Col Gary Prisk, an infantry veteran of the Vietnam War, 1967-68, with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate). I am beginning my search for my father's efforts as one of Field Marshal Montgomery's (Personal Liaison Officers) May 1944 to July 1945. Anyone with info on Monty's Tac HQ during that time, give me a shout. Gary Prisk
Good day Gary, if you want to read the 21 Army Group Tac HQ Ops Logs, many (I think from Jun 44 to May 45) are available from LAC (Library and Archives Canada) BUT First, the good news that all of these have been digitized and are available for free on Heritage Canadiana Here’s a list of the files that are available T-2427 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2428 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2429 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2430 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2431 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2432 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2433 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2434 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2435 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2436 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group T-2437 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group Next, here’s the link to Heritage Canadiana (Just click on the blue “Heritage” below) Héritage All you need to do is type the Reel Number (eg T-2427) into the search bar and it will bring up the file, then open the file and start your search BUT, now the bad news…….These files on Heritage Canadiana’s web side do NOT HAVE A SEARCH ENGINE………so this mean you have to “manually” go page by page to read the files. Their is no “search bar” that you can just plug in your father’s name and find all the pages. Also some of the files can be very very hard to read (old microfish files that have been scanned) but you can enlarge them (this is what I do, enlarge to the largest size, then copy the page to your computer or IPAD etc), then using this to enhance lighting or other digital effects to read them) Here’s a link to the first file (blue file below), so you can quickly look at the files and see if these are going to be any help to you or not Title Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group - 2427 Identifier RG 24 G 3 1 a T-2427 142228 133187 lac_reel_t2427 Document source Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada Language English URL Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage Finally, if you need any deciphering help, let me know, I’ve worked on literally thousands of these pages and can help you decipher or search them Finally, I’ll also look thru my files to see if their is any other files at LAC which may help in your search Cheers, and good luck on your search
Gary, I went “randomly searching” in the first file above that I sent you the link, and indeed I found your father’s name in the OPs Logs……….so an example….. if you like reading Ops Logs, you may be able to discover some information that may help you Source page: Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage
Oh, a quick note, sometimes the files are “mixed up” (usually from past researcher’s who went thru the files and then they didn’t get put back in order)………so if your missing a page, you have to keep searching, it may still be in the log………AND sometimes the dates in order…….For example on the first file, the cover page is the LAST PAGE in the file (page 180 I believe) and starts the 6 Jun 44 (D Day) and works backward from that page. The NEXT file may be different so the search thru these files is always fun
Here’s another partial page from the Logs, doesn’t have your father’s name, but tells you info about the 21st Army Group Tac HQ setting Up on the 7th June 44 etc etc. Gives Map References etc so you can locate it. So the logs do have a lot of great data in them, I believe that you can use Source:Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage
Sorry Gary, I start to get on a roll on these things and can’t help to keep looking. Found this in the next reel (just skimming thru it)…..has your father’s name, and you can see at this time he is the 21st Army Groups LO to V Corps……so that is where he would be gathering and reporting info for the 21 Army Group Tac HQ………Also, this reel is the opposite of the first reel, pages in order BUT it starts out terrible reading (so light I can’t read it)……..then goes the opposite, so dark its hard to read, without downloading and tweaking the files digitally with contrast controls and light and dark. Date on this file is 11 July 44 I think I’ll stop here, leave the rest of the search for you Source page: Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage Same date, later on in Log Source: Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage Again, same date, further on in Log Source page: Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage
Post No5 says that only LST 377 had so far unloaded. LST 377 was a US Navy LST carrying Headquarters British 30 Corps. Listed amongst the 30 Corps HQ vehicles is a jeep and trailer with 4 men, liaison officer for US V Corps. Could this be Major Prisk? The scheduled time at which the LSTs were to be ready to disembark vehicles by Rhino Ferry was H+12 hours. On the second tide. Landings were delayed because of slow progress in landing priority vehicles. Mike
Good morning again Gary. The links below will take you to additional files on the 21st Army Group held by LAC Ottawa. Unfortunately many (most) have NOT been digitized, so the only way to see these files is to A) visit LAC to research and copy the files yourself or B) hire a private researcher to look and record the files for you. IF, you choose to go with B) LAC has a list of private researchers (not endorsed by them, just a list of researchers who have access to files and know how to “use” LAC files)……OR, their are Canadian members on this site who have recommended researchers or can help. Some of the files may be more helpful to you in an “administrative way”, like the 21st Army Group Administration Orders. These would contain more information on the 21st Army group such as Officer Returns for every day……and the War Diaries of the units would also help. The 21st Army Group Headquarters had over 3,000 men/women assigned to its various Units (21 Army Group Main HQ, 21 Army Group Rear HQ, 21 Army Group Tac HQ’s etc)…..so their is a LOT of files ADMIN INSTRUCTINS - 21st Army Group - Correspondence etc, 4 Aug 44/25 Jun 45. (8/21 A GP INSTRS/1-1-7) OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS - 21st Army Group 21ST ARMY GROUP STANDING OF INSTRS - No. 1 (14 Apr 44) to No. 25 (23 May 44) (128/ORDERS/2-1) OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS - 21st Army Group 21st army Group General Routine Orders d/17 Dec 43/9 Feb 45 21 Army Gp Sig [21st Army Group Signals], memos 21st Army Group - General routine orders Locations [21st] Army group STANDING OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS - 21st Army Gp STANDING OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS - 21st Army Gp I will continue to look thru LAC’s lists and see if I can find any more files that “may” be digitized and contain further info that you may wish to prioritize to look thru…….their are a lot of files with photos, and files with other info also, that you may wish to see, but I’ve only shown you the Operational and Admin files so far. AND, of course ALL of the 21st Army Group records may be available thru British National Archive Sources (at Kew). Cheers,
Hi, There is not a lot but he does show up in book "The Men Behind Monty" by Richard Mead with pics. Regards ...
INVESTITURE BY GEN EISENHOWER AND F-M MONTGOMERY Catalogue number: B 14985 Original wartime caption: A general group which includes Gen Eisenhower and Field- Marshal Montgomery with American and British decorated Officers: Lt-Gen Sir Miles Dempsey, KCB DSO MC Legion of Merit with Degree of Commander. Gen H.D.G. Crerar CB DSO Legion of Merit with Degree of Commander Maj-Gen Sir Francis W de Guingand Legion of Merit with Degree of Commander Lt-Col C.D. Dawnay, MBE Legionaire AMERICANS:- Col R. Hyatt, OBE Maj N.D. Allison, MBE Maj M.P. Frary, MBE Maj Edward Prisk, MBE Maj E.R. Culver, MBE Capt J Bonduran, MBE
Recommendation for Award for Prisk, Edward Reighnold Rank: Major Service No:... | The National Archives Reference: WO 373/149/651 Name Prisk, Edward Reighnold Rank: Major Service No: 0 330527 Regiment: 21 Army Group Theatre of Combat or Operation: British to Foreign: USA Award: Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire "Major E. R. PRISK has been a Liaison Officer at my Tac HQ since D day. He has carried out his duties with great determination, and by his zealous pursuit of information has kept me closely informed of the battle situation in the American sector. This information has often been hard to obtain, and his task has been a difficult one. He has proved himself a most loyal and reliable officer, and his reports have been of great value to me in directing the battle. B. L. MONTGOMERY, Field-Marshal"
My thanks to Tags (Patron, Mod, and Temujin) You boys are a wonder to behold. I'd like to send you all a copy of my award-winning Vietnam Memoir if you would like. Send me a post address @ garyprisk@yahoo.com My father was also featured briefly in Sir Carol Mather's book, "When the Grass Stops Growing" and Johnny Henderson's book, "Watching Monty." The interim efficiency report dated 15 October 1944, signed by Monty, is a treasure. As is all of the research you have provided. There is a news real of the investiture at Geldrop which I have not found, and one of my father's escort of Churchill. Winston gave my father a cigar, and Eddie brought the gold-tinged wrapper home. (see attached) Attached are some snaps and a letter from Monty. My web-site is www.garypriskauthor.com Gary Prisk aka Charlie Six
Gary, I’m not sure if you know what “Phantom” is in the above posts and in all the records you may be going thru. Phantom was the name of a special operations unit called GHQ Liaison Regiment, and had “Patrols” attached to each Corps and Division. A patrol was usually 1 Officer, 1 NCO, and 9 OR’s. They were almost all “signalmen”. They also operated in US Units, and in fact the US found them so useful, they they were going to form their own units, but the War was over before this took place. British Phantom units operating within American units wore US Uniforms (with British ranks), mainly because they operated “at or near the front lines” they didn’t want to cause any “blue on blue” incidents by American’s not recognizing a British Uniform Phantom's Role Phantom developed the use of new technology to listen in to radio traffic of a battle which enabled them to to gather information about how the battle was progressing. They then relayed it back, via their Squadron HQ, to those in charge of the battle, giving an unprecedented, up to date and accurate picture of what was going on. They worked in small. mobile Patrols operating from close to or even behind enemy lines, using equipment they had developed and even designed. It enabled them to transmit encrypted "situation reports" back to their Squadron Head Quarters. Here’s some links to give you more information on “Phantom” https://www.phantomghq.co.uk/ GHQ Liaison Regiment Cheers
Mike, It is beginning to look like this was my father's LST. LST's 377, 378, and 379 are all of interest. But rough seas may have contributed to his jeep sinking in shallow water. Are there manifest detailing the individuals on these LSTs? Gary
Gary, I was thinking, your own National Archives contains many records of the 21st Army Group……Wouldn’t it be possible that their is more on your father’s attachment to the 21st Army Group in these records. I do realize that they are probably NOT digitized, I know in my own case I had to hire a private researcher who lived in the area to gain access to the records for my own great uncle, who was KIA on Anguar Island, Palau Group 331.9 Records of Headquarters 12th Army Group (SHAEF) 1943-46 331.9.1 General records 331.9.2 Records of general staff organizations 331.9.3 Records of special staff organizations 331.10 Records of Headquarters 21st Army Group (SHAEF) 1944-45 Records of Allied Operational and Occupation Headquarters, World War II
