16th Coastal Regiment Sierra Leone

Discussion in 'North Africa & the Med' started by JDG, Sep 22, 2008.

  1. JDG

    JDG Junior Member

    I have inherited a piece of material with some embroidered details on it, done by grandfather,George Butcher. The details are 16th Coastal Regiment, Sierra Leone, WAF, June 2nd 1941.

    I have had the material professionally treated and framed. It now proudly hangs on the landing.

    Does anyone have any details they can share with me about the Coastal Regiment, or direct me to any web sites or books?

    Any hints would be appreciated.

    Regards
    Julie
     
  2. bushfighter

    bushfighter Junior Member

    Julie
    I have not been able to find a direct reference to the Coastal Regiment, but I do recommend the book "A Funny Place To Hold a War" by John Harris.

    Although this is a novel it is based on the author's experiences during WW2 when serving in Sierra Leone.

    The enemy was using the Vichy French territories that surround Sierra Leone to infiltrate saboteurs and agents.

    "The History of the Royal West African Frontier Force" by Haywood and Clarke provides an interesting account in Chapter 9 "The Fall of France and the Expansion of the RWAFF" of the expansion of British forces along the West African coast during WW2.

    It does not mention the Coastal Regiment but does state that local units were raised to take over coastal defence duties from British units.

    Good Luck in your search
    Harry
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Julie
    This may help??? There is a mention of 16 Coast Regt if you scroll down but they appear to be at Colchester rather than Sierra Leone. Maybe Sierra Leone was a tour or exercise?

    The Batteries
     
  4. JDG

    JDG Junior Member

    Julie
    I have not been able to find a direct reference to the Coastal Regiment, but I do recommend the book "A Funny Place To Hold a War" by John Harris.

    Although this is a novel it is based on the author's experiences during WW2 when serving in Sierra Leone.

    The enemy was using the Vichy French territories that surround Sierra Leone to infiltrate saboteurs and agents.

    "The History of the Royal West African Frontier Force" by Haywood and Clarke provides an interesting account in Chapter 9 "The Fall of France and the Expansion of the RWAFF" of the expansion of British forces along the West African coast during WW2.

    It does not mention the Coastal Regiment but does state that local units were raised to take over coastal defence duties from British units.

    Good Luck in your search
    Harry

    Thanks very much for providing the details of the two books. As luck would have it I shall be in Glasgow tomorrow, where there is an excellent Borders bookshop so will see if I can pick up the novel. I'll try the library for the other book.

    :poppy: In Rememberance of William James West 1898-1918
     
  5. JDG

    JDG Junior Member

    Hi Julie
    This may help??? There is a mention of 16 Coast Regt if you scroll down but they appear to be at Colchester rather than Sierra Leone. Maybe Sierra Leone was a tour or exercise?

    The Batteries


    Thanks for the information on the web site. There are references to Sierra Leone on my Grandfather's Service Record, and some great photos of him in Africa. We also have an embroidered bit of material, which is what started me off on this quest which has on it the date of 2nd June 1941 16th Coastal Regiment Sierra Leone WAF. The material has been framed professionally and as soon as I can I'll take a snap of it and load it to the site, as there are also some emblems on the corners that I would like to identify.

    :poppy: In Rememberance of William James West 1898-1918
     
  6. bushfighter

    bushfighter Junior Member

    Julie

    Martin Farndale's book: "History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The Years of Defeat 1939-41" lists 16 Coast Regiment in his Annex H (Royal Artillery, Order of Battle) as being in West Africa.

    In Annex M (Regiments of the Royal Artillery, 1939-1945 and subsequently) it mentions 16 Coast Regiment as forming in December 1940 under the title Sierra Leone Coast Regiment and becoming 16 Coast Regiment in June 1941.

    It later became Sierra Leone Heavy Regiment and was disbanded in December 1945.

    It was a Regular Army unit.

    There is no mention of the unit in the text of this book, but perhaps later volumes of this history mention it in more detail.

    Harry
     
  7. JDG

    JDG Junior Member

    Julie

    Martin Farndale's book: "History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The Years of Defeat 1939-41" lists 16 Coast Regiment in his Annex H (Royal Artillery, Order of Battle) as being in West Africa.

    In Annex M (Regiments of the Royal Artillery, 1939-1945 and subsequently) it mentions 16 Coast Regiment as forming in December 1940 under the title Sierra Leone Coast Regiment and becoming 16 Coast Regiment in June 1941.

    It later became Sierra Leone Heavy Regiment and was disbanded in December 1945.

    It was a Regular Army unit.

    There is no mention of the unit in the text of this book, but perhaps later volumes of this history mention it in more detail.

    Harry

    Harry, Thanks so much for the details and the book title you provided. With each snippet I am building up a picture of my Grandfather's military life. I will see if I can source the book.

    :poppy: In Rememberance of William James West 1898-1918
     

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