I am currently researching my father in law’s WW2 in the Royal Artillery in Italy and Greece. His name is Jack Thomas Arthur Howard-Drake. I have succeeded in reconstructing most of where he served from both his service record and the relevant WW2 War Diaries for the 66th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment that he served in as adjutant. I am now stuck on the last part of his service from April 1945 when he left the 66 LAA to April 1946 when he returned to UK. It is described in his service record but in horribly cryptic fashion. I wonder if there is anyone more conversant than I am in interpreting the shorthand used. We believe that he returned to Italy from Athens and spent some of his time in or near Rome, and the last part at Caserta in Sicily. It looks to me as though he is in an administrative role in the Central Mediterranean Force. I attach a copy of his service record. Yours, Tom
Caserta is just to the north of Naples. The enormous Bourbon Palace was used by 15th Army Group as its HQ. Regards Frank
As a starter: Appointed General Staff Officer Grade 3 HQ Weapon Training Staff, Field Forces (Mediterranean Area) Relinquished above appointment Posted to General Headquarters, Central Mediterranean Force Appointed Staff Captain [still need to unscramble this bit] Appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant an Quartermaster General, Caserta Enclave
66 LAA Regt RA supported HQ Eighth Army for the duration of its time in Italy from Sep 43 before being disbanded in Apr 45. Regards Frank
Idler beat me to it but I agree with his interpretations. Neither can I read the words after Staff Captain but it looks like Brit. xxxx. Entry at 9/10/45 - UK (LIAP). LIAP = Leave In Addition to Python. Python being leave and release procedure for those who had served overseas for four years. DAA&QMG was responsible for logistical and administrative requirements. Tim
Thanks very much for your translation of the service record so far. Any more would be most welcome. Tom
Interesting Tim, I had never heard of Python before. After his busy time in Athens this does look like a fairly safe administrative job and mostly in peace time. Thanks for your contribution. Tom
These are the London Gazette entries for 15/03/49 and 14/11/50 referred to in the Service Record. In case you haven't worked it out. 15/04/45 - Posted to X4 List. X4 List is a reinforcement list and probably occurred when 66th LAA was disbanded in April 45. Tim
Yes I had found the explanation for X(4) actually on this website. And thank you for the Gazette entries. I have been told by my mother in law that Jack got called up for Korea but his position in the civil service by then meant that it was overridden. Could this account for this rescinding of his appointment as Hon Major in 1950? Yours, Tom
I wonder if there is any chance that what I thought was “Brit Ika” after Staff Captain could be British Iora (Intelligence Officer Royal Artillery). This would fit his general career path as he ended up as high ranking in the civil service and Cabinet Secretary.
Tom. Did your father in law ever mention whether he fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino? Regards Frank
No, in fact 66 LAA Regt ceased to be a combat regiment in Sept 1944 soon after they went over from Sicily to Foggia in Italy. Thereafter they were a transport unit. I have copies of their War Diary from Feb 1942 right up to their disbandment in Apr 1945 and interestingly they are nearly all written by my father in law. I have just come across a good photo by a Liverpool photographer of what is probably a post war reunion of the 66 LAA (the menu on the right hand table is clearly headed “66 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery”) and my father in law is standing on far right. I also believe that the man in the tweed suit standing in the Centre is the former CO Lt Col Peter Grandage. I would be interested to hear from any others who might be able to identify any others in the photo. Tom
Hi 66 LAA Regt converted into the General Transport (GT) role just prior to their posting to Greece in October 1944. For the majority of the time they were based in and around the port of Piraeus. During the Greek insurgency, they helped defend key areas in and around the Piraeus/Faliron area. A great many RA, RAOC and RASC drivers became casualties during the fighting in Greece. Gus