Newbie - help required

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by MG31, Jul 26, 2016.

  1. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Hello

    I am new to the Forum having just recently received my grandfather's and my husband's father's WW2 records.

    We knew my husband's grandfather was evacuated from Dunkirk and the records provide confirmation of this including date, however I have noted with interest that his records also state he embarked for NWE on 3/6/1944; was promoted to Lance Corporal 7/6/1944 and admitted to hospital 25/8/1944; returning to hospital in UK - Woolston House - on 31/8/1944.

    I'm assuming this indicates that he took part in the Normandy Landings, being the major NWE campaign at this time. The question I have is which unit he served with? The records show the Unit as 2Mx. (Previous entries mention 26 MGTC - Machine Gun Training Corp). Is this an abbreviation for the same unit, a part thereof or something else.

    Thank you in advance for any help.
     
  2. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Hi and welcome to the forum MG31 good luck with your research


    David
     
  3. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Thank you very much David.
     
  4. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Hope you do not mind me asking, would be possible for you to post his records on here to help with your question. I fully understand if you do not wish to.


    David
     
  5. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Of course. I will not be able to do so until later this evening but great idea - I could easily have mis-read the handwriting. Thank you

    Mandy
     
  6. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello Mandy and welcome to the forum.

    Lesley
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Until forum software change is complete members cant add images. Please use photobucket, flickr or similar cheers
     
  8. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Thanks everyone. I figured it out, 2Mx is 2nd Middlesex who saw action in both Dunkirk Evacuatuons and Normandy Landings. Thank you
     
  9. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Well done you.



    David
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I think MGTC is Machine Gun Training Centre.

    What date did he arrive and leave France in 1940?
     
  11. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Hi Drew5233

    Yes MGTC is the Machine Gun Training Centre in Chester. He was discharged from 26MGTC (which was due to 24 MGTC splitting in two forming the new 26 MGTC which was manned by men form the Middlesex Regiment).

    He went out with BEF in Sep 1939 and was evacuated from Dunkirk 4th June 1940. He embarked for NWE on 3rd June 1944 and was injured on 25th August 1944 in France before returning to hospital in UK on 31st August 1944 where he stayed until January 1945.

    Thanks for your interest.

    Mandy
     
  12. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Mandy,

    Just in case you didn't already know, the 2nd Bn Middlesex Regiment were the Machine Gun Battalion/Divisional Troops of the British 3rd Infantry Division. If you follow this Division's journey through WWII you will likely get a good feel for what your husband's grandfather was doing and when.

    His service between 5 June 1940 and 3 June 1944 would have been 'Home' service, meaning in the UK, if he had remained with the 2nd Bn Middlesex Regiment throughout. As you know, his posting to the MGTC was a 'Home' posting also.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  13. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Thanks very much Steve, I wasn't actually aware that the 2nd Middlesex were the Machine Gun Battalion - thank you for that info.

    I had noticed that he was UK based with the regiment after his return from Dunkirk - but all of us younger generation, whilst aware of his participation in the start of the war with the BEF and the Dunkirk evacuation, wrongly believed after Dunkirk he stayed at home, until yesterday when I spotted the entries for June 1944 onwards.
     
  14. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    *
    Glad to be of help, Mandy.

    Have a look at this thread and the link in post no. 2 therein: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/21656-machine-gun-battalion-headache/
    It will give you some background.

    My interest is in the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, which was also evacuated out of Dunkirk/Bray Dunes and was also an assault Division (but on Gold Beach) on D-Day 6 June 1944. It's MG battalion was the 2nd Bn Cheshire Regiment.

    A veteran of 50 Div who was with them in Belgium/France 1940, Western Desert 1941 to 1943, Sicily 1943, D-Day and NW Europe 1944, remarked on these boards that the 2nd Bn Cheshire Regiment were "mad buggers". I believe he said this with an admiring smile on his face. I wonder if the same was true of the 2nd Middlesex Regiment?!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  15. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Ha ha - I wonder! Full of cheeky East End hard-working lads like my husband's Granddad no doubt so they may well have made similar comments. Before the war Grandad - Jim Wood - played football for the regiment too.

    Will definitely check that out. Thanks again
     
  16. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    MG31, last paragraph of page 57. Chapter IV 2nd Battalion, 1939-1945. THE MIDDLESEX REGIMENT (DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE'S OWN) 1919-1952. Written by
    LT- Commander P. K. Kemp. F.R.HIST.' R.N. ( ret.)

    A small advance party under Major J.G.E.. Reid left Gosport on the 21st September for Southampton. The road party, consisting of 5 officers,193 other ranks, 126 vehicles, and 41 motor-cycles, under Lt G. O. Porter, followed on the 28th, while the train party of 21 officers and 549 other ranks, under the command of the Commanding Officer, left a day later. On arrival at Southampton, the Battalion embarked in the S.S. Maid of Orleans and sailed that evening. On the last day of the month it landed in France at Cherbourg, leaving by train the same day for a assembly area near Laval (Mayenne), with Battalion Headquarters, H.Q., "C" and
    "D" Companies at Soulge-le-Bruant, and "A" and "B" Companies at Louvigne. Platoons were mostly billeted in farms in the neighbourhood.

    When forum software change is completed, I'll post the map.. FRANCE AND BELGIUM 1940.

    Also in the book, is a three page foreword By Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks K.C.B., K.B.E, D.S.O., M.C. He speaks highly of the six battalions that were all Divisional Machine gun Battalions. Please feel free to PM me, if you would like some more info?

    Regards
    Stu. I hate pressing a key at a time! :( PS. Welcome by the way(Edit)..
     
    MG31 and Lion like this.
  17. Lion

    Lion Junior Member

    Hi Mandy my late father Leonard Arthur Eagle served in the 2nd Battalion the Middlesex his records and dates are similar to your husbands grandfathers regards Kevin .
     
    MG31 likes this.
  18. Keithmcneill

    Keithmcneill New Member

    Hi Mandy. My father Alan McNeill served as a machine gunner with 2 Middlesex from 1943 till the end of the war. I have a huge amount of information on the battalion from D-Day onwards and may be able to help you. Are you sure that he was promoted to Lance Corporal before D Day as the Jim Wood i have in my records was promoted to Lance Sergeant ?
    Kind regards

    Keith McNeill
     
  19. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello Keith and welcome.
    Mandy hasn't been on the forum since July 28th, 2016. You could try and send her a message-click on her profile and 'start a conversation', she may pick it up if her registered e-mail address with the forum is still live.

    Lesley
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  20. MG31

    MG31 Member

    Many apologies for the lateness of my response. I lost access to my original email address and forum access, which has now kindly been resolved.
     

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