These are the names of some of the original draft of 70-plus Other Ranks from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment who trained the 16th DLI in Scotland from its formation in July 1940. Several of these men feature as NCOs on the 1942 Sergeants' photograph.
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Several others are featured on this 1940 photograph of Beds and Herts recruits. Quite a number feature over several 1940-46 photographs which have been posted on the site. Use the site search button at right to find the pages featuring a particular name.
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Some veterans told me that there there were around 150 Beds and Herts men in the late June 1940 draft. Major Keith Hillas, ex-Highland Light Infantry, CO of first A Company and then B Company, wrote in 1945 that there were around 70 Other Ranks and 14 assorted Officers, including himself and Captain J R Bavington-Jones, posted to Kempston Barracks, Bedford as the cadre of the new Battalion. So the exact figure must be somewhere in between! List last updated 15/1/14
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For Sgt W 'Jimmy' James's account of the formation of the Battalion, click here.
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If you can add any further names, photographs or details to this listing below please get in touch.
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Sgt Tom Baker
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Sgt ‘Tubby’ Baker, HQ Coy CQMS
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Sgt ‘Sibble’ Battle, Cook Sgt, with the Battalion to disbandment.
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Blackmore, Pte C, 5951339, DLI. Ex Beds and Herts, POW No 88182, Stalag 344 in early 1945. Captured with 16th DLI?
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Bottomley, Pte Jack, 5962069. Died 31/8/44, serving with 16 DLI, aged 21. Son of Horace and Minnie Bottomley, of Little Horton, Bradford, Yorkshire. Montecchio War Cemetery, Italy IV B 13. Photograph Bradford Telegraph and Argus 18/9/44. Originally enlisted The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.
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Bray, Sgt Charles Herbert 5950691. Captured: Sedjenane 2/3/43, 16 & 18 Platoon, D Company. Enlisted: the 6th Battalion Beds and Herts January 1940. From Buckingham. Captured 2/3/43. Camps PG 98 and PG 53 Italy. Stalags 17A and 8A Germany, POW No 155266.
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Broadhead, CSM George John 5948261. Died: 28th February 1943. D Company CSM in 1940-43.
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Casson, Cpl Walter Daniel 5950938 Died: 12 September 1943.
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Childs, A/Sgt C W H (5951350). Noted in 183 Field Ambulance in 4/43.
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Feasey, Col/Sgt Daniel. Originally enlisted as a Territorial in the RA (Army No 887462). Posted to 16 DLI on its formation in 7/40 from the Beds and Herts. See this page of the site: http://powbooks.atspace.co.uk/page29.html
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Gates, CSM George, HQ Company 1940-46.
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Glover, Platoon Sgt Major Fred (5946406). Born in 1909 in Stratford, Essex. Thanks to his great niece Ann for the following details of his Army service:
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Fred Glover joined the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment circa 1925-27 and served with them pre-war in China, India (his eldest daughter was born at the Derha Dun hill station at the foot of the Himalayas during one of his postings), Palestine and India again. He served in HQ Company 16 DLI, in 1940-42 and embarked with the battalion for Tunisia in December 1942. He later worked as a fitness instructor on troopships taking reinforcements from the UK and remained in the DLI through to the end of the war. A firm disciplinarian. Recalls Ann: ‘My other uncle, Les, 14 years his junior, who served in the Chindits, met Fred in the UK before Les went to India, and dared to say, “Hello Fred.” to him, as both were in uniform and Fred a higher rank. The reply came: "You call me Sir and standard to attention!"
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‘My mother also said that, as a child when he came home on leave, again he was 14 years her senior, he had a tremendous presence and kept order at the dining table. She also said he told the most amazing tales of pre-war India.’
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Gray, Pte Alex 'Jock' 5950448. Despatch rider in the Signal Platoon, HQ Coy, with the Battalion from 1940 to disbandment.
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Griffin, Sgt Peter MM 5951130. Medical Sgt, HQ Coy, with the Battalion from 1940 to disbandment.
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Grove, Cpl D 5951769. Stalag 18A in early 1945, German POW Number 7532.
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Gurney, Pte C, a C Company Cook, see 1944 C Company photograph. NEXT PAGE
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