Can you help or point me in the right direction. I have just received army details of my Father, Robert Edgar Simmons number 1688343 in WW2 He enlisted on 23/9/40 Posted to 312/54 C o L AA Battery at Woolwich 23/10/40 Embarkation leave 16/12/41 Disembarked Ceylon 9/7/42 (which convoy? from which port? presume stopped at S Africa on way, but 9 months to reach Ceylon? what happened on way.?) 1/10/43 appears to be in Middle East Was always told he was sent to Palestine on way home (late 45?) seems there earlier. Transfered to Herts and Beds Regiment on 10/3/45 Seems to have been hospitalised in Woolwich, Ceylon and Benghasi Knew he had a knee problem, not aware he was ever wounded. Demobbed 14/2/46 He died when I was 8 so never had a chance to find out more Regards Shropshire lad
Hello and welcome to the forum Shropshire lad Could you please post up the service records if it is not too personal? There are quite a few forum members who can help with queries if you post them here. (mods-would it be possible to move this to a new thread please?) Lesley
Hi Shropshire lad, Welcome to the forum. I've moved your post to a thread of its own, hopefully that'll attract more attention to your enquiry
Hi Have a look here and see if you can find something that matches - http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ws/index.html 54 LAA regiment is this one - http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/laa/page48.html ? The is this war diary for them - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C793814 regards Robert
I have great difficulty in deciphering all the abbreviations Perhaps others will know more. Shropshirelad Does the above help?
It is better if we see the service records, members can decipher them better if they see the originals Lesley
According to Convoy Web - arrivals in Colombo 9th July 1942 were: Thu Jul 9, 1942 ATHLONE CASTLE BM.24 CLAN MACDONALD BM.24 They were both in Bombay prior to this, Freetown & Capetown prior to that, but it appears they left the UK sometime in March/April, so he may have spent sometime in South Africa prior to his arrival in Ceylon TD
Thanks for the convoy information, that gives an end point though his service record doesn't show any stop overs after leaving UK at end of 1942. don't know from where he would have left our shores (Liverpool? Clyde?) I copied his service and casualty record into jpeg and thought I had attached it, but it looks not. How can I do this? Could ask my son to help if needed. Shropshirelad
I will try and help with some of the record http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/45943-54th-heavy-aa-regiment-ra/ 54th HAA -Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. 312 Battery Disembarked Ceylon 9/7/42 Admitted hospital 5/10/42 and SOS (Struck off strength-of the unit) x (ii) list 5/10/42 Discharged hospital 3/11/42 Appointed U/A/L/Bdr - Unpaid acting Lance Bombardier 1/10/43 - Now in Middle East Then Paid Lance Bombardier 22/10/43 x (iv) List- seems to be in and out of hospital Nov 43 to January 44 Transferred to Herts. Regiment 10/3/45 TOS - Taken on Strength (of the unit) SOS - Struck off Strength " BDRA - Base Depot Royal Artillery Info here on X Lists http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/15663-x-lists-service-records/ If you are looking for war diaries, I suggest you get the ones for 54th HAA Regiment as this seems to be the Regiment where he spent most of his service. They are held at the National Archives in Kew. If you cannot get there, there are a couple of members who can get you them for a fraction of the price. Many members have used them and they offer a great service. Any queries please ask Lesley
As requested on my war diary thread, the war diary refs: WO 166/7439 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1942 Jan-Apr WO 172/1536 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1942 Mar-Dec WO 172/3828 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1943 Jan-Apr WO 169/9821 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1943 May-Dec WO 169/16143 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1944 Jan-Jun WO 169/16144 54 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1944 July- Dec I can't find a 1945 diary covering Jan-Feb Regarding the Herts I would need to know what battalion he went to. Cheers Andy
WO 169/20055 1 Hertfordshire Regiment 1945 Feb-Dec WO 169/23207 1 Hertfordshire Regiment 1946 Jan-Jun
