2nd Survey Regiment, Burma 1944-45

Hi Ed - I would suggest for you to look at the war diaries (found at The National Archives, Kew). I believe these two references are for diaries that are relevant to your Dad's unit, but as I'm unfamiliar with artillery regiments, I would appreciate someone else taking a look to confirm this either way.

(If you can't get to Kew, there are a few people around here you can contact who will copy the pages for you for a reasonable fee.)

Mar - Dec 1943 WO 172/2401 Survey Regiments: 2 Svy. Regt. (Royal Artillery) Survey Regiments: 2 Svy. Regt. | The National Archives

Jan - Dec 1944 WO 172/4751 Survey Regiments: 2 Regiment (Royal Artillery) Survey Regiments: 2 Regt. | The National Archives

Julie

 

Hi All. I've just logged in after a long gap and was delighted to see Eddie's post and the stuff others have dug out for him. I would be delighted to know more about Major Pearson's recollections. It's fantastic that we still have a 2nd Survey man with us. All power to your elbow, Eddie and if you haven't got Magnelli-Climpson's book it really is a must as it draws on all the war diaries and shows that 2nd Survey absolutely was in some serious fighting in 1944. Fortunately for my old man he missed most of that and only caught up with 43 Battery after Akyab had been taken at the very end of 1944.

 

Hi, well I met up with Major Derek Parson who turned 98 only a few weeks ago! He was of spritly character but sadly his memory is fading fast but was very helpful to answer questions as yes and no. It was truly an honour to meet this man who would most likely have been in contact with my Father at the time. He was at Imphal and recalled hearing the Japs only yards away from him. His Son gave me an amazing copy of the road map he used and marked at the time with the plots of his route from Bombay to Ranchi by road. His first assignment he tasked with as then Captain was to take specialist sound ranging equipment via truck across India and have the original log he made of each place he stopped at along the way. It's absolutely amazing and will be displaying this at my up and coming LH displays. He told me about his training at Larkhill and what things my Father would have most likely have been up to including the 6 week training they had on the North Norfolk cost at Sheringham and Cromer!! This is where I now live and had no idea that he would have been here where I now live??!! It was all quite sobering and comforting to know that my Dad was here in my new home town all those years ago.

I still haven't found where 23CCS was? If anyone can throw some light on this I'd be very pleased to hear from you.

 

Hi Eddie,

The 23rd (Indian) Casualty Clearing Station was at Silchar in October 1943, according to the official history (Army Medical Services, Vol V). The next date given places the unit at Maungdaw, Burma, in October 1944.

Rothy

 

Hi Eddie. That's great news. He is mentioned in 'Larkhill's Wartime Locators' and it must have been a real pleasure to meet him. Using my memories of stories my dad told me, his army records, a couple of books and the net I have been able to write a short but reasonably accurate (I think!) monograph of my old man's three years in the RA. It came as a big surprise to my kids (and theirs) who had simply no idea of his experiences. Cheers. Frank Glascott (Banniere)

 

Eddie,
David W. spoke to me about your enquiries. I can’t find your father on the casualty records so presumably it was sickness that hospitalised him during the period of the Admin Box thus eliminating him from being in the battle. After his release from 47 BGH he was transferred to what could be 40 Indian Convalescing Depot. You will need to find where these were. I note he was later hospitalised again to 69 IGH, l wonder if it could have been a reoccurrence of his previous sickness? Possibly malaria?
Lionboxer

 

Hi Eddie

I have looked through the stuff I have and cannot add anything beyond that Rothy mentions in post #24 above. I suggest to progress further you need to get the war diaries of 2 Survey Regt and 23 CCS from Kew - they should answer your questions definitively. You may be lucky and find a mention of your father - I found mention of a soldier I was researching in amongst the documents attached to the war diary of 1 Survey Regt RA.

 

Hi all, not sure if anyone will get this - but just starting my research into the wartime exploits of my grandad Sam who served in the 2nd Survey Regiment of the Royal Artillery. Some excellent advice in here!

 

Hello all
I am newly signed in to this and researching my father's time with 2nd survey regiment. His name was Warren Keith Smith, Gunner /Surveyor 942920. He attended some reunions and I have list of names and addresses of those attending in 1985 if of interest..
Graham Smith

 

Hi Graham, Welcome! this is very interesting Unfortunately for me my Daddy died in 1979 but I’d be very interested to know who was at the reunion. Maybe some investigating could be achieved by knowing how many, where and who. Do you have a copy of the invitations??
Regards Ed.

 

Hi Brendon, yes these posts are read and received. Sometimes not always straight away but they all matter. If you have any further information to share about your Grandad and his time with the 2nd Survey Regiment then please do share with us. Ed.

 

Hi Eddie
I have a 'booklet' (8 small sides) of names and addresses of 'past members of the 2nd Survey Regiment RA'. I suppose in these data secure times I should not really post this online. There is no Mayall on the list (which must run to about 220 names and addresses) so maybe it only includes those who signed up for reunion stuff , and I don't know the date of the list...when produced, whether it was obtained at one of the dinners etc ?
As I said my father went to the 40th Annual Reunion dinner in '85 but died not long after that, so I don't know how long the dinners continued. Nor do I actually know who went to the '85 dinner but the menu is signed by David Hamilton, M Anstee, F Orell, and I think R Markley....difficult to make out names so I am correlating against the list.
Today I bought 'Larkhill's Wartime Locators' by Massimo Mangilli-Climpson as recommended by Banniere....fascinating !

 

Hi Graham, due to my Fathers PTSD after the War, I was taken into care and brought up in Children’s homes. My name changed when I finally got adopted. My Fathers name and Sir nam was Henry Nott. My original Birth name was Alexander Nott. Please can you check if any back dated reunions had the name Henry Nott? Kind Regards.

 

Hi Eddie, thanks for this - will report back with any findings!

 

Hi Julie,

I'd love to investigate this further - how do I go about 'putting out a tender' for someone to copy these documents for me? Many Thanks! BH

 

Hi Graham. I’ts ages since I was last on this site but I was fascinated to see you have a list of some 2nd Survey people. I’d be very interested to know if it included either of my dad’s two friends - Tom Davies or Ted Hannigan - or a Lloyd or Daykin (first names unknown).
I think I’ve gone as far as I can with researching my dad’s time and I’ve just sent off the final version of my 34 page monograph to my kids (who are surprisingly interested, as are my grandkids).
I’d be happy to send a copy to anyone on this site who would like one. DM me on frankglascott2020@gmail.com

 

Hi everyone. My uncle, George Culpin, who was in 2nd Survey Regiment, died about 11 years ago. I've finally got round to going through all his photographs, and there are plenty of them. He was in 2nd Survey Regiment throughout the war, so the photos start at Larkhill and include France, Norfolk, Capetown and India. There are also photos of a couple of post-war reunions. There are a lot of men in the photos and a lot of names are mentioned, but often they are just first names. If anyone wants to know if there is a photo of a particular person or place I could have a look, or could maybe make the photos accessible via a website or something.