Does anyone know who the Brigadier Royal Artillery and Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps were for the 2nd Army in late 1944? Thanks in advance....
Frustrated to say that I can't find the name in any of the places I expected to see it, but if you have time, you may (or may not) get an earlier name from here (and if he stayed in post...): Extracts from Second Army History, 1944 Apr
Much better bet: An account of the operations of Second Army in Europe 1944-1945. Vol. II. Compiled by Headquarters Second Army
August 1943 to 28/6/1945: Brigadier (Temporary) Hetman Jack PARHAM C.B.E., D.S.O.* Source: https://www.britishmilitaryhistory....ites/124/2020/09/2-Army-History-Personnel.pdf
According to the old Firepower team his nickname was "Hatchet Jack" I am a little surprised you haven't heard of him before. He is one of the most influential artillerymen in the war. He was with the rear guard at Dunkirk. The WD of 53 Anti Tank Regiment note Parham as CO 10(?) Field firing a pistol at a German tank in Rexpode. As CO 38 Div he is credited with inventing the procedures for massing the artillery fire of a division. His idea was to use 25 pounders to deliver the kind of impact that a Gruppe of stukas could achieve. The demonstration to the brass hats went horribly wrong when flaws in his method for applying corrections resulted in rounds falling in the the VIP section. However the speed with which the fire was stopped convinced everybody important that it was a good idea. Once Larkhill had thought through the correction methods, his techniques formed the basis for the Uncle, Victor and Yoke Targets that made life unpleasant for the Bosche for the rest of the war. In retrospect this may seem obvious, but at that time the army was trying to decentralise artillery under command of infantry or armoured brigade groups. He was the sponsor for the concept of Air OPs flown by artillery pilots. A light aircraft and autogiro pilot himself, he was convinced that it was easier to teach a Gunner officer to fly that to teach a crab to understand the land battle. He also thought that an OP flying a fighter aircraft at 300 mph was flying too fast to see anything. Oh and he tried to get an aircraft carrier for the Air OPs for D Day, and when turned down he wanted the prototype Sikorsky helicopters flown from LCTs...
I had definitely heard of Jack Parham and his famous Papers, but I hadn't specifically located him as the BRA of 2nd Army. I will in the not too distant future be investing in "Gunners In Normandy" though, so I am likely to learn much more! I was equally surprised that it turned out that the BRAC of 2nd Army was Arthur Fisher, who I know a very great deal about in his later position as DDRAC at the War Office. That said, it is quite common for me to spend a long time trying to find out who occupied a certain acronymed position, and then coming across an extremely familiar name.
Farndale lists Parham's appointments as CRA 38 Div, BRA of 1st, 2nd and 14th Army's plus BRA of Northern Command and GOC 7 AA Div.
Sikorsky turned up in March 1944 with his prototype helicopter and offered a ride to Montgomery, who was too busy. Parham took the joyride and saw the potential. What then followed was an exercise in testing the system.
While we're all here, does anyone know who the CRA of 4th Canadian Armoured Division was? I ask because he personally banned a lowly bombardier from 5th Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA from ever driving a gun tractor again.
The info I got back was as follows: Brig WC Hyde Oct 41 Brig JN Lane Mar 44 Brig CM Drury Nov 44 From what Kevin just added, that would confirm these were their start dates.
Actually it wasn't a bombardier, but Gunner Lundy who got banned by Brigadier Drury from driving gun tractors, for this incident on 2nd December 1944: The 5th Anti-Tank Regiment and Crusaders really did not go well together.