hi i'm trying to find info on my late grandfather, Victor Albert Lucas from dalston in london hackney. All i no is he was in the army in ww2, and i think he was a bad boy because at some point he ended up in a military prison does anyone no how i can find out what uk prison he was sent to, or even how i can obtain his army number, i dont even no what part of the army he was in please help i've paid a fortune to these ancestry sites but still nothing.
hello loving reading all your info and stories if anyone knows John Clitherow he done the dot dot dash thing. Or Ronald Ley he was in india his groups motto was Silently into the mist of things. or Victor lucas was in the army & then military prison then sent home as warwherey dont no anything else. please say hi id love to hear from you. many thanks heather
Hi Heather and welcome to the forum. All the information you want will be in his service records. You can apply for them from the link below: Army Personnel Centre - British Army Website Cheers Andy
Hi there - maybe not much help here, but here goes If I understand the British system correctly, you normally need the service number to access the file, how you get that number is a mystery to me. Can someone advise if the PRO site gives service numbers if you have a name. Would the date of birth help? The best way I have of finding info is from the London Gazette but this only works if the person was an officer or garnered some sort of award. Anyhoo, the best help I can offer is with Ronald Ley - I think you mean the motto "Silently into the Midst of Things" which is 177 Squadron Royal Air Force in Burma, 1943-1945 (I would suggest buying the unit history and seeing if he cops a mention in there) - from Amazon.com: Product Description The men who were to become 177 Squadron RAF assembled in India in early 1943, not knowing their destination - or their fates. Soon after they were flying repeatedly by day and by night over Burma and Siam, frequently in abominable weather, destroying Japanese transportation and infrastructure, playing an important role in the eventual Allied victory. 'Silently into the midst of things' was an appropriate motto for the 177 Squadron. Equipped with twin-engined, cannon and rocket firing Bristol Beaufighters, the pilots flew just above the jungle or the plains - too low to be detected by radar - and were often unseen and unheard until the moment of attack. No wonder the Japanese called them 'Whispering Death' ... using the squadron's Operations Record Book, his own memories and those of his colleagues, Atholl Sutherland Brown has meticulously recreated the triumphs and disasters of a group of unknown heroes - the air and ground crews of the 177 Squadron. About the Author Atholl Sutherland Brown was born in Ottawa in 1923, lived in London, England, as a child but much of the rest of his life in Victoria, BC, Canada. He was a pilot in Burma with 177 Squadron RAF in 1944-45 and awarded the DFC in 1945. After the World War he became a geologist, and eventually Chief Geologist of the British Columbia Geological Survey. Product Details Paperback: 258 pages Publisher: Trafford Publishing (May 18, 2001) Language: English ISBN-10: 1552126633 ISBN-13: 978-1552126639 "'Silently into the Midst of Things' is the translation of Silenter in Medias Res, the appropriate Latin motto on the crest of 177 Squadron
Dave, I posted a link above that will enable Heather to get her granfathers service number etc. Heather said in her first post that he was in the Army. Cheers A
In my experience a service number helps but is not required to get service records. The form you fill in asks for alot of information that they can cross reference such as date and place of birth, mothers maiden name and occupation. I applied for my gf's records last year without the service number and got them a few months later. Dave
hi, Heather, try and be a bit patient, we'll do what we can to help, but you only get back what you put in, and there's very little to go on! Do you know of any other family members? You say Dalston, but does Casterton Street, Hackney feature in your family? I ask because there is this CWGC entry:- Name: LUCAS, ROSALIE Initials: R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Civilian Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Age: 16 Date of Death: 17/04/1941 Additional information: of 2A Casterton Street. Daughter of Bertie Charles and Ellen Rosa Lucas. Died at 2A Casterton Street. Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: HACKNEY, METROPOLITAN BOROUGH Is there a chance that she could be his young sister? If he was in the Army when he got the news, that might account for him trying to get home, or getting drunk or otherwise into trouble, therefore being sent to a military prison. You then mention John Clitherow and Ronald Ley. Are we meant to assume that they were with your grandfather in prison or are they other family members that you would like to know about? What do you mean by "he did the dot dot dash thing"? Are you saying he was a signaller or wireless operator or what? If Ronald Ley served with 177 Squadron RAF in India, how does he fit in the picture? History of No. 177 Squadron. Motto: "Silentur in medias res " ("Silently into the midst of things ") Badge: A cobra entwining two gun barrels in saltire No.177 Squadron was formed on the 28 November 1942, but at the time of formation the personnel of the squadron were still at sea en route from the Uk. On 11 January 1943, it began to assemble at Amarda Road and moved to Allahabad in mid-March to join No.308 MU. Until aircraft were received, the aircrews were detached to No.27 squadron. In May 1943, Beaufighters began to arrive and the first ground attack mission was flown on 10 September 1943. Attacks on enemy shipping, railways and ports continued until May 1944, when the squadron was withdrawn to India. In August it returned to operations over Burma, having added rockets to its armament, and in May 1945 supported the landings at Rangoon before being withdrawn from operations and disbanded on 5 July 1945. If you have photos or other information, please include it all in your next post, don't have us tease it out bit by bit. Oh, please remember this forum has people helping from all over the world who might not respond if they can't understand your "textspeak". Hope you can clear up some of these questions Hope that helps!
Hi baby girl Dadda was in the Royal Berkshire Regiment. 1st commandos and was stationed up in Scotland for a while where he fell in love with your Grandmother and she fallishly joined up thinking she would go where ever he was. This proofed to be a task for mum as she drove trucks down south to Stevenage I think it was and ended up sleeping in a tent with earwigs I can still remember her shuddering at the thought. Have you had any luck finding out anything it would be great if we could and to have something to give my Grandsons who never new him. Catch u later Aunty
