While Allied armies were fighting their way across Europe in the Autumn of 1944 a small force of Royal Marines and Army commandos was preparing to land in the Albanian city of
They were not the first British soldiers to fight in Tirana. Following the occupation of
During the course of the Second World War 52 British and Commonwealth servicemen were killed in
Following the end of the war in Europe, an Army Graves Registration Unit entered
The 45 known casualities are:
Lance Serjeant HERBERT AVEYARD, Age 29
Sergeant Major JAMES SIDNEY BAIN, 32 Royal Marines 09/10/1944
The Rev. GARETH BERNARD BANTING, 32 Royal Army Chaplains' Department 10/10/1944
Private ALEXANDER BARR, 29 Highland Light Infantry 29/07/1944
Sergeant GEORGE NEWCOMBE BROOKS, 24 RAF Volunteer Reserve 07/11/1940
Sergeant FRANCIS CECIL RUDOLPH BURLEFINGER, 26 RAF Volunteer Reserve 01/02/1944
Serjeant HAROLD VICTOR BUTTON, 21 Royal Tank Regiment 12/10/1944
Captain ALFRED CARELESS, 31 Royal Armoured Corps 20/10/1943
Private JOHN CASEY, 22 Highland Light Infantry 29/07/1944
Sergeant ERIC BORLASE CHILDS, 22 RAF 15/11/1940
Gunner ALFRED JOHN DOUGLAS CLARKE, 23 Royal Artillery 09/10/1944
Lieutenant JAMES ALBERT COYLE, Unknown Royal Artillery 09/10/1944
Flight Lieutenant RICHARD NIGEL CULLEN, 23 RAF 04/03/1941
Sergeant JAMES LEO DEVINE, 22 RAF Volunteer Reserve 01/02/1944
Flight Lieutenant JOHN GEORGE DOUGLAS, 26 RAF Volunteer Reserve 22/10/1944
Sergeant WILFRED ELLAM, 23 RAF 07/11/1940
Sergeant GEORGE GARDNER, 19 RAF Volunteer Reserve 01/02/1944
Corporal HAROLD GEE, 24 The Loyal Regiment (
Captain WILLIAM JENKIN HILES, Unknown Royal Marines 09/10/1944
Major GORDON EDWARD LAYZELL, 31
Captain MICHAEL STUART MACPHERSON, Unknown Royal Marines 09/10/1944
Serjeant JACK ERNEST MOORES, 37 Royal
Sergeant VICTOR JOHN MORGAN, 24 RAF Volunteer Reserve 07/11/1940
Sergeant DENNIS CHARLES MURRELL, Unknown RAF Volunteer Reserve 16/03/1941
Sergeant STANLEY NEWMAN, Unknown RAF (Auxiliary Air Force) 16/03/1941
Brigadier ARTHUR
Captain GEORGE ALEXANDER PARSONS, 23
Marine RONALD PINCHER, 19 Royal Marines 10/10/1944
Flight Sergeant DENNIS HILTON POTTER, 21 Royal Australian Air Force 01/02/1944
Marine GEORGE STEPHEN PRATT, 22 Royal Marines 09/10/1944
Corporal SIDNEY GEORGE ROBERTS, 29
Signalman DAVID WILLIAM ROCKINGHAM, 21 Royal Corps of Signals 20/10/1943
Marine JAMES VALENTINE SALT, 20 Royal Marines 09/10/1944
Lieutenant ALAN MACDONALD SENNETT, 23 Highland Light Infantry 29/07/1944
Marine WILLIAM JAMES ST. ANGE, 24 Royal Marines 09/10/1944
Flying Officer RONALD EDWIN STANLEY, 21 RAF Volunteer Reserve 01/02/1944
Sergeant JOHN GEORGE STEWART, 24 RAF 15/11/1940
Corporal DONALD STOTT, 23 RAF 15/11/1940
Private NORMAN SWANNEY, 24 Highland Light Infantry 29/07/1944
Flight Sergeant EDWARD DRAKE STEELE TENNANT, 31 Royal Australian Air Force 01/02/1944
Sergeant WILLIAM TUBBERDY, 21 RAF 18/12/1940
Flight Sergeant DESMOND MAURICE TURNER, Unknown RAF Volunteer Reserve 19/03/1944
Warrant Officer PETER VICTOR WADDELL, 25 Royal Australian Air Force 30/03/1944
Captain PETER BECKWITH WHITEHOUSE, 26 Royal Engineers 09/10/1944
Flight Sergeant HAROLD WILLIAMS, 18 RAF Volunteer Reserve 20/10/1943
Comments
Thank you especially for your photographs of the Tirana cemetery.
I have now a favour to ask. Would it be possible to indicate which of the headstones belongs to Revd. Banting? ('Left side, row n, column x' etc.)
If you could, then I know that the family would be grateful. I could let you have my email address if you prefer.
Many thanks.
I know you may not want to broadcast your email on a public forum like this, but you could take out a new free one and publish that. Oncw you get the photographs you could then cancel it.
In the unlikely event that you ever make it to Tirana I would be happy to show you around.
Many thanks. I have followed your suggestion and taken out watsonpww@yahoo.co.uk. I haven't been able to access it yet, but if it's possible then I would like to try that.
I was looking originally for any information concerning the story told in my wife's family concerning Revd. Banting's death. The story is that he was attempting to protect German prisoners who were about to be driven across a minefield by a British Sergeant. This was believed to have happened in North Africa, though my wife's grandfather (Revd Banting's friend) later told her that Italy was where he died. Unable to stop the atrocity, Revd. Banting is said to have insisted on accompanying the prisoners into the minefield, and to have been killed there.
I have always found the story hard to believe, partly because it's not something one would like to think about British troops, but also because an incident like that would be unheard of in North Africa where the war was fought with some chivalry and little hate, or even in Italy. I believe there is one similar alleged incident which is said to have taken place in Norway.
In Albania though: the partisan war in the Balkans was merciless and full of murder and atrocity. The Geneva Convention was not thought of by either side, it seems. Could Revd Banting have been trying to prevent an atrocity by Hoxha's partisans against the hated Germans, or by British Commandos unable to take prisoners somewhere up in the mountains? Some such incident seems much more possible.
The question also must be, what was the chaplain doing in action with Commandos in Albania?
At least now Gareth Banting's resting place is established. My wife's grandfather sadly died in 2004, but his widow would I know be happy to hear your news.
Sadly I think you're right, I'm unlikey to visit Albania, and though old Dr. Young travelled extensively in Eatern Europe (he was a musician and acedemic) I have never heard that he visited Albania.
Thank you again for all your help.
He was born 16-9-1921 and educated at Harrow. His grandfather was Sir Richard Christopher Sennett, who was Sheriff of London 1923-24.
Miguel de AvendaƱo
mdeavendano@rielcano.org