Hello all... Is anyone familiar with a group called A force in the desert during WW2..Im just hunting out my grandads service record which has this on. I know he was in Tobruk and Alexandria.,, I can provide more details if required. Thank you. Ron
Hi Ron I would scan and upload the info/docs that show his service records - its often better to see in context what people are searching for TD
Thank you..Ill find them shortly and upload some info if i cant get them scanned, do you think theres a chance i can find out more on here, ,,He was in the coldstream guards and went onto intel work as well as other things in the desert..i cant find anything on x force but his service record is clear..He spoke a lot about the SAS ..id love to know more
TD Got some more info,,My grandad was Thomas C Millburn , army number 2657032 Amongst other things he was posted as follows 6.9.41 HQ, 70th inf Div 2.2.43 GHQ "M.E.F" 14.5.42 Adv Hq "A Force" (sorry I said X before) Then there are some intelligence corps pstings.. Hope you can help TD,, Thanks Ron
Ron, Please scan and post the copies of the documents it will benefit us all in deciphering the information and hopefully answer your questions In the meantime A Force was the masquerade section of the MEF - Jasper Maskelyne - Wikipedia 2 good books on this subject I have just read are Masquerade (the amazing camouflage deceptions of world war II) by Seymour Reit Trojan Horses - Deception operations in the second world war by Martin Young & Robbie Stamp TD
TD Ill try to work out how to do that and post them on here. Ive just learnt about a book called A Force by Whitney Bendeck which gives a lot of info. I cant beleive how much ive learnt in 20 minutes..He had some great stories and I have his medals. Very proud
If you fancy going screwy then search through The National Archives records for 'A' Force - The National Archives | Search results:'a' force TD
A Force by Whitney Bendeck Just remember where the author lives - Holding a PhD in history, she works for the International Affairs Program at Florida State University where she is an assistant instructor, as well as the Director of Undergraduate Studies. She lives in Crawfordville, FL. TD edited to add: If you 'edit' your post number 1 then that should allow you to change the title of this thread, which i think needs to read A Force - that may attract others more easily
One thing I remember my grandad saying was that he recalled that in 1941 there were only 3 Coldstream guardsmen fighting in Tobruk at the time. Major Disellers,,guardsman Madge and himself. He was always accurate with his details. I hope these facts I can put on here are kept for history.
Hi, As you probably know 3rd CG weren't involved in 1941 Siege of Tobruk - having narrowly escaped the advancing Africa Corps at Halfaya Pass, Sollum in late May 1941 Operation Brevity - Wikipedia Operation Skorpion - Wikipedia They were engaged on R & R, refitting and training in the area of Derna until Operation Crusader in November 1941. My father said one of the less pleasant sights at Daba in summer 1941 were the number of corpses washed up on the beach - casualties from Crete. Your grandfathers recollections were probably correct that he was one of the few CG within the Tobruk Perimeter in 1941. Different story in June 1942 as almost whole of the Battalion were captured at the surrender there...... Do you know which Company your father served in prior to his move to 70th Division? My father joined in January 1937 was in Number 2 Company CG until his capture at Antelat, Libya December 1941. I have a picture of Number 2 Company in Mustapha Barracks at Alexandria in March 1940. You may be interested in "No Dishonourable Name" by D C Quiter an unofficial history of 2nd & 3rd CG in WW2. Steve Y
UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 Name: T C Millburn Campaign or Service: Palestine Service Date: 1936-1939 Service Location: Palestine Regiment or Unit Name: Coldstream Guards Regimental Number: 2657032 Don't forget - if you 'edit' your post number 1 then that should allow you to change the title of this thread, which i think needs to read A Force - that may attract others more easily TD
Good morning. Ive changed the title as it should be. I dont know which Company my grandad was in prior to the move to 70 Division Im afraid. I still have his Coldstream tunic, his medals and some photos and papers and even a very small covert compass. This has been great learning and Im pleased to be able to give me dad some information about his dad. Its really opened my eyes. Im really pleased for your help TD and Steve Y. Ronny
Ronny Are these details for your grandfather? Name: Thomas Crawford Millburn Birth Date: 29 May 1911 TD
Also on his service record after A Force are Posted I.C Depot and F.S Wing 8.9.1942 Medical category A1 Transferred to Intelligence Corps 25.10.1943
