One of our readers is appealing for family history information about a Manx soldier who was killed in action in Italy on January 21, 1944, at Monte Cassino during the Second World War.

Richard Radcliffe, who lives in Ramsey, had been looking through the wartime photo negatives of his father, William (Bill) Radcliffe, who served in the Scots Guards of the 8th Army, when he discovered the above picture of Manxman John Corris’s grave in Italy.

He is buried in Minturno War Cemetery, a few miles from Monte Cassino, and his army service number was 2699330.

John Corris was the son of John C and Elizabeth Corris of Ballacallin and he also had a brother named Caesar who at the time of his death was also serving in the army.

The letter from his commanding officer to his mother contains the following:

’The place where he and two others were, received a direct hit from a shell.

’Another officer and I dug out your son. He was still alive and very brave about it, though badly hit.

’He died 15 minutes later and was buried by our padre alongside two other guardsmen. He was tremendously respected by everyone in the company as a first class soldier, one of the very best and most reliable guardsmen.

’He held the most responsible job of company runner and I always felt that there was nothing to worry about whilst he was there.

’It was a most unlucky shell that got him, but of course that sort of thing is liable to happen to any of us at any moment.’

Mr Radcliffe’s father fought in the battles of El Alamein and Anzio, and he presumes that the two men would have served together. That is why he took a picture of the grave.

Mr Radcliffe is hoping that living relatives of John Corris can be located to identify him among his father’s wartime photographs. Anyone with information on John Corris can email: