Hello everyone, I’ve received my Great Grandad’s military service record and I don’t know what quite a lot of it means, in relation to an injury he sustained! I was wondering if any of you are familiar with the following: Terminal (followed by what looks like FR DIVI) Para 390 (xxiii) GKRLO I managed for find out that X (ii) list means he was evacuated beyond the regimental first aid unit... Any information welcomed!
hello, I have recurved my Great Gandad’s military Service record and am hoping to learn more about what he did! Does anyone know what any of the codes mean (I’m guessing what these are a bit as the writing is a bit tricky to read!) or can anyone tell me what was going on with these regiments at these times?! Any information gratefully received! He was in the 5th DCLI FROM 24 June 1940 until 9 October 1940 when he moved to the 50th holding battalion/6th battalion. He was released to industry and relegated to class ‘W’ reserve 25.11.1940, rejoined regiment 18.2.41, back to reserves 3/4/41, rejoined 14th Infantry Training Company 3/4/42, transferred to 30th H battalion 6/5/42, 103 R Imp 42RHV XCIV 5/4/44, went on Sanitory Duties Course 14/3/44-24/3/44, transferred to Durham LI 25/4/44, transferred to Hampshire Regiment 7/6/44, transferred to X (ii) list 27/9/44, TOYL 11/10/44, transferred to 14th Infantry Training Company 7/4/45, terminal FR DIVI 3/10/45-27/11/45, discharged para.390(xxiii)GKRLO 10/1/46
Hi Sarah As with all similar requests we generally find it better if you can upload an image of the page you are referring to so that it can be read in context TD
It would also be useful to know if this injury was fatal or did he recover? Again context makes interpretation easier
He recovered! He was shot in the knee or got shrapnel in the knee, not sure which! He always had a limp thereafter... he may also have had a lung problem...
Discharged Para 390 (XVIII) (g) 1940 KRs (Kings Regulations 1940) I think that the bit you want info on TD Ah others images have shown up need time to check them out
Are the King's Regulations 1940 available to view online at all? Or is anyone able to tell me what that paragraph says?!
Morning Sarah, Your great grandad was transferred to the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment on 7 June 1944, so missed D-Day. He was lucky, as the Battalion was an assault battalion on Gold Beach (Normandy) on D-Day. Likely he joined them as a replacement shortly thereafter and there he remained until wounded. 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment, 231st Infantry Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. I will revert this evening with some information about where in North West Europe he was likely wounded, etc. Looks like it may have been on ‘The Island’ - The Netherlands north of Nijmegen. Best, Steve.
Hello Sarah, The date your great grandad was wounded was a few days prior to the 231st Infantry Brigade moving onto The Island. Instead, they were in ‘The Corridor’ as part of Operation Market Garden. They formed part of the ground forces (‘Garden’) protecting and widening the road corridor along Highway 69 between Bourg-Leopold and Arnhem. The jumping off point for ‘Garden’ had been from halfway between Bourg-Leopold and Valkenswaard, and followed the axis Eindhoven, Son, Veghel, Uden, Grave, Nijmegen, Arnhem. I do not know the exact whereabouts of the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment on 27 September 1944, but one of its sister battalions in 231st Infantry Brigade, the 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regiment, was in or around Boekel to the east of Veghel on that day: see map: Boekel Map | Netherlands Google Satellite Maps The Germans fought fiercely to cut The Corridor. If I find anything more conclusive on the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment’s location on that day I will post again with details. One other matter, when a soldier was posted to the X(II) List, it was usually 21 days after hospitalisation that, if still hospitalised, the soldier was posted to the Y list. Your great grandad was posted to the Y List after only 14 days. This suggests his wound, whilst not life threatening, was bad/disabling. Best, Steve.
Thanks guys! Great information my great aunty today showed me a postcard dated 7/9/44 where someone (I can’t make our the signature) gave it as a souvenir of their (papa and a comrade I assume) being part of the liberation of Antwerp... does that make sense?! Also, I’d love to know at what point papa sailed over to France and joined up with the regiment... anything, throw any information my way! I love it all!
Hello Sarah, The 231st Infantry Brigade was temporarily under command of and supporting the Guards Armoured Division in its 97 miles in 14 hours advance from Arras to Brussels on 3 September 1944. It was ordered to move at 8 am on 6 September from Brussels to just south east of Antwerp to rejoin the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, which was concentrating there. Here the 231st Infantry Brigade was put under the orders of the 11th Armoured Division, which had ‘bounced’/liberated the city. The 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment was initially given responsibility of holding the south eastern sector of the city. The Germans had mainly evacuated to the north bank of the Albert Canal, concentrating at Merxem and along the West Bank of the Scheldt. Late on 7 September, the 231st Infantry Brigade was given the task of holding the northern approaches to Antwerp, whilst the 11th Armoured Division made preparations to force a crossing of the Albert Canal. But this was not to take place. The 231st Infantry Brigade was relieved in Antwerp by the 53rd (Welsh) Division and by 9.00 am on 9 September 1944, the Brigade had left Antwerp. Whilst the remainder of 50th (Northumbrian) Division were forcing a crossing of the Albert Canal around Steelen and fighting for control of Gheel, the 231st Infantry Brigade was once again moved to come under control of the Guards Armoured Division on 11 September 1944, which had also forced a crossing at Beeringen. Your great grandad embarked in the UK for NWE (North West Europe) on 7 June 1944 and was posted to the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment on 9 June 1944. If you look at the last of your attachments at post no. 8, it shows the former date in the boxes on the right hand side and the latter date in the summary of transfers, etc. on the left hand side. He would likely have joined the 1st Hampshire Regiment at the front on or immediately after the 9 June 1944. Best, Steve.
