C.Y.R. graffiti from Dover, UK.

[Phil Eyden]

Cheers Jason, and thank you for trying for me Marc, it's really appreciated.

Jason is spot on - the town George Akerley came from was indeed that in New Brunswick. Since I started this thread back in April, I have found George's nephew (via a social networking site!) and we have been corresponding.

From looking at the casualty list in Robert Tooley's book it seems that George was the very first person to be killed in the Regiment during the invasion of Sicily. I think he was one of the very first batch of volunteers to come to the UK in December 39 and would have spent the next two-and-a-bit years endlessly training. No wonder that when the opportunity finally came for action during the Hardelot raid, three soldiers tried to sneak on to the boats who had not been selected but were caught - they were that keen to get into action!

I've still had no joy at all with the soldier named W. SPRING though, but looking at it again it could be SPRINGER.

This Pathe news reel details the raid. The briefing by Lord Lovat glimpsed at the beginning took place on the parade ground of the very fort I am trying to research:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=22606

Sadly I've no idea if George took part in the raid or was left behind at Dover.

To place all of this into a context, I'm trying to research it as I'm a volunteer member of a local preservation society who try to caretake the old fort at weekends.