Robert Lloyd TODD

Source : Philippe Puccini (Ellen Marchese)

Parents : Lloyd Willis & Dorothy j Large TODD 

Sisters : Marion & Phyllis

Source : Dominique Potier

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Blosville N°3508

Map Normandy American Cemetery

Groupe de soldats du 506th au Royaume-Uni avant le D-day.
Robert L. Todd est en haut à gauche

Source : Philippe Puccini

Sergeant Robert Lloyd's son TODD

On June 5, 1944, when Sergeant Robert Todd of Westfield found out he was going to be a father, he could not have known that his life would soon turn into a tragic story.
Stella Sheath had met Todd when he was in England. Todd dated Stella for several months, but she was never aware of Todd's death. She assumed he got cold feet about her pregnancy and dumped her. Their son, David Sheath, was born and raised in London, England. Stella was so heartbroken and bitter about Todd that she never married and had no more children.
David knew nothing about his father until his mother died in 2002. She left a letter telling him that his father was Sergeant Robert Todd of Westfield N.Y.

David contacted the War Office and discovered that his father had died on D-Day only months before he was born. However, he could not find any Todds at Westfield. Ten years later, he contacts the Westfield historian who directs David to the Lancasters.
Bonnie Lancaster is Todd's niece; she and her husband Richard Lancaster met David in 2012, when he spent a few weeks in Westfield getting to know his father's side of the family. Bonnie said none of them had the chance to know Todd, and the only person who could have told David about his father was his mother.
“If my mum had known about David, she would have gotten off on a plane that day and gone to England to see him,” she said.

“My mum was absolutely devastated when she learned of her big brother's death. She would have liked to know David”.
"Robert's family has been absolutely devastated by his death," Bonnie said.

"We don't know for certain why his body was not brought back to Westfield."

"There's a cross in Westfield Cemetery with Todd's name on it," Richard said.

“We placed stones and sand there.”

Après une longue période sans savoir qui était son père, David a découvert que son père était un héros dans l’une des plus grandes batailles de l’histoire, et il a maintenant une famille récemment découverte à Westfield.

Westfield Cemetery Westfield, Chautauqua County, NEW YORK

Source : Franklin S Werren

Source : Philippe Puccini

The Riddle of Sergeant Robert Lloyd TODD's number plate

Witnesses say:

Paul DUCHEMIN, 22 ans

“The plane, during its picket in the first pasture, had turned on itself, breaking in two and ejecting the passengers. One thing surprised us enormously, we discovered all the killed in the grass on the other side of the road lined up as if in a row. Only one of them (Robert TODD) was found under the cabin of the plane. All occupants were killed instantly. The unfortunates were, for the most part, charred, but not so disfigured. We then proceeded to the statements of the bodies and the identification of these men. On one of the corpses (Lt HOWARD), we found a sheet on which was recorded the list of paratroopers. There were 21 names on the sheet and we had 22 dead. It was an enigma at the time”.

Cécile DUCHEMIN, 12 ans

“The paratroopers were ejected into the pasture on the other side of the road, and they were lined up as if the bodies had been put away. They were all burnt, except for the feet, and, for all the men, impossible to identify. A soldier's dog tag in the name of Robert TODD was found, and I vividly remember that a body was missing from roll call. Moreover, the American authorities searched for this soldier during the survey of the mass grave where the bodies had been buried. At the time, for us, it was an enigma. This name has remained grave in my memory, because these are events that mark you for a lifetime”.

101^st AIRBORNE DIVISION - SCREAMING EAGLES

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
15 Aug 1942	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  214
	Casualties/Victimes 9 328
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
6 Jun1944 D-Day
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. William C. Lee (Aug 42 - Mar 44) Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Mar 44 - Dec 44) Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe (Dec 44 - Dec 44) Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor (Dec 44 - Sep 45)	Campaigns/Campagnes Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44) Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45) Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45) Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 101st Airborne arrived in England, 15 September 1943, and received additional training in Berkshire and Wiltshire. On 6 June 1944, the Division was dropped into Normandy behind Utah Beach. Against fierce resistance it took Pouppeville, Vierville, and St. Come du Mont. On the 12th, the stronghold of Carentan fell, and after mopping up and maintaining its positions, the Division returned to England, 13 July, for rest and training. On 17 September 1944, taking part in one of the largest of airborne invasions, the 101st landed in Holland, took Vechel and held the Zon bridge. St. Oedenrode and Eindhoven fell after sharp fighting on the 17th and 18th. Opheusden changed hands in a shifting struggle, but the enemy was finally forced to withdraw, 9 October. After extensive patrols, the Division returned to France, 28 November, for further training. On 18 December, it moved to Belgium to stop the German breakthrough. Moving into Bastogne under the acting command of Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, it set up a circular defense and although completely surrounded, refused to surrender on 22 December. Its perimeter held against violent attacks. The 4th Armored Division finally reached the 101st on the 26th and the enemy offensive was blunted. Very heavy fighting continued near Bastogne for the rest of December and January. On 17 January 1945, the Division moved to Drulingen and Pfaffenhoffen in Alsace and engaged in defensive harassing patrols along the Moder River. On 31 January, it crossed the Moder in a three-company raid. After assembling at Mourmelon, France, 26 February 1945, for training, it moved to the Ruhr pocket, 31 March, patrolling and raiding in April and engaging in military government at Rheydt and Munchen-Gladbach. The 101st reached Berchtesgaden by the end of the war and performed occupational duties until inactivation in Germany.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION Le 101st Airborne est arrivé en Angleterre, le 15 septembre 1943, et a reçu une formation supplémentaire dans le Berkshire et le Wiltshire. Le 6 juin 1944, la division est larguée en Normandie derrière Utah Beach. Contre une résistance féroce, il fallut Pouppeville, Vierville et St. Come du Mont. Le 12, le fief de Carentan est tombé, et après avoir nettoyé et maintenu ses positions, la Division est revenue en Angleterre, le 13 juillet, pour se reposer et s'entraîner. Le 17 septembre 1944, participant à l'une des plus grandes invasions aéroportées, la 101st débarque en Hollande, prend Vechel et tient le pont de Zon. St. Oedenrode et Eindhoven sont tombés après des combats acharnés les 17 et 18. Opheusden a changé de mains dans une lutte changeante, mais l'ennemi a finalement été forcé de se retirer, le 9 octobre. Après de longues patrouilles, la Division revint en France le 28 novembre pour suivre une formation complémentaire. Le 18 décembre, il a déménagé en Belgique pour arrêter la percée allemande. Déménagement à Bastogne sous le commandement de Brig. Général Anthony C. McAuliffe, il a mis en place une défense circulaire et bien que complètement encerclé, a refusé de se rendre le 22 décembre. Son périmètre tenu contre les attaques violentes. La 4e division blindée atteignit finalement la 101e le 26 et l'offensive ennemie fut émoussée. De très violents combats ont continué près de Bastogne pour le reste de décembre et janvier. Le 17 janvier 1945, la division s'est déplacée à Drulingen et à Pfaffenhoffen en Alsace et s'est livrée à des patrouilles de harcèlement défensif le long de la rivière Moder. Le 31 janvier, il a traversé le Moder dans un raid de trois compagnies. Après s'être rassemblé à Mourmelon, France, le 26 février 1945, pour s'entraîner, il s'installa dans la poche de la Ruhr, le 31 mars, patrouillant et faisant des raids en avril et s'engageant dans un gouvernement militaire à Rheydt et Munchen-Gladbach. La 101e a atteint Berchtesgaden à la fin de la guerre et a exercé des fonctions professionnelles jusqu'à l'inactivation en Allemagne.