144 Vehicle Park - William Foster

Hello guys,

A family in the north of Antwerp (Merksplas) is searching for information and if possible a contact address for a soldier who stayed with them in the winter of 1944.

When the soldier left, he wrote down (or rather dictated) his information on a few pictures:

William Foster
Albert Street 27
Tottenham
North 15 London
England

His unit:
144 Vehicle Park
BLA

His nickname was 'Chick' or 'Chuck' and he had a son named Anthony.

At least, this is what we think is written on the back, it is written by the Belgian father of the family, half in Flemish, half in English.

Any help would be much appreciated here, as I strike a dead end with the unit and the name....

Thanks,
Niko.

 

View attachment 255640

 

Anyone?

 

Niko,

Thanks for the reminder. I've only got war diaries for 1944 - never got round to looking forward into 1945. However, for example, in 1944 the British vehicle parks seemed to be numbered as follows (this taken from WO171/162 - WD of 21 Army Group Ordnance Branch):

14 Vehicle Coy
T.V.P. Normal Duties [Transit vehicle park]
1 Pk Holding Pk Lt.A
2 Pk Holding Pk B Veh
3 Pk Holding Pk B Veh
4 Pk First Cdn Army Pk
R.V.P. R.V.P. Normal [Returned Vehicle Park]

I'm wondering whether the 144 Vehicle Park might actually signify 1 Vehicle Park, 14 Vehicle Company. But that is only a very wild guess.

Regards

Tom

 

Niko, spent couple of hours on this yesterday but kept going round in circles............ the closest I can get is in identifying a Foster called William Cyril G Foster, who, in 1939 lived on Albert Road, Tottenham..... not Albert Street, Tottenham.

Unsure whether it's just a coincidence or it is your guy and the details were just a little lost in translation. There is no corroborating evidence to do with a son called Anthony or his military service.

......feels potentially less than helpful to say the least but sometimes the absence of proof leads somewhere helpful....... I hope!

His details were:

William Cyril G Foster
Born 26.09.1920, registered in Holborn, London
Died Jan 1979, registered in Enfield, London
Married Margaret Griffiths, April 1941 in Edmonton, Essex

 

Hi,

There was a Captain Foster recorded in the 16th Vehicle Company, RAOC war diary (WO171/2791). Two entries, both in May 44. Not sure whether he was still with them by winter 44/45. I've not got it all, nor any field returns.

I also noted that:

"4 December 1944
Transit Veh Pk commenced duties off-loading vehicles at ANTWERP."

Regards

Tom

 

Yesterday, I found a Charles William Foster on the cwgc roster as buried in London, died shortly after the war, at age 33. It might be him.

 

Thank you all for digging into this.

The Belgian family also said that there were 3 soldiers staying in their house at the same time, one Polish, one Canadian and one British.

 

Thanks Tom, were these RAOC or RASC units?

Anything about the North of Antwerp from half october 1944 on?