2nd battalion, Middlesex Regiment help please

Hi Richard,

I do hope you are well? Not quite 44, but i do have the War diary of 2 Middlesex, October 39 through to the end of June 40. I think its till about the 26th. It is probably one of the most detailed diaries of any regiment that was part of the B.E.F. ( Not my words), & it is stuffed with detail. If you do need it, then i will send? Nice to see that you are still busy at it.

Regards
Stu.

 

Hi Stu,

Hope you're well too. Still at it but I don't have the time to frequent forums like I used to. You've sent me that diary before as I have it and can only think it's from you.

All the best

Richard

 

That's interesting info John. It seems that 2 Middlesex's MO (Fiona's father) was a Lieutenant rather than Captain.

From the Feb 1944 war establishment for the MG Bn, there seems to have been:

With Bn HQ:
MO, MO's orderly, driver (in 15-cwt truck #1).
Serjeant, 2 stretcher bearers (one of which was a corporal), driver (in 15-cwt truck #2, with medical stores)

With Heavy Mortar Company:
4 stretcher bearers, driver (in 15-cwt truck)

With each Machine Gun Company (three in total):
4 stretcher bearers, carried with 2 signallers and driver (in 15-cwt truck with signal stores)

So very similar, but a couple less stretcher bearers and specifically identified drivers. No info on personal weapons in that version though.

 

Quite possibly. Rex passed away in 2012 (I think) and I was in touch with his son for a short time before. I'll see if I can find his details.

 

Hi Richard, Rex Fendicks book arrived just after xmas. I couldn't put it down. Such good reading and so enlightening. Rex talks about the battalion MO on page 133. I am sure that would have been my father. It is certainly his sense of humour. Thank you so much for letting me know about this book.

 

Thanks to Charley Fortnum for this link. "The Die-Hards" vol 7-10 (December 1946) says that the Battalion's HQ Company "have also bid farewell to our Medical Officer, Capt. Buchan".