No.5834741, Lance Corporal, Donald PALMER
Aged 29
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Donald Palmer was born 28th January 1914 in Fordham (NewmarketQ1-1914 3B:835), son of George and Lillie PALMER (née ROWE), of Fordham, father a grocer's assistant. He was at Soham Grammar School from 1925 to 1930. In the 1939 register the family were at "Corner Shop", Market Street, Fordham. Donald was assisting his father, George [15-1-1887] a general shop keeper; his mother Lillie [5-11-1887].Also there was Winifred Frances VALENTINE [12-1-1906] married, and her daughter Katherine VALENTINE [9-8-1938]. He married Ivy Florence FLEET (Cambridge Q4-1939 3B:2069) |
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142nd (Suffolk) Regiment RAC was formed on 22 November 1941, by the conversion to the armoured role of 7th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, a war-raised
infantry battalion. In common with other infantry units transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps, all personnel would have continued to wear their Suffolk cap
badge on the black beret of the RAC. The establishment of a tank regiment being smaller than that of an infantry battalion, there were 161 men surplus to
establishment who were transferred to other units, including 53 and 59 Battalions Reconnaissance Corps, the remainder going to 30 Battalion Queen's Own Royal
West Kent Regiment.
On the 1st February 1943, the 142 Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (Churchill tanks) landed at Algiers as part of 1st Army. Seven of the unit were killed that day, all are named on the Medjez-el-Bab Memorial
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Fordham war memorial click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
