Im currently reseaching my grandfathers war service on behalf of my Dad and putting together a small service record. I have obtained his records etc and obtained the war diary from the National Archives of the units movements from when he landed in March 1943 as part of the latter element of Operation Vulcan. However I cannot tell what squadron he was assigned to A, B, C, HQ etc. I know he served on mortars Does anyone have a list/way of telling the squadron a soldier was mainly with (its fairly easy with Officers, not with OR's) His name was Trooper A C Farrow (Charlie) Also rather than move on to Monte Cassino and Italy he returned to the UK in March 1944 possibly after hospitalisation? Would anyone be aware of the existance of injury records - I couldnt find any in the 1943 files Thanks in advance for any help in piecing together the jigsaw!
Did you get copies of just the diaries and or the appendices? If you got the appendices too then there definitely won't be one in that diary. You could try earlier diaries if he was with the unit before 1943. WO 166 files tend to be the ones that list ORs the most but nothing is 100% regarding the files content. If he was using mortars there's a good possibility he was in the Support Company, although I didn't think Recce units used mortars.
Welcome to the forum, great to have another Recce on board. Do you have any photos etc that you might like to post? Also you might like to post your Grandfathers records. What is your Grandfathers Regimental No? I'm asking so that I can add his name to a Recce Nominal Roll that I am attempting to create. Cheers Paul
JFarr29, With the help of a forum friend Robert (Ramacal), I have posted the War Diaries for the whole of 1944 and 1945. I have not been able to establish from my late fathers record which Squadron he was assigned, but from a Scottish friend who served with my father I established that it was "B" Squadron. Alas, this friend has also passed away last year. You may have luck looking at the addendums in early 1944 as transfers are normally listed. Unfortunately there are holes in my fathers records and the Archives stated that they had copied everything, so I wish you luck in finding your relatives Squadron. Regards Tom
Thanks - his army number was 10600933 I may go back and look at the 1944 files if I can locate the WO numbers needed. I have all the appendices from 1943 The Regiment certainly did use Mortar troops in small numbers along with mortar carrier vehicles, there are several references throughout the files. From 1942 his record shows 4th Recce to 8/43 XII for one month 4th Recce to 10/43 XII again XIV XII again then embarkation to UK Are XI, XIV codes hospital visits? Id assumed XII couldve been a temporary transfer to 12 Infantry Brigade (as this was under 4 Inf along with the Recce) but then there was no 14 brigade. I've a picture of him wearing a captured German jacket with Iron Cross so he found some prisoners somewhere!
