457 Light Battery Commanding Officer

Gents

Can anyone decypher the hand writing to discover the name of the 457th's commanding officer please?



Cheers

Bob

 

What month/year is that please?

Lesley

 

Hi Bob, I'm no expert but could it be Major Brian Kingzett, here's a link where his name is mentioned.
http://www.hut-six.co.uk/WW2data/WO373-2-U.html

Hope this helps and he is your man

 

dec 42 thanks

 

Certainly looks feasable - thanks. Can anyone confirm?

 

Hi Bob, it's a name I came across, which seems to match the hand writing. There are links on peerage which shows his rise in rank.
That's all I have sorry if this is not much help. Good luck, Lesley is brilliant in detective work maybe she could have an answer for you.

David

 

Not this time, sorry to disappoint :wink:

Lesley

 

Thanks Lesley what a shame you are normally so good at finding things out. I'm 99% sure I've got the right man just need confirmation
from the forum guys..........

 

This is what I found
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7347822
Hampshire Yeomanry

 

Brian Kingzett was born in 1923; he got the CBE as a Brigadier in the New Year's Honours of 1962; CBE MC

 

Yes found that one to, not able as yet to confirm his association with 457 light Btry.

 

Wasn't there any Officer Field Returns in the diary? These list all the officers from the CO down.

 

It could be him. He joined 64 AT Regiment on 12th December 1942. Sadly the war diary or Field Return doesn't say where he came from.

What regiment does the battery come from?

 

Supplement to the London Gazette 23rd September 1943
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36180/supplement/4216/data.pdf

"Captain (temporary Major) (acting LieutenantColonel) Brian Kingzett '(44011), Royal Regiment of Artillery (West Byfleet)"


http://www.thepeerage.com/p12155.htm#i121543
Brigadier Brian Kingzett was born before 1923. He is the son of Norman Froggatt Kingzett and Cicely Agnew.1 He married Elizabeth MoranAgnew, daughter of Victor Charles Walter Agnew and Phyllis May Claude Baggally, on 27 October 1938.1
He was invested as a Commander, Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.).1 He was decorated with the award of the Military Cross (M.C.).1 He gained the rank of Brigadier in the service of the Royal Artillery.1

 

Is there any mention of his leaving the battery in the diary you have?

 

Forgive me, especially as I could be wrong was not the 457 unit, a training battery? Just a thought

 

Where the 457 part of the Hampshire Yeomanry coastal defence prior to Dec42 then some of the men went to Nth Africa 1943????

 

It's all very confusing :wink: . Royal Artillery Batteries/Units are a pain in the ****. I seem to be going round in circles on Google :wink:

457th Light Battery were part of British V Corps on 6th December 1942
http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/942BLAA.pdf.

I think we'd best wait for the OP to come back to let us know which Regiment he was in.

 

Me thinks your right Lesley, perhaps Bob could shed some light on this ? Would be nice to know if I've got the right man though

David

 

My money is on Brian Kingzett. It is a very unusual name and there are not likely to be many serving in the Royal Artillery. It was common for officers to switch combat support functions - in this case from anti tank to light artillery.

FdeP