Edward Twells

Edward Twells was called up in December 1942 and went abroad in late September 1943. His front line career, it seems, was short.

He was killed during the highly challenging advance toward the Volturno River in the Campania region north of Naples. Following the chaotic, costly Salerno landings in September, his battalion spent early October forcing their way through heavily defended, terraced mountainous terrain under the command of the British 46th Infantry Division.

On October 9, the 5th Battalion was engaging entrenched German rearguards who were using mortar fire and machine-gun nests along the mountain tracks to slow the Allied push. Private Twells was one of the tragic casualties of this brutal, close-quarters upland fighting.

5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters

2/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters were renamed 5th Bn after 1/5th was captured at Singapore. They were in the Derby on the outbreak of war, and on the 27.4.1940 they landed as a part of the B.E.F. at Cherbourg, with 139 Brigade of the 46th Division. They were evacuated through Dunkirk in May 1940. From June 1940 they were in England reinforcing and training, but in November 1942 they went with 1st Army to Tunisia. In January 1943, due to the loss of the 1/5th in Singapore, they were re-numbered the 5th Battalion. After the defeat of Rommel in North Africa they went to Italy in 1943 and to Greece in 1944, shortly after moving back to Italy. On the 11.5.1945 the Battalion was at Udine (Italy) near the Austrian border. They moved to Judenburg in Austria on the 13.5.1945 and on the 25th of the same month moved to Eberstein on the Austrian/Yougoslav frontier. In March 1946 they were reduced to Cadre strength and returned to the UK.