225 Field Company, RE: Albert Joseph Turley

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Martin Turley, Jan 15, 2019.

  1. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Hi I'm looking for information on my grandad who served in ww2 as a royal engineer..his name was Albert Joseph Turley..army number 5106255..he was in the 225th field company.
    He served from 1938 to 1946.
    I'm looking for information on where the 225th would have fought in the war plus any other relative information.
    Would be most grateful if anyone could help me out please...Martin
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Martin

    The very first task is to obtain his service records which will confirm which units he was with and when - these can ONLY be found at the MOD and the link for the forms is - Request records of deceased service personnel - it could be that he was moved within the RE to various other sections thats why the service records are important otherwise you could be going down the wrong roads

    There are other threads on here that deal with aspects of the 225th -
    Dunkirk - 225 Field Company RE - www.arcre.com (he is a member here)
    225 Field Company Royal Engineers 14th September 1940

    TD
     
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  3. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Martin.

    225 Field Company RE were part of 4 Inf Div. They fought with 4 Inf Div throughout their time in Italy although the two big, set piece battles were at Monte Cassino in May 44 and on the Gothic Line in Sep 44. A Field Company RE normally stayed in support of a particular Infantry Brigade throughout its time and, in this case, 225 Fd Coy RE supported 10 Inf Bde.

    The actions of 225, 59 & 7 Fd Coys RE are commemorated in a superb painting by Terence Cuneo entitled 'Crossing the Rapido'.

    upload_2019-1-15_8-57-58.png

    225 Fd Sqn RE still exist as a Reserve sub-unit in Birmingham.

    Regards

    Frank
     
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  4. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Martin, my grandfather also served in 225 Field Company RE. He wrote a unit history in the 1980s which I will be putting online soon.

    225 was a Birmingham based unit but had an intake of Cockney's in the autumn of 1939. 225 was part of the BEF in 1940 and escaped from France at La Panne. Sappers of 225 helped to build the truck piers and used their bridge building boats to ferry troops to larger ships.

    After the fall of France, they spent the next couple of years on the southcoast of England building anti-invasion defences.

    They went to North Africa for Operation Torch then spent time in Egypt before going to Italy. 225 were involved in the battle of Cassino, bridging the Rapido river with the famous Amazon bridge. They finished the war in Greece.

    There was a yearly reunion in Birmingham for many years into the late 1980s. I'll share a group photo shortly.

    Lee
     
  5. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Following on from my previous. I've checked my grandfather's memoir of 225 and Albert Turley gets a few mentions.
    He was Sergeant of No 3 Platoon and was mentioned in despatches at La Panne. And this after 225 arrive in North Africa:

    "A further move to another location took place on the 23rd April 1943. 2 Section were in support of the 2 Royal Fusiliers who were to make an attack at nightfall across the Oued-El-Milah. The attack was not successful, A Company of Royal Fusiliers with support by the sappers were ambushed and had to withdraw leaving Sprs Pallett and Bennett killed, Spr Mason missing believed killed, 3 sappers were missing, 11 wounded, including the Section Sergeant (Sgt Long). 1 Sapper was wounded taken prisoner and then released and finally evacuated to hospital. Three of the wounded were from No 1 Section who were following up No 2, to recce the Oued-El-Milah. Whilst this attack was in operation German planes were active and dropped bombs on the 225 location wounding several men including Sgt Turley of No 3 Section. A 15cwt Bedford Truck containing explosives was completely destroyed, the radiator was found 50 yards away from it, five other vehicles were severely damaged and beyond immediate use..."
     
  6. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    225 Field Company, Royal Engineers Reunion - May 1983

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Hi Frank thankyou very much for the information it's very useful indeed
    Martin
     
  8. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Lee...wow a lot of information there thankyou so much..really glad I joined this site.
    When do you think you'll be posting the unit information on line?
    Martin
     
  9. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Can't believe that my grandad was mentioned in dispatches . I had heard of my nan that he was injured while serving but didn't know where...thanks again mate I'm surprised on how much I've learnt today ...thanks again..
    Martin
     
  10. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    I reckon my grandad would of loved to have met up with some of his old buddies but sadly he passed away in 1982
     
  11. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    20190114_174948.jpg 20190114_174919.jpg 20190114_174822.jpg 20190114_174759.jpg 20190114_174723.jpg this is some of my grandads records that I have.
     
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  12. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Martin, did your grandfather live in the Birmingham area after the war? The reunions were happening in the 1960s and 1970s. I have a few photos of earlier ones but not a group photo.
     
  13. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    British Army Casualty Lists 1939-1945:

    Turley.jpg
     
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  14. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Do you have any wartime photos?
     
  15. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Yes he lived in the kingstanding area of Birmingham
     
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  16. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    I'm not sure to be honest I'll have to ask my dad if he has any mate .
     
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  17. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    Thankyou very much..my Dad will be happy to see this .
     
  18. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    I guess it's quite likely he attended some of the earlier reunions. I think these used be at local pubs in the Birmingham area. Granddad would religiously attend them.

    Would be great to see any wartime photos your dad may have.

    There is a wonderful photo in the IWM archive of a 3 platoon truck racing out of Belgium in 1940.
     
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  19. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

  20. Martin Turley

    Martin Turley Member

    I'll do my best to try and find some pictures of him..how would I find out what dispatches he was mentioned in? Sorry for all the questions.
     

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