Hi all, Hopefully of interest to some... I have been plotting my fathers life, mostly army time, starting with the Coldstream Guards aged 15. That ended up at Dunkirk...back to UK, transfer to Royal Artillery, coastal batteries for a short time. 1 Heavy Reg RA for D Day supporting 2 Canadian AGRA, Caen, Falaise, to name a few... Posted to 6th Fld Reg and off to Palestine... Latest map position is Tripoli, Libya 1947... Work in progress, so it changes fairly often, link below, would appreciate any feedback you may have on it, tho, go easy on me, i'm new to this stuff https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FRAnE5nVIeLTOcLhpbhUtY16TxA&usp=sharing
A thought crossed my mind viewing the map and only curiosity, but do you know his thoughts on the change from the CG to the RA?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing Blutto...Dad never spoke of his time during the war, not that i ever remember asking him, I know my brother sort of asked him, because my brother was REME, and had a spell with 2nd Coldstream Guards...but dad apparently 'changed the subject' He died June 16th 1990...when that latest Dunkirk film came out, I sat watching it, knowing dad had got through it somehow, and I just sat there a bit gobsmacked, and knew there was a story to tell. I haven't got to the stage on his journey yet (info seems difficult to find) where he is TA or reserve, that ends, then he re-enlists. I'm the youngest of 5, and at 14 months old or so, dad is posted to germany, back home in '64 posted to Middle Wallop with the Army Air Corps, ending his army service 1966. Wish I could answer your question, but I have no clue at all (at this stage at least) what prompted the move to the Artillery ? If I can find out, I will let you know...ive got some letters he wrote to his dad, one is his account of the Walcheran Island attacks with 41 Commando, he was the FOO for that...ive got some stuff to sift through from relatives, so maybe there might be answers ???
Post Dunkirk brought about a huge change for many men. Having transcribed a number of letters and Service records from several people - mainly family - a pattern emerges. Letters home in 1939 with little to say. One or two letters in 1940 both from men in the BEF or at home, few if any in 1941 where the ones from BEF seem to be either resting or training with obsolete weapons, going on courses, even being sent home on leave due to a shortage of accommodation or until replacement equipment arrives. More activity in 1942 when training in the UK for war with new equipment, lots in 1943 when abroad and loads in 1944, mostly airmails. They fall off in 1945 with little to write about. Those posted abroad in 1941-42 seem to have been isolated having little contact with home, some until 1944-45 They no doubt became used to the lack of correspondence from home. Coastal guns and Anti Aircraft guns / searchlights seem to be popular in 1940-42 but are largely shut down with the men being dispersed around various regiments of all types, many of the men ending up in Italy but some in Burma. My most noticed activity...…...Bicycle Patrols in Lincolnshire 1940-41.
Therein may lay the story, but its unlikely now that we will ever know. All the best with the research.
