1st batt north staffs regiment 1932-1946

Hiya My father was in the north staffs as title and I would love to know his movements during this time. I am trying to complete a family tree for my offspring (should of listened more when he was alive!) I know he was in India first, Burma and France during the war. He was in the band played a flute. I have an album full of photos of handsome gentleman such a shame only names on a couple - its sad that they might mean something to someone so if anyone is interested please contact me. Will post or email pics. On the north staffs website there is a pic of my Dad in India! Any help much appreciated. Kind regards to you all. Keep up the good work

 

Sue:

Here are the movements of the 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment. They remained in the Far East during the entire war. If he was in France he might have transferred to another battalion at some point. You should probably apply for his records.


1st Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s)

Poona Independent Brigade Area – 3 September 1939 to October 1940
At the outbreak of war, the 1st Battalion was located at Ghorpuri Barracks in Poona. It remained in Poona under the Poona (Independent) Brigade until October 1940, when the 2nd Border Regiment relieved it.

Presidency and Assam District – October 1940 to 13 August 1942
It then moved to Calcutta under the Calcutta Fortress and was there until August 13th, 1942, when the 9th Border Regiment relieved it. While at Calcutta riots were common and detachments of the battalion were sent off to various part of Bengal Province to prevent outbreaks. The outbreaks occurred at Kathihar, Paksio, Santahar, Ishurdi, and Parbatipur. ‘C’ Company was sent to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the SS Maraja on October 23rd, 1941 It was withdrawn on March 20th, 1942, three days before the Japanese landed on the islands. The 1st North Staffs spent the first part of 1942 in Calcutta. It became part of the XV Corps Line of Communications Area in April 1942, when the district headquarters formed the corps headquarters.

36th Indian Infantry Brigade – 13 August 1942 to 11 September 1943
The 1st North Staffs joined the Barrrackpore-based brigade on August 13th, 1942 to replace the 7/5th Mahratta Light Infantry, which was sent to Rawapindi to convert to an armoured regiment. During its time in the Calcutta area with the brigade, the battalion did a stint of jungle training in the Barasat (although ‘A’ Company remained on internal duties at Calcutta), but in general the role of the brigade was internal security, coast defence, and railway protection in the Calcutta area. The battalion was mobilised at Calcutta on October 1st, 1942.
Orders to proceed to the Arakan arrived on April 10th, 1943 and the brigade embarked at Calcutta on April 16th. It arrived at Chittagong in the Arakan on April 22nd. By the following day elements had arrived at Maungdaw and the 36th Indian Brigade completed it concentration at Maungdaw on the 24th. The brigade was ordered from Maungdaw to move up to behind the 55th Indian Brigade in order to attack from the Kanthe positions by May 1st to occupy the high ground northwest of Hparabyin. The brigade found the enemy in considerable strength on the high ground southwest of Seinnyinbya. The operation was cancelled for the brigade on May 1st and it was withdrawn into reserve to the Letwedet area. On May 3rd, the Japanese occupied Point 551, which dominated the road from Maungdaw to Buthidaung. On the night of May 3rd/4th, the brigade was ordered to recapture Point 551 aided by the 9/15th Punjabis detached from the 71st Indian Brigade. The brigade had some success on the 4th with the 8/13th Frontier Force Rifles clearing some enemy positions on the north end of the ridge and the 9/15th Punjabis establishing a line behind it, but the 1st North Staffs and the 5/16th Punjabis made little headway in their attack from the east. Meanwhile the enemy cut the road between the 3rd and 4th milestones west of Buthidaung. This cut off all troops east of the Tunnels, in the Mayu Valley, and at Buthidaung from their base at Maungdaw. A general withdrawal was then ordered with 36th Brigade used to extricate the 55th Indian Brigade. The brigade withdrew from Buthidaung on May 7th, 1943 after fighting rearguard action at Letwedet all day. It moved to Ngaakyedauk Pass on May 8th taking over from the 55th Brigade. It left Maungdaw on May 11th and Maungdaw was abandoned to the enemy the next day.
On May 13th, the 26th Indian Infantry Division issued an operational instruction that defined the new role for the 36th Indian Brigade. The brigade would be based on Bawli Bazaar to secure the line of communications to the 4th Indian Brigade at Goppe Bazaar and to prevent and Japanese penetration northwards in its area. The 36th Indian Brigade relieved the 4th Indian Brigade on May 29th in the Taung Bazaar area and the 1st North Staffs took over Goppe Pass. During this period at the front the battalion was actively patrolling the front and managed to capture a Japanese soldier at Zantellapara. The brigade left the front on July 25th and embarked for Cox’s Bazaar from Bawli Bazaar. Two days later it arrived and the battalion remained at Cox’s Bazaar until it left the Brigade for Dinapore on September 11th, 1943.

152nd Line of Communications Sub-Area – 27 September 1943 to 28 May 1945
The battalion then returned to India and served at Dinapore under the 152nd LOC Sub-Area on internal security duties.

101st Line of Communications Area – 28 May 1945 to 31 August 1945
It served at Ranchi under the 101st LOC Sub-Area on internal security duties.

 

Hi Dryan67 Sorry I forgot how to get onto this website!! Yes I am hopeless but just on now and wanted to say a very big thank you for the information you have posted on here. Some of the places you name ring a bell that my father mentioned - I will type this out and keep it - very grateful for your time and trouble many thanks. If I apply for his records I daresay I will have to pay? I do have my fathers army number now so thats a help I guess. Thank you again keep up the good work!!!! Kind regards Sue

 

No problem, Sue. I am glad that I could be on some help.

dryan67

 

Hello! I'm new to the forum . My father also served with the North staffs , in India, but was transferred to the 10th Army , in 1941. His service records show, in 1942, he was was on "detachment duty" in the "field" and returned to his unit. in Jan. 1943. My father was promoted to staff sergeant , then in March , transferred to India and attached to the 33rd Indian Corps. In 1945, he was transferred to RASC, and promoted to WO1.
Sadly, my father never talked much about his war experiences . He had recurring nightmares about those years until he died.
I am curious as to what the detachment duty might have been? I would love to see pictures of the North staffs in india or middle east.
Many Thanks for the troop moments for 1st bttn North staff.
Good Wishes.

 

Could you post a copy of his service record, so that I can see it directly? Sometimes, a different eye (or eyes) may help clarify the record.

 

Hi AraMat96 and Sue B.

I'm not sure if either of you are still active on this site? My Grandfather's story is similar to both of your father's. He (L.E. Hudson) also served in the North Staffs in India and France. He joined as a bandsman boy (15yrs old) and was in the 1st Batt in India from 1929-1938. When war broke out he then transferred to the 2nd Batt (as a Lance Corp in the infantry) which went to France with the BEF. During the fighting at the Dyle river and retreat to Dunkirk he was awarded the Military Medal and then sent to officer training school in England.
He was sent back to India in 1942 as a Lieutenant on attachment to the Indian Army Service Corps. He formed and ran a sub depot supplying the Burma campaign where he stayed till the end of the war and finished up an acting Major.(AraMat96:This maybe what your father did during his detachment duty to the RIASC as well?)

Sue B: If you have any photos of the 1st Battalion Band, I would be interested in seeing them?

Cheers,

 

Hi and welcome. I'd be interested in doing some research on your grandfather during his time in France during 1940, do you have any photo's of him when he was with the BEF?

 

I see he got his MM with another Lance Corporal called Marsh, they were both stretcher bearers.