A collection of articles written by Gareth Scanlon with a primary focus on the Italian Campaign 1943-45 and all things related to the 3rd Battalion Welsh Guards | 1st Guards Brigade | 6th Armoured Division (amongst much else!)
Introduction Regular readers of my blog and social media pages will be well aware of the information I have been amassing in support of my book. I now have some 18’000 files relating to 3Bn, these include photographs, maps, documents amidst other bits. Regular readers will also know that I have travelled far and wide … Continue reading 2732483 CSM Francis Tremblett: Providing His Family With More Information
Introduction Those of you who a regular readers of my ramblings will be well aware that my principle focus concerns the men of 3Bn who fought in the campaigns in Tunisia and Italy. To that end, I have narrowly honed in on the period of time that the battalion was overseas between 1943 and 1945. … Continue reading How A Tunic Retells A Story: 2734549 Denis George Sullivan
Introduction Those who follow me here, and on my social media channels, will be well aware of my quest to gather as much information as possible on the brave men who served during the Second World War. To that end, I am extremely grateful for the overwhelming support I have received from several families of … Continue reading Nominal Roll 2Bn Welsh Guards: 27 August 1941
Introduction The outstanding ‘Welsh Guards At War’ by Major Ellis is the de facto reference text for the history of the Welsh Guards during the Second World War. For a book of its size, and of its time, it gives an excellent account of all of the major engagements of all three service battalions. It … Continue reading Remembering the Six: Welsh Guards Officers & The 2nd Hampshires, Tebourba, Tunisia 1942
Introduction Wherever I find anything for sale that’s remotely connected to 3Bn I try and pick it up. This is for several reasons , but principally to be able to photograph or copy the items for inclusion in my database and forthcoming book. As per what a museum does, I feel that the inclusion of … Continue reading 14668329 Sgt Leslie Norman White: Researching Individuals & The Importance of Personal Archives
Thank You! Since my recent post, and the appeal for support on social media, I’m pleased to report that I have been sent several Squad Photographs over the last few days - thank you ever so much to those that have been able to help! Whilst trawling the internet searching for these said Squad Photographs, … Continue reading 14588859 Gdsm. James Woodman: Bringing Multiple Sources Together
Happy New Year ! 2024 was quite a year and I'm very much looking forward to 2025. As Camouflaged Fist was nearing completion, I had already resigned myself to documenting a full account of the Welsh Guards in Italy. To that end I have been working on my forthcoming title that will also be available … Continue reading 2738461 L/Cpl Dewi West: A Story of Sacrifice and Discovery
My family and I recently visited Arezzo primarily to enable me to visit the exact site of a photograph of my one of my great-grandfather taken in the field taken along Route 71, L’Olmo, Arezzo on 16 July 1944. I have so much to post over the coming weeks about our visit, but in the … Continue reading 2nd Lothians & Border Horse, ‘Drawing Fire’, i Ponti, Arezzo, 7 July 1944: Visting the site of the action
Introduction The British 6th Armoured Division was raised in September 1940 by Maj Gen John Crocker. For its divisional sign it chose a clenched mailed gauntlet in white on a square black background - a symbol that was to earn it the name of the 'Mailed Fist Division'. Armoured Divisions were uncommon formations in the … Continue reading 6th Armoured Division ‘Mailed Fist’ Formation Signs: A Collecting Resource
Followers of this blog will likely be aware of the story of the photograph that features on the cover of Camouflaged Fist (if not click here!) containing one of my great grandfathers, Glyn Spowart of 3rd Battalion (Bn) Welsh Guards. I am extremely fortunate to own another fantastic photograph of him in the field that … Continue reading Forensic Analysis of Photographs – a Hunch Solved: My Great Grandfather, 3rd Battalion Welsh Guards, Ferretto, Italy 1944
Camouflaged Fist 