99th (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA

Thank you so much for the tip, that's amazing! Any idea where I can start looking? I'm heading to the Bucks Centre for Studies next week for a root around in some old photos of the rgmt. I shall perhaps ask there. I'm waiting for his service record from MOD as I'm not sure whether he was 393, 394 or 472. He was a Battery Sergeant for most of the war, becoming a WOII towards the end but that is all I know. He never told my family anything about his wartime experience. I saw some bits avout twin knobs in the war diary but as I am working through them chronologically I haven't got as far as that research-wise. However, I would really appreciate the scan!

 

Not sure where that footage might be hiding, I'm afraid. The only reference I have to it is on this diary page, and the film unit is only identified as "Press Correspondent":



393 Bty had only arrived on the Donbaik front a few days earlier, so I can't imagine that the men in my grandad's battery (130 Fd Regt 494 Bty) who were entering their third month in action there were too impressed at the new boys getting to be the film stars!

 

Here's a scan of that photo, and also a map which helps visualise the area. Both of these come from Major-General S.Woodburn Kirby's The War Against Japan Volume II: India’s Most Dangerous Hour Luckily my local library had a 1958 copy with all the original fold-out maps, as from what I've read on this forum the recent reprints aren't great. Also, the sketch map of FDL Chaung (the Japanese front line which held against everything the British forces could throw at it) with all of the strong-points marked which I found in 99 Fd. Regt's diary for March 43.

Out of all of the maps of the area I've found, I think these three together give the clearest picture of what it looked like and help the war diary entries make more sense.

 

You might find this useful too. Not a great photo, but this map was tucked in the 1943 diary of my grandfather's regiment and has the grid markings that all of the units in the area were working from, so it can help you to work out exactly where events are taking place when there's only a grid ref mentioned.

 

One other interesting find from the 99th's Diary... This is end of a report from the C.O. in the run up to the fourth and final frontal assault on FDL Chaung before the British retreat. The artillery officers were repeatedly telling higher command that a preliminary bombardment against the enemy line was pointless as most of their bunkers were impervious to the howitzers and 25-pounders, and all it did was warn the Japanese that an attack was coming. They were over-ruled and the attack failed with heavy casualties, just like the last three.

 

Having done some research on a photograph that I have owned for some time, I have worked out that the C sub-section is that of the 99 (The Royal Bucks Yeomanry) Field Regiment.

I have managed to identify at least three of the men in the photograph but need help with the others. Does anyone have a copy of their War Diary and if so, does it give a list of names or possibly a medal roll? I have checked the CWGC website and have found two possible casualties in the photograph but will need to investigate further.

These are the names as they appear on the reverse of the photograph.

Back Row.
Gnr. Gibbs. A.M. Archibald Montague S. Gibbs. 854482.





Deveral. Frederick Thomas. 902101.
Holford.
Couldrey. D.A. Douglas Albert. 905121.



Drew.
Gray.
McDonald.

Sitting. L-R.
Gnr. Conlan.
Bailey. Possibly Gnr Clarence Bailey. 889146. KiA 22nd April 1944. Age 23. Imphal War Cemetery.
L/Bdr. Power or Powers.
Sgt. Swain.
Bdr. Smith.
Gnr. Morris. F.
Jones. W.

 

I am wondering if Bailey is 889146 Gnr. Clarence Bailey who died of wounds on 22nd April, 1944 age 23. He looks much younger in the newspaper cutting which says that he had been in the army for five years. The photograph could therefore have been taken when he first enlisted age 18.

 

I have identified another one.

Sgt Swain. 883417. Reginald Herbert.

 

A really useful summary of the history of 99th Field Regt RA (The Royal Bucks Yeomanry) I came across whilst searching for something else in the wartime newspapers.

 

A random find that may be of interest to researchers of 99th Field Regiment: Oh God, What Next? by Hugh Montefiore.

Joining the Regiment in mid-1941, Montefiore was Assistant GPO 394 Battery, then Intelligence Officer, then Survey Officer. The book is an autobiography with only one fairly brief chapter on his war service (starting p.33), but it's currently available for browsing on the Internet Archive with a borrower account:

Oh God, what next? : Montefiore, Hugh : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

I'd been watching a thread on the 3rd Carabiners within Burma & India (due to my Grandfathers history) and stumbled across this thread.

Both my Grandfather and Great Grandfather had been part of the 99th Bucks prior to Burma part of the TA? And also pre war. They'd both been part of the BEF and the retreat through Dunkirk, and subsequent postings to Yorkshire.

Great Grandfather took numerous photos which I've attached, if of interest, some pre war training (at The Grange?), then some in France and Belgium and finally some from Yorkshire, Northumberland and a couple in Worcestershire. I've added notes in the title from some inscriptions on the back of the photos.

 

Nick,

Welcome aboard and the photos. Only one I recognised froma visit 25yrs ago was No. 19 Vimy Ridge Memorial in the background, which was erected by the Canadians for their attack April 1917. See as a starter: Canadian National Vimy Memorial - Wikipedia

No.15 puzzled me with such a high gun shield, so I checked the "go to" Royal Artillery reference site: 99 (Royal Bucks Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

In 1939-1940 the rgmt was half 25-pounders and half 4.5" howitzers. See: QF 4.5-inch howitzer - Wikipedia

 

Thanks for the additional Info David, I'm not an aficionado of all the equipment they would have been using but it's all interesting to understand what they were going through etc... As an aside my Great Grandfather worked before the war for John Percival Whiteley who I believe was a Major in the 99th (TA) and was killed in the plane crash in Gibralter that also claimed the life of General Wladyslaw Sikorski

 

I have been reading a recently published book on 2 R NORFOLKS at Kohima. They were supported by 99 Fd Regt RA throughout the battle.

Regards

Frank

 

What a super collection of wartime photos. Is it possible that Vesue is a misprint for the hamlet of Vélu east of Bapaume?

 

You're probably correct - I couldn't quite read my Great Grandfathers writing on the back of the photos.

 

Gentlemen, thank you all so much for the fantastic information and photographs.

Sorry I've been a while to respond, I became a father for the first time not too long ago and it's quite time consuming!

It's going to take me a while to cross reference everything against my papers but I shall look forward to digging it all out.

I bought "Oh God, What Next" a few years ago, it's just a small chapter, but well worth the purchase, I got it for a couple of quid from a charity shop.

The photos are great, I don't have too many pre India/Burma, despite my Grandad having been in the RBY since 1935.

I finally received his Military Record from the MOD, 2 and a half years after application. Nothing I didn't already know, but great for specific dates and details. Even had his dental records, which were of interest to me as he came off a motorbike in France and smashed all his teeth out. They didn't cost a penny if you're prepared to wait a couple of years for the results.

I really am struggling to find information on a Sgt. Webb of 99th Field Regiment. I have lots of diaries and photos for him, but no real information on who he was or his life post war. He remained friends with my Grandad, but as Grandad died in 1984 I have no way of reconnecting with his family. Would love to know and would be a big help to my book.

On a final note, I was speaking to the son of Frank Woodhead a couple of years ago, the 99th Field Regiment Medical Officer 1943-1945. He has edited and self published his father's war diary on Amazon under the title "The Road to Mandalay". Well worth the purchase if you've an interest or connection to the RBY.