Trooper SIDNEY COLE (photo added)



Rank | Trooper |
Forenames | SIDNEY |
Surname | COLE (photo added) |
Initials | S |
Place of Birth |
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Date of Birth | Friday, 26 February 1915 |
Date of Death | Saturday, 24 June 1944 |
Age | 29 |
Nationality |
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Residence or Entered Service From | LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM |
Service Number | 1637431 | Force |
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Service/Corps/Regiment | Reconnaissance Corps, Royal Armoured Corps |
Unit / Ship / Battalion / Squadron | 43 Reconnaissance Regiment (2/5 Battalion, The Glocestershire Regiment) (43rd Wessex Infantry Division) |
Military Honours and Awards | |
Place of Burial/Commemoration |
BAYEUX MEMORIAL
Roll of honour |
Grave/Memorial Location | Panel 4. |
Previous Place(s) of Burial | Lost at Sea |
Epitaph | NO EPITAPH |
Family Details | SON OF FREDERICK AND HILDA COLE; HUSBAND OF DORIS MAUD COLE, OF DEPTFORD, LONDON. |
Additional Information
Trooper SIDNEY COLE was born in Paddington, London on the 26th February 1915. He was living at Tavistock Cresent, Westbourne Park, Paddington, London when he joined the British Army.
He was one of many men from 43 Reconnaissance Regiment who were killed on the 24th June 1944, when the ship they were being transported on was blown up by a mine.
The ship, Motor Vessel (MV) Derrycunihy Motor Transport Ship (MTS) T72, was anchored off SWORD Beach on the night of the 23rd June 1944. Weather conditions prevented the 600 men from 43 Reconnaissance Regiment disembarking that day. The following morning, the weather had improved and as the captain began preparing to move the ship, a German mine beneath the ship detonated. The DerryCunihy split in two. The forward section of the ship remained afloat but the stern section sank within a minute.
An amunition truck on the ship also exploded, and spilled oil and fuel ignited on the surface of the the ship and on the sea around the stricken vessel. 177 men from 43 Reconnaissance Regiment died, Trooper SIDNEY COLE is one of 167 men whose body was never recovered and who is now commemorated on Bayeux War Memorial. A further 10 men are buried in Normandy. It was the highest single loss of life off the Normandy beaches during the Normandy Campaign in 1944.2
References |
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1. | All additional documents and photographs, unless otherwise credited, kindly provided by Anne Smith, daughter of Trooper SIDNEY COLE. |
2. | Compiled by Carl Shilleto. |
Acknowledgements and Credits |
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Source of original data: | Commonwealth War Graves Commission |
Memorial photograph: | Carl Shilleto |
Individual photograph: | Anne Smith, daughter of Trooper SIDNEY COLE. |
Additional photographs provided by: | Anne Smith, daughter of Trooper SIDNEY COLE and Carl Shilleto. |
Additional information provided by: | Anne Smith, daughter of Trooper SIDNEY COLE and Carl Shilleto. |
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