One of the local casualties that I am researching is the man listed below. Name: PLATT, REUBEN FRANCIS Initials: R F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Gunner Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 51 Bty., 69 Field Regt. Age: 25 Date of Death: 07/11/1944 Service No: 878487 Additional information: Son of Walter Henry and Alice Platt, of Widnes, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. K. 7. Cemetery: MADRAS WAR CEMETERY, CHENNAI A search on 69th Field Regiment, mainly gives results attaining to the 69 (West Riding) Field Regt, who saw actions as follows. Leeds 1938 - 49 Div UK 1939-40 49 (W Riding) Inf Div Iceland 1940-2 - Alabaster Force UK 1942-3 - 49 Inf Div NW Europe 1944-5 - 49 (W Riding) Inf Div but there are a a few references to the 51st Bty 69 Field Rgt, serving with the Chindits (Operation Thursday - 51st/69th Column) as Infantry in Burma / India, which is where my, and many other men listed as 51st Bty 69 Field regt were killed. The only Reference, I can see to 51st Column, relates to the 51 (Westmorland & Cumberland Yeo) Field Regt, who were transfered to To 51st Column in 10/43, and are listed as serving as follows Carlisle 1938 - 42 Div UK 1939-40 - 42, 46 Inf Divs Norway 1940 (1 bty) N Africa 1940-1 - W Desert Force (13 Corps Troops & 6 Aust Div) Tobruk 1941 - 9 Aust Inf Div N Africa 1941 - 8 Army Troops (Army Fd Regt) Ceylon, India 1942-3 - 16 Inf Bde, 34 Indian & 70 Inf Divs India 1943-4 - Special Force Burma 1944 - 51 Colm 16 LRP Bde (Chindits) Even the Burma star site, only includes information on the 51st Field Rgt, although it does mention the 69th L.A.A. Regiment..... Can anyone add any more info to this? Phil
Phil Can't be 69 Field Regiment as they were fighting alongside my Dad's unit in Belgium at that time and had one of their FOOs with them. Here is a copy of 69 Field Regt War Diary for October 1944 in which 189, 273 and 448 Batteries are under command. Checked out the War Diaries for 69 Regt listed at Kew and the only one in the same theatre as your man, looks like being 69 LAA. Also checked Geoff's search engine and there are a load of men listed for 1944 under 51st Bty, 69 Field and also 51st Bty, 69 Regt. Wouldn't mind betting that the one's listed under the former title have been tagged incorrectly. Cheers - Robert
Cheers Robert, bit of a strange one. Could understand the CWGC getting one wrong, but not the amount that there are there. I am inclined to think that volunteers were asked for, and those the joined the 51st Field Regt. I will have to look at there casualty list to see if they are listed seperatley or if they are all under 51st 69th, which is my betting. P
A bit on 69 LAA, doesnt look too close, but it was in India! RA 1939-45 69 LAA I have also found a forum dedicated to the RA The Royal Artillery Association › Community Forums › Home I havent joined yet, the units I'm finding hardest are the Indian Army units, nowhere near as well documented as RA. Pete. Ps havent forgotten your Somerset photo's, just havent had chance, next week if its not raining!
Ps havent forgotten your Somerset photo's, just havent had chance, next week if its not raining! Cheers Pete, and i havent forgotten the Reg History, typed another couple of pages last night. P
Hi Phil, glad to find somebody with a link to 69th Field Regiment, fighting in Belgium. My father was with the 69th when the war started and went to France & Belgium with the BEF until he was evacuated from Dunkirk. Was your Dad with the regiment around 1940? Kevin
Hi Could anybody tell me what RA Regiments were in the Alabaster Force in 1941? Thanks Keith I put this in the wrong place
Hi Phil, glad to find somebody with a link to 69th Field Regiment, fighting in Belgium. My father was with the 69th when the war started and went to France & Belgium with the BEF until he was evacuated from Dunkirk. Was your Dad with the regiment around 1940? Kevin Hi Kevin - I think you may mean the 69th Med Regt? The Field Regt were in the UK for the first half of 1940 and deployed to Iceland for the 2nd half according to the war diaries.
