7th Anti Tank Regiment RCA

Hi all

New to the forums. My father served with the 7th Anti Tank Regiment RCA as part of the 1st Canadian Div. Went over to England in '41 and then to Italy as part of the Central Med Force in '43. Unit transferred to Allied Army's Italy sometime in late '44. My sister has a picture of him in Holland in '44 standing on some expended artillery shells. Looking for any information on the Regiment and it's activities. Presently awaiting the Regimental War Diaries from the Archives and I have his personnel record.

 

Saskatoon 7th Anti's -
welcome to the forum from further West in B.C.
The 7th Antis did indeed travel to Sicily in July '43 and then on into Italy until just after Ortona when the 5th Armoured finally decided to join in the fray - this made it possible for the creation of the 1st Canadian CORPS which included 1st Cdn Inf. Div . 1st Cdn Armoured div and now the 5th Armoured div.

The 7th Anti - tank regiment was then incorporated in CORPS troops and supported each of the other units as required on the OK from the Corps Commander -Lt.Gen. Tommy Burns.With their Priest Howitzers and 17 pounders etc- the 17 pounders were lost in the Liri Valley - couldn't find them anywhere the man said ....they were alongside the burned out wrecks of 142nd RAC's Churchill tanks of 25th tank bde ...

At that time the Allied forces came under the title of 15th Army Group - now the history of that title is interesting - at least to some - inasmuch as when the 1st British Army joined with 8th Army for the final push to Tunis et al - they were entitled 18th Army Group 1 & 8 = 18th...rocket science stuff ..similarly when invading Sicily with 7th US and 8th British = 15.....then Italy with 5th US and 8Th =
OOPs - OMGawd that's 13 - can't have that so revert to 15th Army group - but some nit picker decided that was wrong and so the WHOLE of both armies were called ALLIED ARMIES ITALY and thus it was until the 1st Canadian Corps decided they had enough Vino and moved to the Beer swilling area in Belgium.

They then met up with the 2nd Canadian Corps of 2nd inf.-3rd inf and 4th Armoured Divs which then made up the 1st Canadian Army ....and they all lived happily ever after....
Cheers

 

Hi all

New to the forums. My father served with the 7th Anti Tank Regiment RCA as part of the 1st Canadian Div. Went over to England in '41 and then to Italy as part of the Central Med Force in '43. Unit transferred to Allied Army's Italy sometime in late '44. My sister has a picture of him in Holland in '44 standing on some expended artillery shells. Looking for any information on the Regiment and it's activities. Presently awaiting the Regimental War Diaries from the Archives and I have his personnel record.

7thAnti Tank

Saw your original post on MLU and welcome to the ww2talk forum.
Please feel free to post your father's name and service number. It may lead to more info.

Cheers from Toronto
Randy

PS, Tom Canning was in the Italian Campaign

 

Welcome from the Netherlands, feel free to check my site

 

7th Anti's
small correction -for the 1st Armoured Div - read 1st Armoured BRIGADE
Cheers

 

Thanks for all of the information gentlemen.

Philip thanks for your website. I visited the Netherlands last year for the 65th Anniversary of the Liberation. It was a great experience. So much so that I'm going back next year to see the sites I missed. I hadn't done much research on my fathers regiment and now I'll have something when I go back.

 

New to this forum. I recently inhereted my grandfather's war memorabilia. He was with the 7th and was also with the 104th. I have some great photos of the 104th and all their names and numbers. I also have all his insignia and decorations. If I get the opportunity to post pics here, I will. I am looking to find out more about what my grandfather did as he never talked about his experiences, other than that he was twice buried alive. My user name here is his service #.
Cheers!

 

I have been working with my father for the last two years compiling his experiences during WWII. Lt. J.W.(Bill) Birnie - 7 Cdn A.Tk. , Regt. ,RCA
7th Anti Tank, 15 Bty, A troop commander. Have all war diaries from 1942 - 1946 for the 7th Atk. Maps (very difficult to get). Have a short history of the 7th.
After Field training in England, my father joined 7th in Avelino. Hitler and Gustav Lines, Casino breakthrough, up the Liri Valley to Rome. Across Italy to the Gothic line - Rimini airport, crossing of the Moro River and finally to Ravenna.
1st corps to NW Europe at Nijmegen during winter of 43/44. To Arnhem in spring of 44. then to the Ardene Breakout.
Have a DVD of the Italian campagn with footage of the Liri Valley (Cassino) battles.
Currently retrieving Canadian Press Service - The Maple Leaf - tabloid ran during WWII.
Desperately looking for the location of an area in Italy (heavy action by the 7th) that was referred to as "The Brick Yard".
Love to contact anyone with info about the 7th!!!!!!!!!

 

Hello Paul,

Do the War Diaries list any vehicle types, WD serial numbers or names used on the regiments vehicles?

Cheers
Kevin

 

7thAntiTankRCA and Paul B, welcome to the forum!

I think you guys and G5074 probably have enough information between you to make a great thread about the 7th. I look forward to you posting on this subject in future...

Paul - Tom Canning, who posted above, is a veteran of the Italian Campaign and will probably be able to help you vis a vis 'The Brick Yard' query. If he does not spot your query, I'm sure he would not mind a PM (personal message) from you.

Best,

Steve.

 

The diaries are written by the commanding officer and quite often descibe the equipment that was in use for a particular day or operation. There is also descriptions of equipment committed to a particular plan or action. eg. I happen to have this in front of me and he describes setting a bridgehead over Ijssel River and splitting the amour into 2groups, consisting of 2 Flails, 3 Avres and 2 M 10's

 

Some officers of 104 Bty as of Feb 8, 1943 - Major Kennedy, Major S.B.Smith, Capt. McLean, Capt. W.G.Cameron, Lt M.E. Fairweather, Lt. R. Craig, Lt. R.M. MacGibbon, Lt. T.K. Stephens, Lt D.A. Wolstenholme, Lt. Stead, Lt. G.C. MacKay, Lt. H.M. Sobey, Lt. J.D. Doherty

 

Paul
just got back from Vancouver and noted your thread - and find one of two little corrections should be made to your posting #8 - e.g.-

The "Brick Yard" your refe to is probably the battle of Termoli - before the Cdns went in over the Moro River as their artillery was probably called for to assist 78th and 8th Indian Divs in that battle - then came Ortona - Campobasso then the Gustav and Hitler lines....and Liri Valley..21st and 25th British Tank bdes joined 1st div at Lucera north of Foggia after Ortona

1st Cdn corps left Italy between Jan / Feb 1945 -to Belgium and thus Ahrnem in the spring of 1945- 1st Cdn Div landed on Sicily on July 10th 1943 and left on Jan/Feb 1945 for Belgium along with the rest of 1st Cdn Corps to join up with 2nd Inf. Div - 3rd Inf. Div - 4th Armoured Div and 2nd Armoured bde of 2nd Corps to make up 1st Cdn Army
Cheers

 

The diaries are written by the commanding officer and quite often descibe the equipment that was in use for a particular day or operation. There is also descriptions of equipment committed to a particular plan or action. eg. I happen to have this in front of me and he describes setting a bridgehead over Ijssel River and splitting the amour into 2groups, consisting of 2 Flails, 3 Avres and 2 M 10's

Do any of the diaries go on to list any names or WD serial numbers?
I have a short list of numbers for 11 Crusader Gun Tractors and would be interested to add to it in any way.

Cheers
kevin

 

Do any of the diaries go on to list any names or WD serial numbers?
I have a short list of numbers for 11 Crusader Gun Tractors and would be interested to add to it in any way.

Cheers
kevin
Sorry, I don`t see any specific serial numbers

 

Sorry, I don`t see any specific serial numbers

That is a shame.
Unfortunately I don't have an actual date for these so if anyone can add anything it would be appreciated.
Crusader Gun Tractors
T123878, T124942, T125001, T125253, T125712, T125757, T126627, T126645, T126647, T126650 and T128235

This may be of interest to some.

Cheers
Kevin

 

The brickworks were on the road from Termoli to San Giacomo at the intersection where the road north bears off. Units of the 7th were there until overrun by PzIVs from 16th Panzer Div.

 

He was with the 7th and was also with the 104th. #.
Cheers!


I am new to this forum now as well.

G5074, Your grandfather probably belonged to the 104th AT Battery of the 7th AT Regiment. Here is a breakdown of the 7th Anti-Tank Regiment:
15th AT Battery
104th AT Battery
111th AT Battery
113th AT Battery

All, I am also looking for any information regarding 7th AT Regiment. In particular the units use of the Archer. I have a copy of a photo of an Archer that took part in Cesena area from 7th AT Reg. I would greatly appreciate any information members may have. I like to put some history to the models I build and so far I have not been able to find much on 7th AT Regiment.

Here is one of the photos I have:

 

I just came across a six pages of 8.5 x14 single typed that was copied written by someone who did not sign it dated 20th June 1945 about the history of the 104th Battery. I have been always interested in the war activities it sort of renewed my interest. My father did not talk about the war and as a result I did not know that much except that he was wounded in Belgium.
I thought it would be neat to type this information into my computer ----that is how I discovered this web site. I must say it has been extremely helpful to me.
I am trying to fill in the blanks and I do have pictures that I can eventually share.