to hide in nearby woods, but the RAF pilots were not easily fooled and it was very rewarding for us when we sent in a target and saw within seconds that the enemy was under severe attack from the air as a result of our efforts.”
 
When the 92nd (Loyals) were reduced in strength at the start of August 1944, each of the remaining batteries retained a mobile counter-mortar observation team consisting of a sergeant, a bombardier and four gunners, equipped with a wireless, Jeep and a 15cwt truck. The divisional anti-tank regiment furnished the plotting centre and an armoured observation post and 92 LAA provided HQ. John Nicholson would have been the Bombardier in such a unit.
 
At the end of August, the 21st Army Group broke out of the Normandy beachhead, and 3rd Division was given a period for rest and training. It then moved up into Belgium and forced the Meuse-Escaut Canal on 19 September, with 92nd LAA following up to protect the canal bridge at Lille St Hubert. It then crossed the Dutch border and moved on to protect the bridges over the s’Hertogenbosch Canal.
 
In early October the regiment suffered the heaviest period of air attack since Normandy. Then, on 12 October, 92 LAA added its firepower to the massive artillery barrage in support of 3rd Division troops who were battling to capture Overloon in Operation Aintree. Following this, it moved into what was left of Overloon. Jim Holder-Vale who was the radio operator for six of the regiment’s guns describes in “True Loyals” what they found: “It was an absolute shambles, littered with vast amounts of unexploded artillery shells and anti-personnel bombs. There were also a number of shell-shocked chickens which were rounded up and eaten. My wireless was set up in a small cellar and the remains of a building which contained the corpses of two pigs. This didn’t bother us, as it was a safe haven from the shelling and rocket mortars – nebelwerfers, or moaning minnies. It rained a lot and was very cold. There was a poor horse wandering around which was eventually killed during the shelling. As the corpse lay near our HQ, we were detailed to bury it. Fortunately, the ground was very soft – like black sand – so we just piled it up over the body, leaving the four hooves exposed. After a while, the hooves fell off.”
 
Four days later, amid very bad weather, the Bofors of 92 LAA again opened up to help the attack continue on to Venray. By this time, after the failure of Market Garden, enemy resistance had hardened. Montgomery decided not to attempt a crossing of the Rhine that autumn, but to concentrate on clearing the port of Antwerp, so 3rd Division was withdrawn across the Maas. On October 15, the 92nd established its RHQ at Oploo, where the regiment was destined to remain for the next four months. However, risks still remained, and it was on 27 October that Bombardier John Nicholson of the counter-mortar unit was killed by a shell.

Family Background

John Nicholson was the son of John William Nicholson and Eliza Burns who had married in 1917 in the Bolton district of Lancashire. They only seem to have had one child, John Nicholson, born in 1918 in the Bolton District. John (Snr) was born on 18/7/1891 in Little Hulton and Eliza 1/9/1891 (or possibly 31st) in Bolton. Little Hulton is just south of Bolton and north west of Manchester.
 
In June 1921 John, Eliza and young John were living at 12, St James Street, Farnworth, Lancashire. John was working as a Coal Miner (Hewer) at the Earl of Ellesmere’s Colliery. Farnworth is just to the north east of Little Hulton.
 
By September 1939, John and Eliza, together with their son, John, were living at 265 Manchester Road West in Little Hulton. John (Snr) was working as a Colliery Fireman while John (Jnr) was working as a Power Loom Overlooker, presumably in the local cotton industry.
 

John Nicholson married Ada Berry in 1941 in the Barton District of Lancashire. Two years prior to her marriage, Ada was living with her parents, Robert and Nellie Berry, at 7 Walkdene Drive, Little Hulton. Robert Berry was born on 26/10/1889 and was a Colliery Contractor. Nellie was born on 14/4/1891. Ada was born on 6/2/1921 and was a Textile Operative – Weaver. Two of her brothers were present – William born 1/10/1918 who was working as a warehouse Ledger Clerk and Robert born 26/10/1925 who was at school. It may be that John met Ada when they were both working in the cotton industry.
 
Ada heard of John’s death before she received any official notification. She received a letter from the Padre of the Regiment on returning home one day in late 1944 from her work in the mill. She was encouraged by her family to put this behind her as best as she could and get on with her life.
 
Ada went on to marry Alexander Maclarty in 1950 in Barton District. They had one child, Melvyn P Maclarty, in 1951 in Farnworth. Alexander Maclarty died in 1984. Ada never told her son that she had been married previously until he discovered it almost by accident in 2000, just 2 years before she died in 2002.
 
John’s mother died on 27/5/1964 in Bolton, his father having died prior to then.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records; British Newspaper Archive
Notes from https://www.britishartillery.co.uk/p_artyintcb3945.htm#INTRODUCTION
Wikipedia 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
TRUE LOYALS (2nd Edition) A History of 7th Battalion, The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) / 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, 1940-1946 by Tom McCarthy
Assistance from Melvyn Maclarty

Research Elaine Gathercole