I've been doing a little research on my Fathers wartime service. He was a Gunner with 4th Medium Regt RA and it seems he was attached to ( I'm assuming) 5th Bn Grenadier Guards during the fighting on Djebel Bou Aoukaz. Here is the citation for the MM he was awarded during the action. I hope this is of interest.
His Regiment was part of 1 AGRA. They stayed with 1st Army but were attached to 1st Canadian and 2nd Polish Corps. He fought through Sicily and Italy. Took part in the fighting at Anzio and Cassino. He was wounded at some point but I've yet to reach that point. Waiting for his Service Record.
Thanks for the Attestation info Tony. Any ideas as to why he'd be discharged December '44 only to re-enlist? His Certificate of Service shows he was discharged 14/10/1946 as he re-enlisted and went on to serve until 1963. There is no record of his discharge in '44 in there.
Steve. 1 Canadian Corps was part of the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino and were tasked with attacking the Hitler Line on 23 May 44 before pushing north beyond the River Melfa. 2 Polish Corps were also part of the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino and they were tasked with seizing Points 575 and 593 so that the monastery would be isolated and compelled to surrender. If you want to see what happened at Cassino, I am guiding a group there on 8-11 Jun 17. Check out www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk Regards Frank
One small reference to supplying fuzes to 4th Med Regiment in the diary of 1503 Field Regiment RASC on 14 12 1943 who were South of Casalbordino Map ref 507965
Hi Steve, I'm only guessing as I don't know when he joined the army, say for instance he joined in Dec 1937 and signed on for seven years, then his commitment to the army would be up in Dec 44. As the war was still going on then he would automatically be re-enlisted, which he was the next day. 14/10/1946 would be his official demob day. But obviously liking the army life he re-joined. So I would imagine the entries in 1944 were just the way of keeping records of his service.
His enlistment date was 30/10/41...the day before his 24th birthday,at Bamber Bridge, Preston.I'm not sure what Terms of Service were available then but that would be just over 3 years.
As his enlistment date was 30/10/41. It would be for the duration of the war. Kings regs are a minefield King’s Regulations Paragraph 390 (xviii)(a) - His Service No Longer Required (SNLR) for the purpose for which he was enlisted AND A.C.I. S23/1942 Kings Regulations 1940 So can only guess that it was some kind of status change.
Would getting wounded or Promoted be a possible reason. I know he was quite seriously wounded at some point but not sure when, and he was promoted to S/Sgt before the end of the war. Not sure they would come under section 18 though.
As a point of interest your father does not appear in the British Army Casualty Lists, these list soldiers wounded, KIA, missing or taken prisoner. Have you applied for his service records?
Yes I am waiting for his service record. Interesting that he isn't on the Casualty lists as we ( the family) always believed that he was wounded at some point. Like many others of that generation Dad never spoke to us of his experiences so I'm unsure where the belief originated from.
Steve, I am not sure precisely what level of injury ‘qualified’ for inclusion on the casualty lists. My father was hospitalised twice, once at the River Sangro and then at Aquino during the breakout up the Liri valley after Cassino, he did not appear on these lists. Only guessing but possibly to do with the seriousness of the injury or perhaps if it was due to action or some other cause, malaria etc.
