In September 1939 Bob was working as a carpenter's mate for a Public Works Contractor in Wiltshire. After the war, Bob Burgin returned to Dorset, moving to Langton Herring in 1946. During his time in Dorset he had met a young woman he was keen to return to. In 1949 he married Iris May Welham, the widow of Aircraftsman First Class Leslie William Welham, who had died in a lorry accident in 1941. Her father was Simon Peach, Patrol Member in the Langton Herring Patrol.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Dorset Scout Section | Scout Section Corporal | Unknown | unknown |
| Operation Haggard | SAS combatant | 14 Aug 1944 | 09 Sep 1944 |
| Operations Archway & Howard | SAS combatant | 06 Apr 1945 | 09 May 1945 |
| Operations Archway & Howard | SAS combatant | 06 Apr 1945 | 09 May 1945 |
Carpenter's mate
He joined the Scout Section on 8 Aug 1941 from the depot at Devizes. His record says he was posted to Puddletown at this time.
On 1 Apr 1942 he was promoted Lance Corporal. From 10 May to 29 Jun 1942 he was attached to 115 Brigade for pay and rations. He was then attached to 140 Regiment, Royal Artillery until 29 Aug 1942. Being attached to the 5th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Ingantry on 31 Aug 1942, his location was given as Bridport. He was granted leave for Christmas (24-27 Dec 1942).
He was promoted to Corporal on 1 Jan 1943, being attached to 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers at the same time. From 9 Mar to 31 Mar he was attached to 114 Infantry Brigade for pay, rations and discipline.
He trained Patrols across Dorset. When he visited the Dorset Soldier pub in Corfe Mullen after the war, he was able to name the members of the local Patrol when he found their photo was on his place mat. (Sadly the pub no longer has these). He taught explosives. He recalled that they had been billeted at Lytchett House, Lytchett Matravers for a period.
In January 1944, along with most of this Scout Section he joined the B Squadron 1st Special Air Service Regiment after being requested to attend a recruitment event in London for former Auxiliers.
He was parachuted into France after D Day, on 18 Aug 1944, saying, “We lived in forests and only came out at night when we would plan and execute the blowing up of bridges or blocking roads to hamper the enemy”. He remained in Europe until 6 Mar 1945.
He returned to Europe on 6 April 1945. On 11 Apr 1945 he was reported missing, believed prisoner of war along with Sergeant Youngman, and troopers Beckford, Eden, Stoneham and Merryweather. This was during Operation Howard. They were marched 200 miles to a prisoner of war camp. Shortly after he was reported no longer missing or a prisoner. Despite his capture, he would still say in later years of his Army service, “They were the best years of my life”. He returned from Europe on 9 May 1945, the day after VE Day.
He flew to Norway on 15 May 1945 as part of Operation Apostle, to help disarm German troops. He returned early from the deployment to travel to Ostende on 14 Jul 2945, remaining in Europe until 5 Aug. around this time several groups of SAS men returned to France to visit areas of France they had operated in, to thank their French helpers.
He left the Army on 15 Jan 1946.
After the war he remained friendly with Stoneham and Blackwell in particular.
He was interviewed for the Dorset Echo, being photographed near Hardy's Monument for the article in 1981. Landowner H.O Duke had been having his land cleared of possible explosives by an Army team, following wartime training, when they found underground structures. Bob contacted the paper to explain about Auxiliary Units.
SAS War Diary
P&T Williams
Rob Burgin
Ancestry.co.uk
1939 register
Dorset Echo 8 Aug 1988, 23 Aug 1988, 5 May 1995
WW2 Medal Card