Well, having prepared myself to be patient, and wait until probably the new year for my grandfather's service record, I was very, very pleased to hear this morning that the copies of my Grandfather's service record have arrived, although typically when I am not at home! My Mum was as keen as me to see what the record said and managed to share a few snippets with me over the phone this morning, to keep me going I suspect! Here are a few of those snippets - Unit 81st (Welsh) Field Regiment (RA) 3rd Dec 1945 which is when I assume that my Grandfather was discharged. This is a different regiment from the one recorded on the embroidery that started my search off in the first place. BW NW Europe 18th July 1944-29th Nov 1945 Quite what this means I am not sure, and I am working slightly blind by not having the copies in front of me. The record also lists that my Grandfather was a cook for 18 months. This we did actually know, but the record confirms it. I wonder how many men he cooked for? Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble. Regards Julie
Julie - I moved this to a new thread so you can get some better responses. 81st Field Regt RA served with 53rd (Welsh) Division. More on 81st here: RA 1939-45 81 Fld Rgt More on 53rd Division here: 53rd Welch Division Normandy 1944
Julie - I moved this to a new thread so you can get some better responses. 81st Field Regt RA served with 53rd (Welsh) Division. More on 81st here: RA 1939-45 81 Fld Rgt More on 53rd Division here: 53rd Welch Division Normandy 1944 Thanks Paul for moving this into a new thread, and for the links you provided. Regards Julie
Maybe he was ACC attached to the regiment, I have quite a number of ACC cooks killed on my site Sorry, what is ACC? Regards Julie
So he was a Gunner on enlistment rather than ACC. His number 1745971 fits into the block for Royal Artillery not Army Catering Corps Royal Artillery 721001 - 1842000 and 11000001 - 11500000 Army Catering Corps 10630001 - 10655000
This page will explain how a Field Regiment was organised & how many men your Grandad cooked for. British Artillery Organisations 1939-45 At the outbreak of war a field regiment was 28 officers and 555 other ranks, the 1941 organisation increased this to 36 & 634. Cooks from the Army Catering Corps (ACC), these had been RA until the ACC was created in 1941 This page shows a Field Regiment in 1944 & what everone's job was, what vehicles they used etc etc Organisation of a Field Regiment 1944 The ACC had 3 ncos & 18 privates attacthed to a Field Regt..
So he was a Gunner on enlistment rather than ACC. His number 1745971 fits into the block for Royal Artillery not Army Catering Corps Royal Artillery 721001 - 1842000 and 11000001 - 11500000 Army Catering Corps 10630001 - 10655000 The Service Record has been forwarded to me by Mum and arrived this morning. All the references indicate that he joined as a gunner and the Notification of Impending Release paper signed by the Major commanding 323rd Field Battery states that he was employed as a battery cook and had been for the past 18 months, though he has never been officially tested as such and he coped extraordinary well. That document is signed 26th Nov 1945 at BAOR. Regards Julie
A few copies of Divisional History on here for 20 quid. I've got one, rather good. It will tell you where & what the Division as a whole did in 44/45. AbeBooks: Search Results - barclay and 53rd
A few copies of Divisional History on here for 20 quid. I've got one, rather good. It will tell you where & what the Division as a whole did in 44/45. AbeBooks: Search Results - barclay and 53rd Thanks for the various web link and the details about the book. I am planning to sit and produce a chronology of which regiment and the various dates, so that I can really understand where he was and when. I've just noticed a few extra bits - RA Depot Woolwich Fort Staddon 1941 Posted draft RFKGH 1941 16th Coastal Reg - which was the regiment on the embroidery that started the search off in the first place! 1943 Posted 533 Coastal Regiment 1944 81st Field Regiment How I wish that he was here to tell me all about it. On reading all the papers I really do feel very proud and slightly emotional over the whole thing. Regards Julie
What was the reference to embroidery? I am researching WW2 embroidery and stitch - can you enlighten me please? Thanks
What was the reference to embroidery? I am researching WW2 embroidery and stitch - can you enlighten me please? Thanks I inherited a very simple bit of plain blue material, on which my Grandfather has embroidered an emblem on each corner and in the centre his name G Butcher, WAF, 2nd Jun 1941. I'll try and take a phone of it and upload it here for you. I had it professionally framed about 10 years ago and now hangs very proudly on the wall on the landing where I see it every day. Of course, it is very ironic that I should be replying to your posting exactly 68 years after he embroidered the date on the material.
Julie, I'm currently studying the 53rd Welsh Division and all of their gubbins and currently transcribing all the War Diaries from the National Archives at Kew... I should get round to the 81st Field Artillery Diary within a month, but a good book to read - if you can get it is Patrick Delaforce's "Red Dragon and Crown" but its somewhat expensive and out of print. They are also requently mentioned in the 53rd Divisions history published in 1960. PM me your email addy and I'll send you the word file when its done. Also do you have any other items/writings of his service?
Julie, I'm currently studying the 53rd Welsh Division and all of their gubbins and currently transcribing all the War Diaries from the National Archives at Kew... I should get round to the 81st Field Artillery Diary within a month, but a good book to read - if you can get it is Patrick Delaforce's "Red Dragon and Crown" but its somewhat expensive and out of print. They are also requently mentioned in the 53rd Divisions history published in 1960. PM me your email addy and I'll send you the word file when its done. Also do you have any other items/writings of his service? Thanks for this, I have PMed my email address to you. I have a copy of my Grandfather's service record and his pay book in addition to the embroidered material. Also I was pointed by another researcher to a book, the name escapes me for the moment but it was by John Harris, so thanks for the book tip.
