| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Lincolnshire Scout Section | Scout Section Commander | 20 Dec 1941 | 24 Dec 1942 |
Rugby School
Oriel College, Oxford
Student
11 Sep 1939 He enlisted in the Army leaving his course at Oriel.
10 Feb 1940 He was commissioned into the Leicestershire Regiment from 165 Officer Cadet Training Unit.
16 Apr 1940 He sailed on HMS Arrow from Rosyth for Norway with 1/5 Leicestershire Regiment, landing at Andalsnes two days later. They travelled south east by rail and March to Lillehammer. He was involved in the fighting there on 22-23 Apr 1940. After this they retreated again, with Second Lieutenant Guy driving a truck all the way back to Andalsnes to embark on HMS Sheffield. They returned back over the North Sea to the Fleet Anchorage at Scapa Flow, before eventually being landed in Scotland on 6 May 1940. They men were granted 10 days leave.
He probably took over the Scout Section on 20 Dec 1941 when Lieutenant Lamb was promoted to become Intelligence Officer. Both men had served in Norway with the Leicesters. He was certainly present by March 1942 when he signed leave requests for Sergeant Hardstaff. The last of these was for leave at Christmas 1942 after which another officer took over this duty. The duration of his posting to Auxiliary Units is reflected in the Army List which records him as Specially Employed in the 1942 Quarterly Lists, but not in 1941 or 1943.
He most likely returned to regimental duties after this, but the details are currently unknown.
26 Jun 1944 Lieutenant Guy was been allocated as a replacement officer and left a Reinforcement Camp on this date to travel to Normandy. He ended up at 101 Reinforcement Camp, living in tents and finding very little to do, but enjoying the unrationed access to butter and cheese, in contrast to Britain.
3 Jul 1944 Posted to 12th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Initially he served as a platoon commander but three weeks later became Intelligence Officer, a role he enjoyed. At this stage of the campaign the paratroopers were holding a section of the line, rotating in and out of front line positions, but seeing little combat. Most of the time was spent in one slit trench or another. During a spell out of the line he visited Bayeux, buying some souvenir copies of the famous tapestry to send home. The original had been removed to Paris by the Germans earlier in the war, so he did not see it. His letters comment on the irritation of mosquitoes and the enjoyment of receiving letters and newspapers from home.
1 Sep 1944 He was transferred to 1st Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment. They were involved in the capture of the port of Le Havre on 12 Sep, capturing many German prisoners. Lieutenant Guy took the opportunity to acquire a Luger pistol, complete with ammunition.
29 Sep 1944 Hugh Guy was killed by machine gun fire during an attack by his company near Turnhout in Belgium.
His date of birth is incorrectly recorded on the memorial.
His nephew transcribed letters written during his active service in Norway and North west Europe. They do not mention Auxiliary Units other than a brief mention of finding a German map printed on the back of an invasion map of Louth in Lincolnshire, which he would have defended.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Memorial at Eastwell, Leicestershire
Melton Mowbray Times 13 Oct 1944