Geoffrey Peter Burgess – Monmouthshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Private Geoffrey Peter Burgess – Monmouthshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion
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| Geoffrey Peter Burgess |
The 3rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment
formed part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and saw
some of the most intense action in North-West Europe. Landing in Normandy in
June 1944, the battalion fought through the bocage, took part in Operation
Bluecoat, advanced across France and Belgium, and later pushed into the
Netherlands. In early 1945, it was heavily engaged during Operation
Veritable, the fierce battle to clear the Reichswald Forest on
the German border. Fighting in dense woodland, mud, and harsh winter
conditions, the battalion suffered significant casualties—conditions under
which many young soldiers, including Geoffrey, lost their lives.
Operation Veritable, launched on 8th
February 1945, was one of the final major Allied offensives of the war on
the Western Front. Carried out by the First Canadian Army with support from
British divisions such as the 53rd (Welsh), the operation aimed to break
through Germany’s western defences and clear the route to the Rhine. The battle
centred on the dense, mud-choked Reichswald Forest, where the Germans
had deliberately flooded the surrounding lowlands. Allied troops were forced to
fight through deep mud, minefields, fortified villages, and entrenched woodland
positions held by determined German defenders. Casualties were heavy, and visibility
was often limited, leading to brutal close-quarter combat. After weeks of
intense fighting, the Allies succeeded in clearing the forest, paving the way
for the final advance into Germany.
Family Background
Born in 1926, Geoffrey was the son of William
Albert Burgess and Jessie Nixon, who married in 1921.
Service and Records
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| Herald of Wales |
Resting Place
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| Geoffrey Peter Burgess Reichswald Forest War Cemetery credit - findagrave |
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