RAWLINGS, Reginald Hugh


No.5836852, Private, Reginald Hugh RAWLINGS
Aged 26


8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Killed in Action on 17th July 1943


Reginald Hugh Rawlings was born on 12th June 1917 (3rd qtr 1917 Bury St.Edmunds 4a:1331) son of Percy and Ada RAWLINGS(née WALLACE)

In the 1939 register he was a bricklayer, living at Bury Road, Barrow with his father [1-5-1891] a builder; mother [27-7-1887] and brother Guy [28-8-1923] a carpenter. There is one closed record.

He maried Lydia (Lily) Frazar WILLS in 1940. Their daughter Jean Pamela was born 5th April 1941 - died December 2005.



The battalion was in action in Sicily, at Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River, against crack German Parachutists and lost a great number of men, so many that soon after the 8th and 6th battalions were merged to form a composite battalion. the three DLI battalion lost over 500 killed, wounded or missing during this battle




photo CWGC
Initially buried in an isolated grave (no access to the map), he was re-interred on 14th November 1943

Reginald Rawlings is buried in Catania War Cemetery, Sicily 3:B:3
also commemorated on a stone in Horringer (St.Leonard's) Churchyard.

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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