176 HAA Battery 146 HAA Regt. Research for my grandfather Gunner 14378089 Arthur Winter

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Dom Winter, Jul 6, 2021.

  1. Dom Winter

    Dom Winter Member

    I am researching my grandfather who served in 146 HAA regt / 176 HAA Battery in the Royal Artillery. I am about to apply for his records to get more details but do have quite a bit of information based on a collection of letters that he wrote to my late father (then aged 6) which relates to his training in the uk, crossing over to france and then his time in belgium holland and germany ending up in Lubeck. I have a large collection of postcards he sent with the letters detailing the places he went to. I created a photo book for my family so the letters are retained as they are very delicate and an online version is here if you are interested View online photobook I find them fascinating as he is very discriptive and I donlt think there are may cases of letters being sent back to children, but as I have a strong family connection I am obvioulsy very biased :) One thing I do know is that he was at Belsen when it was liberated or shortly after, he told us that on his 80th birthday (not even his wife knew that until then) he drove a lorry but I am not sure what he was transporting but in the book there is a drawing of his lorry done by a 10 year old boy who lived in a house he visited in Ostend, we have no idea why he would have visted the house. My intention is to find out all I can about the movements of his regiment and battery and track his progress in line with the letters he was sending back and hopefully try and get them published in some way so any advice and guidance on researching is welcome as well :) I am hoping that someone else has a relative who servced in the same regiment and mybe already has the war diaries for the regiment or battery. In the photo he is third row third from left which I assume is from his training - when he joined and trained he was with 98 Field Regiment in the UK (at the butlins camp in Clacton) so I assume this was taken there.
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Derek Barton

    Derek Barton Senior Member

    Dom thank you for posting that. I've only had a quick look so far but it promises to be a fascinating read. For a brief history of 146 HAA Regt's war see here.
    Derek
     
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  3. Dom Winter

    Dom Winter Member

    Thanks for that - yes I am sure once I get to see his records which hopefully still survive and the war diaries from the regiment there will be alot more detail - he never really spoke about it and I always knew these letters existed but only last year did I actually take the time to transcribe them and I think they paint a fascinating picture albeit filtered for the brain of a 6 year old
     
  4. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    16 May 45 – 146th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery from General Headquarters Anti-Aircraft Troops to 21st Army Group Troops
    Regimental Headquarters: Bad Oeynhausen, Landkreis Minden – preparing the town prior to the arrival of HQ 21st Army Group
    5 Jun 45 – 80th Anti-Aircraft Brigade relieving 46th Commando Regiment Royal Marines of 1st Commando Brigade
    Regimental Headquarters: Niendorf south-east of Malente, Landkreis Eutin
    20 Sep 45 – disbandment order issued
    2 Nov 45 – disbanded

    176 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery was located at Timmendorfer Strand north-east of Lübeck

    Sorry do not have a firm location prior to 16 May 45 or a War Dairy for the regiment

    Best of luck with your research

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
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  5. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Dom, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your 'Dear David' photobook.
     
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  6. Dom Winter

    Dom Winter Member

    Thanks for this Steve ... That explains some of the postcards I have from Timmendorfer Strand he sent back to my dad and the first letter he sent to my dad where he says he is in Oostee or the Baltic is 16th June so that all fits.
     
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  7. JanWhin

    JanWhin New Member

    I have come to this forum only lately but I was amazed to pick up this thread. My father was a gunner in the 146 HAA during the war. He set off after D Day from a camp in Sturrington, Kent, landed on King Beach, a sub set of Gold and he kept a diary of the latter stages in Germany. His diary mirrors Dom's account from his grandfather's letters. I have a really good photograph of his gun team and he did say that they went into Bergen Belsen. He ended up on SS guard duty and I have another photograph of him and his mate, Lofty (for obvious reasons), guarding the SS Cages.
     
  8. Rachel Griffiths

    Rachel Griffiths New Member

    Hi, my ancestor was in the 176 H.A.A regiment and I would love to see the diaries you refer to but the link doesn’t appear to work. He died in what we believe was a suicide mission but his war records are taking an age to return. Any information you can see in terms of diaries would be useful. We aim to visit France for Remembrance Day so would love to know where they were fighting on 23rd Jan 1945?
     

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