World War II
Records of Soldiers
For details of a soldier's WW2 service, you should write to the address below with the soldier's full name, rank, number and regiment, eg: Thomas Atkins, Private, 4441990, DLI.
Army Personnel Centre
Historic Disclosures
Mail Point 400
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow
G2 8EX
Please Note: The APC will only disclose details on the written authority of the soldier concerned or his legal next of kin.
Medals
To discover what medals were awarded to a soldier, you should write to the address below with the soldier's full name, rank, number and regiment.
Army Medal Office
Building 250
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester
GL3 1EZ
Please Note: WW2 campaign medals (like the Africa Star) were not sent automatically to soldiers after the war. Soldiers had to claim their medals and many did not. Either the soldier concerned or his wife may still claim these medals.
Graves
For details of a soldier's grave or memorial, please write to the address below with full details of name, rank, number & regiment.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
2 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 7DX
or telephone "Records" at the CWGC on: 01628 634221
The DLI Museum's Archive
The DLI Museum's archive has been transferred to
Durham County Record Office, where it is being fully catalogued and made available to researchers. For further deatils, please contact:
Durham County Record Office
County Hall
Aykley Heads
Durham City
0191-3833253
This Archive contains some very useful WW2 records, covering not only the DLI at home and abroad but also the Durham Home Guard, for example:
War Diaries for the 1st, 6th, 8th & 9th Battalions DLI
These War Diaries rarely mention a soldier by name, but are very useful for giving the circumstances of a soldier's death or wounding, plus essential background information for any soldier's career. Note: All DLI WW2 War Diaries are held at the
National Archives (previously known as the Public Records Office), Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.
Photograph Albums
These WW2 albums (eg. for 2, 6, 8, 15, 70 Battalions DLI) are of great value but unfortunately most photographs are unnamed.
Other Records
Other interesting WW2 records include unpublished battalion histories, Regimental Newsletters (including Prisoner of War lists 1940-43), maps, soldier’s papers, etc.
The DLI Museum’s Library
The Museum’s Library is open to researchers, by appointment. As well as all the
books listed below, the following may be of use to you:
- Army Roll of Honour. The DLI. War Office. 1947
This gives limited details of soldiers who died, 1939-45, eg: name, rank, number, place & date of death. A further Roll records the battalion of each soldier who died.
- Medal Rolls
The DLI Museum has a list of (most) bravery awards to the DLI for WW2, from VC to Mentions in Despatches. Copies of the original citations are also held for many of these awards.
If you require any further help,
contact the DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery, but before you do you should try to find in your family, the soldier's documents, pay book, identity discs, photographs, etc. These will often tell you more about a soldier's service during the Second World War than any "official" source.
Book List (1939 - 1945)
- "Faithful. The Story of The Durham Light Infantry". S G P Ward. 1962. Briefly covers all WW2 and all DLI battalions - with maps.
- "The Durham Light Infantry". W Moore. 1975. Briefly covers WW2.
- "The DLI at War". David Rissik. 1952. Good account of all DLI battalions during WW2, with maps, photographs & index.
- "Forgotten No More. 2nd Battalion DLI at Kohima 1944" S D Shannon. 1994. County Durham Books, ISBN 1897585225. Based on War Diary & personal accounts, with sketch maps and photographs. Full Roll of Honour, April - June 1944.
- "The Faithful Sixth. The History of the Sixth Battalion The Durham Light Infantry" Harry Moses. 1995. County Durham Books, ISBN 1897585195. Covers history of 6 DLI 1860 - 1968. WW2 section based on War Diary & written or recorded personal accounts, plus maps, photographs, Roll of Honour, medals, index.
- "8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry. 1939-45" P J Lewis & I R English. 1949. Re-printed 1990, London Stamp Exchange, ISBN 0948130539 as "Into Battle with the Durhams". Based on War Diary and personal accounts. Excellent with maps, photographs, Roll of Honour, medals, index.
- "The Gateshead Gurkhas. The History of the 9th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry 1859 - 1967" Harry Moses. 2001. County Durham Books, ISBN 1897585659. Complete history of 9 DLI. WW2 section based on War Diary & written or recorded personal accounts, plus maps, photographs, Roll of Honour, medals, index.
- "The History of The Sixteenth Battalion The Durham Light Infantry. 1940-1946" L E Stringer. 1946. Re-printed 1991, Vic's Printing, Laytonville, CA, 95454, USA. Based on War Diary. Good with maps, Roll of Honour, lists of officers, medals, index.
- "The Heat of Battle. 16th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry 1943-1945" Peter Hart. 1999. Pen & Sword Books/Leo Cooper, ISBN 0850526906. Excellent history based on recorded interviews with veterans made by the Imperial War Museum, London.
- "The Story of 46 Division. 1939-1945" author not known. 1946. 16 DLI formed part of 46 division. Good with maps, photographs, order of battle, medals.
- "A Short History of the 49th West Riding & Midland Infantry Division" F K Hughes. 1957. 10 & 11 DLI formed part of 49 Division. Good with maps & photographs.
- "The Polar Bears. From Normandy to the relief of Holland with the 49th Division"
- P Delaforce. 1995. Alan Sutton, ISBN 0 7509 1061 5. 10 & 11 DLI formed part of 49 Division. Good with maps & photographs.
- "The Path of the 50th". The Story of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division in the Second World War. 1939-1945. E W Clay. 1950. 6, 8 & 9 DLI formed part of 50 Division. Excellent with maps, photographs, index.
Links
Tracing DLI Soldiers
Tracing DLI Soldiers from
World War 1
