31st field regiment 1939-1942

Discussion in 'North Africa & the Med' started by Froom19, Jul 3, 2016.

  1. Froom19

    Froom19 Member

    Hello. I am researching my grandfather who is listed with this regiment and 105/118 bty from 3/7/39 Egypt to his injury on16/3/41 which resulted in him coming home. He did not speak of the war so finding out any info is an insight. He was a gunner. Service records are good but any diary accounts as such from this time would be great.
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi

    Do you know how he was wounded? I'm assuming it would have been recorded in his service records.
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    He was in 105/119 Field Battery, he gets a mention in the battery war diary in March :D
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Froom19

    Froom19 Member

    Wow - amazed! Record lists m gsw which I assumed to be multiple gunshot wound?
     
  5. Froom19

    Froom19 Member

    Cannot view the record attached - links but comes blank - thanks in any case!!!
     
  6. Froom19

    Froom19 Member

    Screenshot and photo crop worked a treat - thanks
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    You're welcome :)
     
  8. Owain Gwyn Hughes

    Owain Gwyn Hughes New Member

    I have an article within a reserched book by Jim Curran , his mates - Joe Devlin, Joe Taggart and my father in law Eddie Eccles and many others are mentioned ..... I intend to include in an online blog on this battery 105 /119 ....with its role within The Battle of Hamel Hamza - (Point 204) on the 15th December 1941 , which my father in law and the two Joe's were captured and taken prisoner .... eventually spending the rest of the war at Stalag VIIIB ..... Jim was spli from his 3 friends prior to the battle, being wounded at Sidi Azeiz on the 3rd December , he recovered to go on with the Regiment 31st Field R A to North Africa , Italy and Greece .....if anyone has names to forward to me to look up within Jim's book , please do ....image below is of Eddie Eccles , from Deganwy in North Wales
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
    Drew5233 likes this.
  9. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    I have a copy of this.

    [​IMG]

    Judging by the content, it was compiled from the War Diaries and then lightly supplemented with the recollections of the author and friends. The War Diaries will be far more detailed, but as an overview to the unit's wartime activities it's fair enough and an awful lot easier/cheaper to obtain.

    The photographs included are, alas, of truly appalling quality.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
  10. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    James.

    Would you mind scanning and sending me the Cassino pages?

    Regards

    Frank
     
  11. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    No problem - I'm on it.
     
  12. Owain Gwyn Hughes

    Owain Gwyn Hughes New Member

    Yes I have it too ...here's Eddie's Medal
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Owain Gwyn Hughes

    Owain Gwyn Hughes New Member

    record of his stay in Stalag VIIIB and entertaining the POW'S - Eddie seated bottom right .
     

    Attached Files:

  14. NigelHackett

    NigelHackett Junior Member

    Hello Owain
    I have just read your posts about the 31st Field Regiment RA. My father Alfred Hackett was in the same battery as your father (105/119) . Dad was also captured in the battle of Alem Hamza on 15th December 1941 and taken to Italy as a PoW.
    Did you produce the blog you mention and if so where could I find it?
    Nigel
     
  15. NigelHackett

    NigelHackett Junior Member

    Hello Drew
    Could you tell me where you found the war diary for 105/119 Battery for March 1941? I have found the units diaries un the Kew Archive Index for May to July 1940 (WO 169/276) and July to December 1941 (WO 169/1475) but can't find anything from August 1940 to June 1941 but I see you found March 1941. Can you help? My father was in this battery from its formation until the battle of Alem Hamza on 15th December 1941 where he was captured.Many thanks Nigel
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Nigel

    It would have been at the National Archives. It's the only place I go.

    Regards
    Andy
     
  17. Guy Edwards

    Guy Edwards New Member

    I might try to get down to the National Archives myself - a good excuse for a few days in Town! However, I read with interest about the soldiers injured while serving with 105/119 Field Battery near Sidi Aziez as a distant relative also served with distinction there and was injured on 15 Dec 1941 and some time after that was taken prisoner. He was Second Lieutenant Robert Norman Gutteridge, who was awarded the Military Cross for his actions from 4-15 December. I would love to hear if anyone has informatoon about him or indeed, if he is mentioned in the 31st Field Regiment RA book. I'm in touch with some of his more immediate family who I'm certain would be interested too.
     
  18. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Guy.

    If you were not aware, 31 Fd Regt RA was one of three Fd Regts who supported 4 Indian Division - they went wherever the Division went and their primary role was to provide artillery fire.

    The Artillery Batteries of 31 Fd Regt RA worked with the three infantry battalions of 7 Indian Brigade.

    4 Indian Division were involved in the savagery of the Second and Third Battles of Cassino in Feb and Mar 44.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  19. Guy Edwards

    Guy Edwards New Member

    Frank,

    Thank you. I did know that they were part of 4 Indian Div, but I hadn’t followed their involvement as far as Cassino.

    Lt Robert Gutteridge was wounded and taken prisoner in Libya in 1941 and was taken, as a POW, to a military hospital in Italy. At some point, possibly when the Italians capitulated, he was moved by the Germans to OFLAG 79 at Braunschweig in Germany where he remained until the Americans liberated him in April 1944.

    I intend visiting Kew at some point to look for the WO records concerning his imprisonment.

    Rgds
    Guy
     
  20. Karl19702013

    Karl19702013 New Member

    Hi

    my Grandad was in 105/119 Battery in the 31st Field Regiment. Nicholas Gaffney - He was in the RA from 1930 - 35 (in Hong Kong) then he was recalled in Sept 39 to Woolwich and then posted out to 31 Fd Rgt ... I think he was with the Unit from 1940 to 1944, he mentioned Cassino
    .. and I know he was promoted Lance Bombardier... but then demoted for losing his personal weapon (retreating after Gazala I think)

    Rgds

    Karl
     

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