2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by OSD, Sep 18, 2012.

  1. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    The one with five of them on the photo is presumably the entire crew of that particular Comet. Do you have any way of confirming that? The chap in the centre with the binoculars appears to be the Commander so, if there is any way of confirming his name you could be close to identifying which Troop and therefore which Squadron. Real "cream on the cake" stuff

    Excellent photos albeit with the obligatory 'let's all stand in front of the tank so that future generations won't be able to see any of the markings or tank name' pose. Seriously, those are great photos to us Cometoholics. Have you thought of joining the Facebook 'A34 Comet Appreciation Society' group. Yes, there is such a thing!.......
     
  2. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Hi WW2LOZ,

    Any chance you can make out the name on the individual photo of the Comet and crews. It looks like D??TE. Could be ODETTE or DANTE.
    Anyone any thoughts?

    Cheers
    Kevin
     
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  3. ww2Loz

    ww2Loz Member

    Thanks for the info, that's great
     
  4. ww2Loz

    ww2Loz Member

    I'm afraid I don't...good spot though, i hadn't even spotted that until you mentioned it!
     
  5. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Good to see Kevin involved! Kevin: quick question. I'm no expert but is it correct that all FFY tanks were named with a Scottish connection?....place names and all that. Must admit I've been trying to think of a place in Scotland with that letters combination!
     
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  6. ww2Loz

    ww2Loz Member

    Thanks for this I don't think I have any of their names but i'm going to see what i can dig up...glad you like the photos...and no i didn't know about that Society...i'm going to look it up now
     
  7. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

     
  8. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Hi Steve,
    I just ran the 2F&F listing and couldn't find anything that matched.
    There are lots of Scottish names used but there seems to be no general rule.
    The early Lights used bird names such as Gannet, Golden Eye, Merlin and Pintail. The Valentines and Crusaders used Scottish names Deere as the Comets used star cluster names Cepheus, Cetus, Cygnus, Leo, Libra, Lupus, Pleides then they had the St's Andrew, David, George, Patrick. Perhaps the names were chosen by the CO at the time.

    Cheers

    Kevin
     
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  9. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Kevin

    If it was a CO 'thing' then there should be a good chance of there being something in the War Diary? Just thinking out loud.
     
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  10. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    2FF casualty list, taken from Taurus Pursuant.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    The D word you're all looking at, is it the snow picture? The word looks like Dinant to me (city in Belgium). I'm probably on the wrong photo though.
     
  12. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Post #39. Photo with the chaps stood in front of the Comet.
     
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  13. john foster

    john foster New Member

    Hi All,
    Fascinating thread on 2F&F. I have just been retracing their steps in Normandy. If you want specialist knowledge log onto the IWM website and there are about 5 accounts by soldiers of that regiment on Normandy/WW2. Steel Browlee also privately published his account - which the IWM has. Sadly my Grandfather died a few years ago but he was one that chaired the 2F&F committee for many years and knew them all by name. Not that many survived from start to finish of WW2 with the regiment. Let me know how else I can help. JF
     
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  14. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Has anyone info on the involvement of the 2nd Fife and Forfar in the fighting for Emmerich at the end of March 1945.
     
  15. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    .. for example a copy of the War Diary of the 2nd Fife and Forfar for March 1945?
     
  16. Chris Ogg

    Chris Ogg Member

    Good evening gents. I guess my story is no different to quite a few i've read, but i'm also trying to substantiate what happened to my Grandfather who served in the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. He was 7891924 Tpr Alexander Penman of Townhill, Dunfermline Fife. He joined the TA on the 27th April 1939. I note from his Service Record that he attended his Summer Camp in, Jul 39. I have also established he qualified as a Class 2 Driver Mechanic in Jul 40. I can trace that he departed for North West Europe on the 14 Jun and returned for treatment on the 29 Sep 44, having been severely injured on the 22 Sep 44. He did return to NW Europe in May 45, after convalescing and served until Feb 46, before returning home to be demobilised. It would nice to hear about the circumstances of his service and perhaps his 'contact' if anyone has any information. From what i've read it all looks a little sketchy. From what i have gleaned, all of his co-passengers were killed, although i don't have any names. I have the RGB Sellar book, but unfortunately his copy of Taurus Pursuant was damaged, beyond use. I also note that only Officers are mentioned by name and not ORs, which is disappointing. As a veteran of 30 years service myself, i will of course visit Bovington to see if i can glean anything, but would appreciate any help. Many thanks in advance. Chris
     
  17. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Chris
    You should/must contact Bovington before you visit their Archive because:
    1. You can only visit their Library/Archive by prior appointment, and
    2. You need to ask them if they have any info re the 2FFY (because Bovington are the Regimental Museum of the Royal Tank Regiment - anything nonRTR tends to be held by Regimental Museums and I know from my own experience that their Cavalry and Yeomanry holdings are minimal. They hold most of the War Diaries but Kew hold the 'top copies'.
     
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  18. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

  19. ww2Loz

    ww2Loz Member

    Profuse apologies, I've only just seen this (over a year later!!?) Sorry for not replying. Thank you for this info
     
  20. ww2Loz

    ww2Loz Member

    I've been 'out of the game' for a while, apologies...unfortunately I can't find the name of the Commander, however I've identified two of the others - Johnny Stutely and Jock Taylor...plus i've found another pic with my dad that I've enlarged that seems to show the name GREGAL...
     

    Attached Files:

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