Wounded In 1944-45
L/Sjt J F Hartle
Service No.
3189567
Company:
Researching
Original Regiment joined- (Based on their Service No).
The King's Own Scottish Borderers
Date Wounded:
Wednesday, 25 April 1945
Details of wounds - (Based on War Diary etc.)
Gun shots to right arm
Location (from War Diary)
BREMEN, Germany
John 'Fred' Hartle was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire on the 6th of March 1917 to Thomas and Esther Hartle (nee Holmes).
He married Mary J Butler in April 1943.
He served with 1st KOSB in France in 1939 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He was an NCO in D Company, 9 platoon in Normandy and provided an audio interview to the Imperial War Museum which can be found here
Fred's Diary is kept in the King's Own Scottish Borderor's museum in Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
His medals were awarded in February 1949 and he was back living in Rotherham at that time.
‘One of the lads gets hit in the head, and he gets killed,’ said Fred Hartle. ‘Another gets wounded. Another gets wounded. I’m shouting to (the) PIAT man, “Put a bomb in that building up there,” and as soon as I shouted I was hit myself.
‘I was hit in the right arm and I was losing a lot of blood. I can remember looking down and seeing this gaping-wide hole in me arm, and I started losing consciousness.’
‘Fred got two or three rounds (in his arm),’ said Leslie Gibson. ‘Another chap got one through the side of the head. Two was killed.’
Fred gave an interview in 1990 that is preserved on the Imperial War Museum site here The above quotes were transcribed by author, Geraint Jones.
1st KOSB War Diary for date of wounds
At 0001 hrs the 2/R.U.R. in Buffaloes assaulted KATTENTURM 7293 from the EAST capturing the bridge at 721935 intact, destroying 1 88m.m. gun and taking a number of P.W.
The Bn moved from the fwd Assembly Area at 0715 moving through BRINKUM 7091 and over the bridge at KATTENTURM at 0830 hrs.
The attack was postponed for 15 mins and eventually started at 0915 hrs with "B" Coy left and "D" Coy right from 723943 with the main rd running NORTH EAST as the inter-Coy boundary.
There was no opposition to the two leading Coys and they reached their objectives, D" Coy at 727952 and "B" Coy at 728954 shortly after 1000 hrs.
Then A" Coy right and "C" Coy left passed through and at 1045 hrs had secured their objectives, "A" Coy at 729957 and "C" Coy at 727958.
All Coys had taken P.W. and the total up to 1100 hrs was 1 Offr and 41 O.R.s. all from different units and different arms.
Bn H.Q. was established at 727954.
Patrols at once went out and reached the Barracks 730960 but found no enemy.
A Camp of several thousand Russian P.W. was found at 729956, and several more P.W. were brought in.
At 1200 hrs the 2/LINCS went through to capture the FOCKER-WOLFE aircraft factory and the airfield 7095, which had been subjected to seven hours of heavy arty fire, as well as bombing and rocketting by Typhoons.
At 1800 hrs the Bn was ordered to capture the X rds at 702974 and the area Field SOUTH EAST of it on relief by 2/R.U.R. and 2/K.S.L.I. who were to relieve "A" Coy.
Unfortunately the 2/K.S.L.I. took longer to arrive than we had anticipated and "A" Coy were attacked by some enemy who had crept back into the Barracks.
A fierce battle ensued in which the enemy made three attempts to oust "A" Coy.
Finally the K.S.L.I. arrived and took over by attack through "A" Coy at 2100 hrs.
Meanwhile the Bn had attacked through the 2/LINCS and against dislocated opposition had reached the following posns:-
B" Coy 705975,
"C" Coy 702974,
"D" Coy and Bn H.Q. 707971.
"A" Coy finally arrived at 2200 hrs and took up posns at 705975 round the football field covering the main rds.
"C" Coy sent a patrol to 700978 and reported it clear.
During the night Lt LOGIE was accidentally wounded in the foot.
