Not sure if I'm in right place! 7350044 James Henry Smith 2 Field Regiment, RA

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Gonegirl, Feb 25, 2019.

  1. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Hi all, so as you can probably guess I'm new blood here, haven't got a clue what I'm doing but hey here goes.... My grandad was in the BEF which is what I'm trying to delve into at the minute aswell as other stuff soz for the non technical term I'm not ignorant I'm just thick:unsure:... Which I would like to look into at a later date. My mam has his service papers from the MOD but they are to large to scan I have the smaller copies that came with them which I will try to put on here.. Grandads name is James Henry Smith 7350044 2nd field regiment enlisted in Cardiff in 1925 he was ment to be 18 but lied like everyone else in them days so had just turned 17.... So I here you ask how can we all knowledgeable and fact finding people help little old me.... Well can some one tell me what all this writing means on the sheets basically .. Sounds daft I know... I can't even find a regimental photo which I thought there might of been one..and any war diaries about his regiment the numbers would be handy thanks. Sorry I think I've gone on a bit much here... I will try and up load this stuff but they could go awol.
    Cheers mags x
     
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  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Mags

    The service records of many people [including my father] have been able to be scanned and posted onto threads, I somehow cant understand why they would be too large. In order to understand what he did, what units he was with and where he was we really need to see those records

    TD
     
  3. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    The only way I can up load these is to cut some in half ... I told you I didn't know what I was doing.....
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    I mean the paper is to big for my scanner lol
     

    Attached Files:

  5. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    This should cover his time in the BEF.

    WO 167/467 - War Diary of 2 Field Regiment Royal Artillery

    Date: 1939 Sept.-1940 Mar, June
    Held by: The National Archives, Kew

    I have checked the FMP British Army casualties database for ww2 and he is not coming up. This suggests that his times spent in Field Ambulances, Hospitals and Convalescence Depots were for illness/sickness and not as any direct result of battle.

    According to British Artillery Regiments

    2 Fd Regt RA was at

    Bordon 1938 - Army Regt
    France 1939-40 - 1 Inf Div
    UK 1940-3 - 1 Inf Div
    Tunisia 1943 - 1 Inf Div
    Anzio 1/44 - 1 Inf Div
    Italy 1944 - 1 Inf Div
    Mid East 1945 - 1 & 2 Inf Divs

    Hope this helps

    Gus
     
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  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Gus -was he 2 Field Regiment for the duration of the war?
     
  7. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi Drew

    Looking at the pics above, it certainly looks that way.
    Pic 1 says he was on 2 Fd Regt 13/05/42
    Pic 2 has no refs that I can see but all whist serving in UK
    Pic 3 says he went to France with 2 Fd Regt in late 1939.
    Pics 4 says he was in 2 Fd Regt in 18/02/45 until struck off on 28/06/45
    Pic 5 says he went to North Africa with 2 Fd Regt as part of 1st Army on 24 Feb 1943
    Pic 6 says 2 Fd in Corps/Unit box
    Pic 7 Says 2 Fd in bottom left corner

    Gus
     
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  8. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Hi gus
    Cheers for that it is very kind of you my grandad was in africa in 1944 he didn't talk much about the war he has photos of Egypt and the tank he used to drive.. Hark at me I mean my mam does I talk about him like he's still here...
     
  9. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Sorry my pics are all over I'm doing this off my phone at the minute I will get better at it.... Promise x
     
  10. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    The records you have posted suggest that your grandad was a Driver/Motor Mechanic in the Royal Artillery.

    So he probably drove either a Truck or a Gun Towing Tractor like the one below.

    [​IMG]

    The Royal Armoured Corps or Royal Tank Regiment used tanks during the war.

    So just maybe the 'tank' your grandad referred to was using in fact a Self Propelled Artillery Gun, like the BISHOP below.

    [​IMG]

    I am not sure if this was used by Field Regiments. But I am sure others on this forum will know.

    Hope this helps.

    Gus
     
  11. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Thank mate you've been a real help I know he drove a tank in africa but I'm not sure what he done in France he spoke about France to My knowledge that's why I would like to know a bit more about it really he died when he was 90 so he was a canny age so they say still too young for my me though they say he was that laid back he was horizontal...
    Cheers again gus x
     
  12. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    If your grandfather stayed with 2 Fd Regt RA throughout the war then he would have endured the whole of the Anzio landings from 22 Jan-31 May 44. A truly grim and horrifying experience.

    2 Fd Regt RA were one of three artillery regiments that directly supported 1 Infantry Division - they went wherever the Division went.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  13. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    It was used by field regiments, though I do not know if 2 Field Regiment had them.
     
  14. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Hi
    He did stay with them all the way through his army career. I haven got as far as 1944 as yet so I don't know what it's all about I do apologise for that but I'm just learning and should of done this years ago x
     
  15. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Just to chip in why he came to serve from 1939 when he enlisted for 12 years in 1925 (6 years active service and 6 years on the reserve). I note on the B102 form mention of him being a Class D Reservist - so he enlisted for 4 years on expiry of his 12 year commitment.

    Steve
     
  16. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    To be honest I don't know what you just said.... He joined the army cos he didn't want to go down the mines... He did his national service and then got called up to go to war that's all I know I don't know how the army works but I'm not sure if that help
    Cheers mags
    Or have I just got this wrong and you were just pointing it out xx
     
  17. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    It's hard for me to understand what your saying because I don't understand my grandads service records is what I am meaning.... So if you do can you explain what you just said in your post in layman's terms for me please
    Thanks Mags
     
  18. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Just a quick question please, do you know when people post 42/45 field battery 2nd field regiment does that mean that they are part of the 2nd field regiment working together.????
    Thanks mags
     
  19. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Your grandad didn’t do ”national service” - that only came in after WW2. He served in the British Army as a “regular” not a “national serviceman”.

    He enlisted into the Royal Artillery for 12 years in March 1925. That was made up of 6 years full time service followed by 6 years “on the reserve (Class B)” that is back in civvy street but liable to recall in time of national emergency ie outbreak of a war.

    So 12 years on from 1925 is 1937 and he would ordinarily have no longer any liability to serve but he enlisted into what was called Class D Reserve where he would remain in civvy street but would still be liable to recall if war broke out. The attraction of Class D to a former regular soldier was that he would still receive some army pay.

    So when war broke out he would be recalled from the reserve to the Royal Artillery (not called up as that is a term applied to wartime conscripts) almost immediately - although he was probably in need of some retraining as he had been out of the “full time” regular army since 1931.

    Hope that is OK?

    Steve
     
  20. Gonegirl

    Gonegirl Member

    Got ya thanks for that Steve now I understand my mam always thought he done national service now we know great bit of info much appreciated indeed
    Thanks x
     

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