SEEKING BOOK - 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers 1939-1945

q98 · Post by **q98** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:46 am

As my local library does not hold a copy of the book "6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1939-46", printed by T.M. Gemmell and Sons. Ltd, 100 High Street, Ayr, I seek an individual who holds or can access a copy on my behalf.

Specifically, I am interested in an action at Derlyck, Belgium on the night of 7-8 September 1944 which resulted in the award of a Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) to a relative.

Regards and thanks

Post by **AndrewP** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:39 pm

Hi Jim,

Is your local library able to request the book from another library, by an inter-library loan?

All the best,

AndrewP

q98 · Post by **q98** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:03 pm

Hi AndrewP

No, they had no listing for the book. We are talking about Australia.

Bob C · Post by **Bob C** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:21 pm

Jim,

Have a look here:

http://tinyurl.com/3b3dya

Bob C

q98 · Post by **q98** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:21 pm

The Regimental Museum has advised it is a very rare book and normally changes hands for 50 - 100 pounds Sterling. As I am interested in only one action at Derlyck, Belgium on the night of 7-8 September 1944, I would prefer to not purchase the complete book.

Thanks and regards.

Bob C · Post by **Bob C** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:28 pm

Jim,

I have done a key word search of the electronic version using Derlyck and Derlyck, Belgium and neither shows results as a key word in the book.

Do you know of any other possible key words that can be used to search?

Regards,

Bob C

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:48 am

Hello Jim,

If you haven’t seen this story you’ll get a kick out of it. (unless that’s your relative the young fellow is talking about)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stor ... 2992.shtml

That’s for a John Murray and if you put Murray into Bob’s keyword search it brings him up on a list of DCM awardees of which you can also see Rees. If you search for Rees it brings up snippets of his personal achievements.

But you’ll only get the snippet view of that particular book because it’s still under copyright so you need to have luck on your side.

If the book has been OCR’d there may have been a problem with the interpretation of the place name by the OCR program but this is less likely for a modern book.

Alan

LATER

If you don't get anywhere with this it might be worth having a look at the London Times from say 1st September 1944 with a search for Belgium. I tried Derlyck and nothing came up - could there be an alternative spelling?

There could be a delay etc in reporting the battle because of censorship etc. If you don’t have Times access go to http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/c ... qtype=GALE join the library and follow your nose. If you get stuck post back.

Alan

q98 · Post by **q98** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:26 am

Hi Currie
Aye, that's him - the young fellow and I share a common ancestor; closer to him than to me though. John Murray's grandfather and my great-grandfather were brothers; Michael and Patrick. From NA, I obtained a scan of the original commendation made in the field and, along with anything else of relevance I can locate, would like to offer it to the family. The commendation makes fascinating reading and confirms everything the young fellow says.
What grabs me, is the fact that the commendation was written-up within five weeks of the action and is signed by no less than three Lt. Col., one Bridagier, one Major General and "Monty" himself - "B.L. Montgomery, C-in-C, 21 Army Group". What fascinating piece of history!

TalkingScot.com