7012728 Francis GLOVER, Royal Ulster Rifles

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by andrew glover, Jan 20, 2020.

  1. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    E7BB9ACE-980C-4D4D-BB99-849896A057B4.jpeg Hi am looking for help to find out about my grandfather. His name was Francis Glover from comber Co Down Northern Ireland. I believe he was in the royal Ulster rifles and possibly a paratrooper. I have photos and no he was in bourley camp aldershot 1936 as its on one of the pics also picks from China and Middle East I think A3BF9783-A85C-4CFC-A890-855B7B17144C.jpeg
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Andrew

    The very first action you need to do is to obtain his service records, they are only available from the MOD and the link for the forms is Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide they are not available anywhere else, and will provide you with the outline of where he served, in which units and when he served in them. It will stop all the guessing and following false trails
    They really are the skeleton you need to understand his military service. When you have them I would suggest you start a new thread solely for him so to keep all his details in one place

    TD

    Perhaps Mods can move it to a thread of its own
     
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  3. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum. I saw your earlier post on GWF.

    Hopefully a MOD will move this to a stand-alone topic and you could then post all the pictures you posted on GWF.

    I’d echo TD’s above comments. Very few WW2 records are in the public domain - unlike WW1.

    Your starting point ought to be making a MOD application.

    Good Luck.

    Steve
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2020
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  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Moved your query to its own thread, Andrew.
    (And sorry if you received a garbled notification message. My phone misbehaved.)
    Gave it a quick title, but you can edit it to anything you think more appropriate.

    Good luck,
    ~A
     
  5. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

  6. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    A few more pics. Feel free to share or use if need. And many thanks for all your help
     
  7. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles were posted to Hong Kong in the 1930's, that might explain the China Light and Power Co. Ltd. photograph?
    They were also on the N.W.F. in India when war started.
    The 1st Battalion were converted to an airborne glider unit and became the 1st (Airborne) Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles.
     
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  8. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    Yes my father said he was on the N.W.F in India. Great info thank you. Much appreciated
     
  9. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    If he served on NWF pre war you may find him listed on the India GSM rolls that are on either Ancestry or FMP.

    He’ll be listed by Surname and initials so you’ll likely be able to identify his service number from the medal roll - but in any event MOD will search for his service record based on his DOB & full name only.

    You’ll also need his death certificate. If he died in the north of Ireland you’ll have to apply via PRO NI -

    Death certificate application form | nidirect

    Steve
     
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  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Possibly him

    UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
    Name: F Glover
    Service Date: 1937-1939
    Service Place: India
    Campaign or Service: India - NW Frontier
    Regiment or Unit Name: 1st Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles
    Regimental Number: 7012728
    31794_221590-00603.jpg

    TD
     
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  11. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    OMG this has just sent shivers up my spine! I really can’t thank you all enough for taking the time to find this information. Greatly appreciated
     
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  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Its now becoming urgent (if you havent already) to send off for his service records

    TD
     
  13. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Wounded in action in Normandy June 1944, serving with the 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles, date not recorded.
    Screen Shot 2020-01-21 at 11.52.25.png
    Screen Shot 2020-01-21 at 11.52.45.png
     
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  14. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    Yes am going to speak to my father tonight. See what else he can remember and I think he might have a death certificate
     
  15. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

  16. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    No way. I remember a story I was only little of my grandfather being in hospital not long before he passed away. And for some reason they were taking ex rays of his legs and they said there was shrapnel in them
     
  17. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    His service records should record when he was injured so with that info you can look through the war diaries in Guys link above (or straight there via 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles in WW2: 2RUR War Diary), which may indicate the location/position he was in when injured

    TD
     
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  18. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    Thank you!
     
  19. andrew glover

    andrew glover Member

    Met with my father tonight. Told me he also was in Berma and had the Berma star Medal
     
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  20. Quis Separabit

    Quis Separabit Junior Member

    Hi Andrew

    British Army Casualty Records show, as above, that he was injured with 2 RUR during the early part of the Normandy Campaign along with 36 other members of 2 RUR (including one specified as 8th June).

    Scanning through the other records included within WO417/77 the vast majority relate to the first week or two after D-Day and during this time the vast majority of 2RUR casualties were caused as a result of the battle for Cambes Wood.

    The first assault on Cambes Wood across open corn fields was by D Company on the 7th June which saw them lose almost a quarter of their men due to the unforeseen strength of the position, where from elements of the infamously fanatical 12th SS (Hitler Youth) Panzer Division had only recently dug in. The attack had cost D Company its Commander and fourteen Other Ranks killed, one Officer and eleven Other Ranks wounded and four Other Ranks missing, with two Stretcher Bearers from the Medical Section killed whilst tending the wounded.

    As a result, a full Battalion assault was planned to capture Cambes Wood on the 9th June supported by one offshore Royal Navy Cruiser, the whole of the Divisional Artillery, two troops Anti-Tank (RA) - one ordinary and one self propelled, one company 4.2" mortars, one company Medium Machine Guns; one regiment of Sherman tanks (East Riding Yeomanry); and finally Royal Engineers in the shape of assault demolition and mine clearance teams, with five Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers in support.

    At the end of a bitter day of fighting, the Battalions total casualties were three Officers and forty one Other Ranks killed, seven Officers and one hundred and thirty one Other Ranks wounded and evacuated, three Officers and three Other Ranks wounded but not evacuated, one Officer and ten Other Ranks missing, making a total away from the Battalion of eleven Officers and one hundred and eighty two Other Ranks.

    At this point, it was also discovered that several of those wounded during this first attack were found to have been shot in the head at close range.

    So whilst it it will be hard to know exactly when he got wounded without his service record, I would be prepared to wager it was at either the first or second assault on Cambes Wood in early June 1944, or during the period after that when they were dug in to defend it.

    Do you have any dates relating to the pictures as one of them looks similar to the photos of the burial of Major Sweeney in May 1945 (presided over my Montgomery) and another of the bridge could be from Holland.....

    You can see more details about what 2 RUR were doing where and when at 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles in WW2 - if you have names and dates for the pictures relating to 2 RUR then I would be delighted to add them to the site....

    There is also some higher level additional information in the 9th Brigade Headquarters War Diary at 9th British Infantry Brigade During World War 2 which may be of interest.

    Hope this helps.

    Quis Separabit



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