RootsChat.Com

He was James George, born c1845.

Thanks for that Mike. 

I have in fact already printed and read the booklet produced by the MOD, that is where I found out most of my information and especially about Op VITALITY II. It is a good source for the outline and brief history and account of the battle as a whole but the detail for that actual Op is still quite sketchy and I was hoping someone may know of a fuller, more detailed account (articles, personal stories, book, etc) of the British involvement, and that Op in particular, that I could read.

Ian

I am trying to find out about my First Cousin Once Removed.  Sadly he was killed on 30 Oct 1944 and is buried in the Bergen-Op-Zoom Commonwealth War Cemetery in the Netherlands.  He was a Private in the 7th Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at the time of his death.

From deduction (location, date, Regt) I think that he was most likely killed during Operation Vitality II, a part of the Battle of the Scheldt.  From what I have gleaned so far the 51st (Lowland) Division was attached to the Canadian forces to secure the Scheldt Estuary and clear a sea supply line into Antwerp.  Around 30 Oct, the day he died, the British and Canadian forces were meeting up around the town of Goes.

But, that is all the information I have, quite sketchy      Does anyone have a decent account, source of information, etc, about either the 51st (Lowland) Division involvement during this period or about the Op/Battle itself?  Trying to get a better understanding of what he was involved in and, if possible, the likely location and cause of his death.

Thanks

Ian

Thank you Christopher.

Unfortunately the only information I have is that in the Census returns for 1841 (and later) Alexander, Ann, John and Alexander (Jnr) are all listed as being born in simply "Ireland".  From the marriage records of John I narrowed Ireland down to Co. Antrim and discovered the maiden name for his mother, Ann, to be McIlroy.

I am afraid that that is the extent of my knowledge on the family before they moved to Scotland sometime between 1830 and 1833.  I know nothing of any possible relations left behind in Ireland, no details of parents or siblings for Alexander or Ann and nothing about exactly where they lived.  This is what I am trying to discover.  I was shocked to discover that my immediate family line came from Ireland (I thought we were routed firmly in the Muir lands of SW Scotland) and would love to know more.

Ian