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15-12-2008
Sir you
sent a message to RUR Museum on 14 Dec My Father was
Brigadier GHL Mole DSO MC who is buried at Brunssum. I have
visited your splendid cemetery in about 1961, but regretably
not since. I do know that you care very well for the place
and we are deeply grateful My son in law visited about 4
years ago. My wife and I plan to come to Brunssum in 2009
and I will let you know dates when fixed Many Thanks .Please
keep in touch Major John Mole
Good Morning, Some information:
MOLE, GERARD HERBERT LEO
13782
SAME GEOGRAPHY??:
Op weg naar het Ruhrgebied
(The Ruhr)is bij de (Nederlandse) Roer hevig gevochten
Een trilogie Dr. R.J.A.
Janssens [2007], Stichting voor Sociaal Psychoanalytisch
Onderzoek en Onderwijs, Tarwekamp 102, 2592 Den Haag
• +31(0)70.3855756
ISBN 978-90-812092-2-9, NUR
680
Bestellen door overmaken van
EUR 17,50, op Postbank rekening 1305478 met vermelding van
naam en adres. To order pay EUR 17,50 and mention name and
address to BIC: PTSBNL21, IBAN; NL 58 PSTB 0001 3054 78, KvK
41157637:
ENGLISH: Please note that this
writer RGT Nelson does not speak Dutch and Dr. R. J. A.
Janssens is a friend of his family in N. Ireland. (RGTN)
Name: MOLE, GERARD HERBERT
LEO, Initials: G H L, Nationality: United Kingdom, Rank:
Brigadier, Regiment/Service: General Staff, Unit Text: Cdg.
129th Inf. Bde., Secondary Regiment: Royal Ulster Rifles,
Secondary Unit Text: and, Age: 47, Date of Death:
14/11/1944, Service No: 13782, Awards: D S O and Bar, M C,
Additional information: Son of Philip and Annie Kathleen
Mole; husband of Claire Marie Mole, of Worth, Kent.,
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial
Reference: II. 82., Cemetery: BRUNSSUM WAR CEMETERY
RURM NOTE: D S O and Bar can
also appear as DSO*
Royal
Ulster Rifles Museum File M134 Death of Brigadier Mole,
FROM; “A Soldier’s Story” by Brigadier J. O. E. Vandeleur
DSO (1967) page 109
CHAPTER XI
Brigade Commander
Headquarters 129 Brigade were
situated at a Customs House on the Dutch/German border just
short of Geilenkirchen. The Brigade Commander, BRIGADIER
MOLE, had been killed the previous evening when a lorry-load
of mines had exploded just outside the headquarters. Mines
were scattered all over the place, some of them hanging up
in the trees. Brigadier Mole, late Royal Ulster Rifles, was
buried that morning, the firing party consisting of a
battery of medium guns who fired a salvo at the Germans over
his grave. He had earned the reputation of being a
first-class Brigade Commander
The Divisional Commander of
the 43rd Division was General Ivo Thomas, now Sir Ivo. He
was a very forceful character and taught me a great deal
during the time I was under his command. He was an
extremely ingenious man and thought out clever expedients to
deal with every situation
The other brigadiers in the
division were Brigadier Essame, now Major-General, and
Brigadier Goad, who later commanded the Commonwealth
Division in Korea. The
g.i. was Tiger
Urquhart, who later became Commandant of Sandhurst. The
C.R.E. was Honker Henniker, a most exceptional officer, and
as brave as a lion
My battalions were the 4th
Somerset Light Infantry, commanded by Colonel Lipscomb, now
Major-General; the 4th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, Colonel
Luce; 5th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, Colonel Kendrick,
who had lost part of a hand in Normandy. I was given one
priceless gift in Colonel Michael Concanon, who was the
finest gunner I have ever come across. I have always taken
a very great interest in artillery work and am a severe
critic. Michael's regiment shot to perfection. My Brigade
Major was Bob Levitt of the North Staffordshire Regiment,
and my Intelligence Officer, John Isaac of the Green Howards
Upon our right flank were the
Americans
The division had just captured
Geilenkirchen. I remember Colonel Roberts of the Duke …
[ENDS]
I regret that there is no good
photograph
Yours sincerely, Terence Nelson BA, Museum
Attendant
Royal Ulster Rifles Regimental Museum, 5
Waring Street,
Belfast, Northern Ireland. BT1 2EW
Telephone: +44 (0) 28 9023 2086
http://www.geocities.com/rurmuseum/
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