This is by far the most information I have found in a single location so far. It’s a slideshow with information pertaining specifically to the 733rd FA B. It describes itself as a condensed history of the 733rd Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B. Lots of good info in here! Click the little gear symbol and change the ‘Quality’ setting to ‘720p HD’ if you want to be able to read it.
Now that I have the Battalion number, I’m gathering information faster than I can process it. I was hoping I would be able to find a single source of consolidated information about the 733rd, but that doesn’t seem to exist. It was disbanded in 1945 after the war, and I can’t seem to find anyone who has gathered information and shared it. What I’m finding is dozens of little tidbits of information, some of them duplicating the others. Gathering it all is tedious at best, but it is rewarding to finally be able to locate information that I know is related to grandpa Ivo’s time in the war.
My aunt Heather did some digging for me and found my grandpa Ivo’s discharge papers. They state that he enlisted in the 144th in Ventura and spent his time in the war in the 733rd Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B. She also found his dog tags and a 733rd hat that his friend gave him from a reunion that he didn’t attend. I’m sure I’ll be able to find much more information on where he was through the war now that I have this.
The lead singer of Athlete (British band) wrote this song to honor his grandfather who fought with the British Armed Forces during the Battle of Arnhem in 1944. This acoustic performance was recorded where his grandfather lie wounded in Arnhem, Netherlands. I thought it was worth including. The full band version with a reenactment of the event can be found here. Note: The 733rd did not see action in this battle, which was further north than the 733rd ever traveled. During this time (mid-November 1944) the 733rd was about 300 miles due south shelling Metz, France.
Bobbio Owen was just the connection I needed. He didn’t know who I was talking about until I mentioned Colin, the child mentioned in grandpa Ivo’s journal. “Of course I knew them. The middle child, Glyn, was my best friend!” The three children of John & Gwyn Thomas were Neville, Glyn, and Colin. The two youngest had passed away, but Neville is still living! “Neville’s best friend in school was here at this very house just yesterday!”
The family grandpa Ivo stayed with lived on Post Office Lane in Denbigh.
Bobbio said that Neville had become an industrial chemist and a yachtsman, and had left Denbigh years ago. Glyn was an architect and Bobbio knew him well (he also moved away from Denbigh). Colin was a teacher and didn’t stay in Denbigh either. He may have passed away.
J.W. Thomas, the father, was not born in Denbigh. He and his wife Gwyn came from Coedpoeth. They were strong Welch Methodists and were part of the church in Denbigh. John was a ‘gentle, kind man’, and Gwyn was ‘quite the chatter’. John was the manager of a furniture shop. Can’t remember the address but they lived on Post Office Lane in Denbigh.
Bobbio gave me his friend Llewelyn’s phone number so I could talk to him about Neville.
Dr. John Gwyn Thomas wasn’t related to the family grandpa Ivo stayed with, nor did he know who I was talking about. But he was living in Denbigh during WWII and had a few interesting things to say (see below). He did not know a Colin Thomas, the only child mentioned in grandpa Ivo’s journal. I asked if there was a historical society for Denbigh, and it turns out his good friend is in charge of it. His name is Bobbio Owen. It’s late but I’m going to call him anyway.
Dr. Thomas was a young teenager when the American troops landed in Denbigh. He was born in 1929.
Dr. Thomas said that civilians in Denbigh would go to the hill near his house during the war to be ‘observators’. They would take crates of beer to the hill and wait for the German bombers to fly over. The planes were heading to bomb Liverpool. When they heard them, they would contact Liverpool to warn them of the incoming attack. They knew the sounds of the planes so they knew if they were friendly or enemy aircraft.
Note: Apparently ‘John Thomas’ means ‘penis’ in a dirty way in Wales. This is why he always includes his middle name. This guy is quite a character.
The names of the people grandpa Ivo stayed with were John & Gwyn Thomas. I was able to locate a Dr. John Gwyn Thomas, still living in Denbigh. Could this be one of the sons of John & Gwyn Thomas? It is the only Thomas living in Denbigh. I found his phone number and I’m going to Skype him as soon as I can. I even found a book that he wrote, “A Country Doctor’s Diary”, which was written about Denbigh over they years. I ordered it. It will be an interesting read even if he isn’t related.
I’m beyond frustrated with finding which part of the army grandpa Ivo was with, so I’ve started doing some research on Denbigh. This is the village in Wales where grandpa Ivo stayed for final preparations before he went to Normandy. It’s a beautiful little village with just a few thousand residents. He had talked about the family who lived here many times, saying how wonderful they were (this family -the Thomas family – was also mentioned in his journal). I wonder what it was like for him to stay there?
