97th Field Regiment RA Kent Yeomanry

My enquiry is about the Kent Yeomanry, which I understand from the KY brass badges in my possession was with whom my father served during WW2. His records, obtained from Glasgow, only refer to his unit as 3rd Field Tng Regt RA 385, which I understand to mean 385th Battery.
Can anyone help me with any history of his unit or their campaigns?

 

Hi, and welcome to the forum.
Could you post the service records? We may be able to help with more info.

 

Hi Brian,

I'm sure some Arty chaps will be along soon to help out. If you are absolutely sure the unit will have a few diaries covering most if not all of the war at the National Archives. Drop me a Private Message if you are interested in me copying them for you.

Ref his service records I would have thought they would contain more details regarding his units-The one you listed sounds like a UK unit that was only used for training troops before they were posted to a regiment. Do you know when he joined up and was demobbed?

Regards
Andy

 

Brian.

97 Fd Regt RA supported 10 Indian Division at the Battle of Monte Cassino in May 44. 10 Indian Division were part of XIII (British) Corps who were the first British troops to break into the Liri valley.

Regards

FdeP

 

My brother-in-law's Father ended up as Adjutant of the 97th.

Very Potted History
One of the first TA units into France 1939 and forced to leave via Dunkirk & St Valery. Garrison duty in Wales and then Essex. Long ship journey to Iraq as part of PAIForce. Into the western desert losing all their guns in defensive actions against the Rommel. Re-equipped, they fought in all the major conflicts there including El Alemein where they were part of 7Armoured Division. They followed to Tunisia and then moved into Palestein. After a spell there and on Cyprus they entered into Italy and remained with 10 Indian Division throughtout the rest of the War

385 was one of the Regiment's batteries. Do you have his service dates so I can let you have a bit more detail

JIm

 

Jim.

Was your Brother in Law's Father the Adjt during the Monte Cassino battle of May 44?

FdeP

 

Hi

No, he became the Adjutant just before the Regiment was placed into Suspension at the end of the War, probably one of the last officers just winding it up. He joined the Regiment just before El Alemain and had a spell away during 1944 when he did an Airborne Spotting course. I will have to dig out my records but I think he might not have been at Cassino.

Unfortunately my brother in law never got round to getting his Service Record so pre and post 97th is still a mystery (some people just can't get excited about history!)

Jim

 

Hi Auditman,

you seem to know something about a unit which I am interested in.

Do yopu have any detail with regard to 385 Bty during the withdrawal to St Valery.

I would appriciate it.

Thanks

John

 

3 Training Regt RA would be where he did his initial gunnery training. This was at Larkhill until 1942 when it moved to Whalley, Lancashire.

385 Bty was part of 97 Fld. You can find a brief summary of their history here:

RA 1939-45 97 Fld Rgt

 

For John

i could not remember what I had but I seem to have done this bit right. This was an early project in the days before I photographed War Diaries.

385 To St valery


385 Battery

Remember that 385 had detached to 1 Royal Horse Artillery at the Saar. This is their story
23/4
Arrived Mafrecourt prior to lying up in the Forest of Argonne
24/4
To Hagondage near Metz. Saw a building bathed in light that turned out to be a foundry. A poor view was taken of this as bad security. A French policeman advised that there was a similar foundry in Germany owned by the same company and an agreement had been made that neither would be bombed.
29/4
Battery HQ to be 7 miles in front of Maginot Line. 6 course lunch and 7 course evening meal with French battery that they were taking over from.
4/5
“B” Troop came into action near Bibche and fired what may be the first British artillery round in anger in France. “A” Troop was at St Oswald’s Chateau. “C” Troop at Ferange.

Several Spanish customs between the French and the Germans such as no shooting at private houses or working parties of up to 5 men. During period at Maginot Line the battery fired about 4,000 rounds.
22/5
Division to Sedan
23/5
To Mancheville
24/5
To concentration at Varenne
25/5
To Vitry
26/5
To Sezanne
27/5
To Henonville to concentrate at Haut Foret d’Eu
28/5
Into action at Marquanville and Ercourt in support of 154 Infantry Brigade. Heavy shelling but of 36 rounds that landed in one Troop area only (?) 12 exploded.
30/5
Move to Huppy after being replaced by French artillery.
2/6
Provided smoke for an attack east of Abbeville. Some 1600 smoke rounds fired. 2% were prematures and landed in French battery “which annoyed them considerably”
Withdrew to Doudelainville.
5/6
In action all day but very difficult due to enemy aircraft. Orders at night to withdraw to Rambures where they went to action.
6/6
Orders to move to Foret d’Eu at 2am. Lost some gunners who drove straight into a village unaware of the withdrawal. Severely bombed in afternoon with 3 killed and 17 wounded. At night in Fresnoy supporting Royal Scots Fusiliers and came into action at Floques. Heard that Division was to be evacuated from Le Harvre.
9/6
Action at Brequement but no contact with enemy.
10/6
Short but unpleasant March southwest of Dieppe. Enemy attacked and Battery was largely instrumental in repelling attack.
11/6
In action at Blosseville sur Mer and a bridgehead was formed around St Valery; 152 Brigade on east and 153 on south. Battery ordered to come into action on outskirt of St Valery to cover infantry withdrawal.

Dates were vague from this point.

Guns and vehicles destroyed and then to town only to be told that there were no boats. Some boats were spotted in the distance and order given to follow the Battery Commander. Leaving wood to the northeast of St Valery. Running along the cliff pursued by German machine gun rounds.

Near Veules les Roses found a number of Frenchmen trying to get down a cliff using ropes not knowing that the village at its foot was not occupied by the Germans.

Got down to beach using a narrow track through a wood. There were four groynes out to sea. Three were occupied by many French soldiers one by a few British soldiers from Duke of Wellington’s Own. Small boats were coming from ships at intervals. Boats were under fire from cliffs southwest of St Valery and northeast of Veules.

Initial evacuations were well ordered but as the tide moved out the French started panicking. Because of the risk of swamping the navy stood the small boats outside of wading depth so evacuees had to swim to them. 1 officer drowned making the attempt. One NCO in charge of a full boat without oars organised the men to use their helmets and after a long row made their way to the ships.

Battery taken to Southampton after 27 hours. Ship was full with little food or water. But eventually “we were safely back in England and enjoying meat pies, tea, chocolate and woodbines., the first real meal for more than 2 days”.

During 5 weeks of fighting the battery came into action 12 times, 10 of which were in the last 12 days. Considered to be the first in and last out of action in the Battle of France. Fired between 20-25,000 rounds.

1 officer and 3 ORs killed, 19 ORs wounded, 3 Officers and 39 ORs prisoner and 2 ORs missing

This is I recall a mix of war Diary (WO167/502) and a book "Yeoman Service" by F Lushington (CO of 97FR at the time)

 

Thank you Auditman, much appreciated, lots of little bits clicking into position. Everyone's accounts adds a little more detail.

All the best

John

 

Hi Brian,

My Grandad and Great uncle both served in 385 Battery from the outbreak of the war, PM me for more details if you would like.

you may also find this book of interest:

The Kent Yeomanry: Amazon.co.uk: Boris Mollo: Books

Regards Jim.

 

Greetings

I have a friend who served with the 97th Field Regiment. I often take him to the remembrance day service.

 

Hello,
My father Capt AJ Burrows (Anto) served in the Kent Yeomanry. He joined the TA before the war and went over to France early on. He was married on leave in Feb 1940 and I have a salver presented by his brother officers which has all their signatures on it (I could transcribe these if anyone is interested). He had a tough time at Dunkirk, but made light of it according to my aunt. He told her that he had to swim out to the ship and someone stole his trousers while they were drying. She said they had almost given up hope, when someone dropped a piece of paper out of a train as it rushed through Bromley South station saying 'The West Kent Yeomanry are back'. The news went round like wildfire and everyone was desperate to know whether their family member had got out. Eventually she received a phone call from Morecombe Bay in Lancashire, where the regiment had been taken to regroup.
I also have a WW1 bayonet which apparently he found in a ditch, perhaps discarded by a fleeing French farmer. It was the only thing he brought out with him - my mother was so cross!
He went to Iraq and later on to North Africa, where he was taken ill (before El Alamein I think) and wound up in hospital in South Africa. When he recovered he volunteered for Fitzroy Maclean's mission to Yugoslavia, and was parachuted in to the island of Vis as a Gunnery instructor for Tito's partisans. He died in 1949 when I was aged seven (and my mother in 1958) so I know very little more about his war service. I have ordered Boris Mollo's book to see if I can find out any more, but any other information would be welcome.

 

Boris Mollo's Kent Yeomanry (as DanaeF47 above) is the latest published. The regimental history for WW2 is "Yeoman Service" by Lt Col Franklin Lushington. This was published in 1947 but copies turn up online and inter-library loans can work surprising miracles. It focuses on 97 but has a brief war diary of the second line (143 Field Regiment), honours, casualties etc.

The KY merged to form the Kent and County of London Yeomanry in the 1960s. The KCLY has a pretty good website and newsletter. The museum trust can also be reached through the site

 

Hi Peter
I'll ask if he knew your father. Mind you looking at your timeline they may well have passed like ships in the night, literally. With one arriving in South Africa and another leaving about that time.

Jim

 

Do you have information relating to 387 Battery which I believe it was part of 97TH Regt RA, My Grandfather Edward Gazeley was a L/Bdr Regt No 6397937. He was in the TA in Tunbridge Wells and deployed to France in 1939 however I believe 387 Bty were from Bromley
We know he was evacuated from Dunkirk, and I have pictures of him with ‘F’ troop in Palestine, Egypt and Iraq, I believe he ended the war in Italy

 

My father Norman Stewart Dunster was in the 97 Field Regiment under
LT COL LUSHINGTON - he lived in Tenterden. I have got some information but wondered if there was anyone out there who might have known him or can give me more information - many thanks - Barbara

 

Hi im doing abit of family research for my mum she lost contact with all her family so i can only give the details ive got. I was wondering if anyone would have any information or know anyone who would have served with my mums uncle 917730 Lance Bombardier Philip William Phillips he was killed in egypt on the 29th june 1942 aged 22. Apparently he used to box but not sure if it was while he was in the forces or on civvy street I hope somebody can help I look forward to hearing from anybody.

Thank you Darren

 

Hi Barbara
I am connected to the Kent & Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum and can tell you that our records show that a 887164 Gunner N S Dunster enlisted into the 97th (KY) Field Regt RA on 13/10/1938. He was initially posted to 386 Battery at Ashford (before it became part of 143 (KY) Fd Regt and went to France with 385 Bty. He was wounded on 06/06/1940. His rank at this time is shown as U/L/BDR which I interpret as an unpaid Lance-Bombadier (those promoted locally without reference to higher authority). Hope this helps.