Peter Granville Whateley Smith New

Major Peter Granville Whateley Smith who served in the 94th (Dorset & Hants) Field Regiment R.A.

The 94th field artillery was part of the 43rd Wessex division for the duration of the war and fought in most of the major allied campaigns across western Europe. Landing in Normandy on the 24th June 1944 P.G Whateley Smith fought in the Normandy campaigns such as Operation Epsom, battle of Caen and Hill 112 fighting elements of 9th SS panzer division. The 94th fought with XXX corps and crossed the seine river and advanced into Belgium and took part in operation market garden, the 94th fought at Grave and was part of the advance to Nijmegen to connect with the 82nd airborne.

The 94th took part in the Rhine crossing and advanced into Germany where it took part in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. P.G Whateley Smith wrote the history of the 94th field regiments action during the Second World War. The book is titled The 94th (Dorset & Hants) Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 1939-45 published 1948. Peter married Dorothy Aitken a senior commander in the ATS during the Second World War, both Peter and Dorothy were school teachers post war. Peter was the brother of Major Anthony Whateley Smith who served in the 2nd Special Air Service Regiment and was executed as a result of the failure of operation Loyton.

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