Hello I wonder if anyone can help, my great uncle served with the East Yorkshire Regiment from 1935 to 1957. his name was Michael A V Sweeney service number 4343062, I have his service record and can see he was first sent to India in 1935 to 1940 home 1940 to 1942 India 1942 to 1945 can't read 1946 to 1946 class z reserve 1946 to 1946 home 1946 to 1947 m.e.l.f 1947 to 1948 home 1948 to 1951 Korea 1951 to 1952 and so on till 1957. He was also awarded some medals among those are the Burma Star and a Malaya medal but nowhere on his service record can I see that he went to Burma or Malaya, what I would love to find out is was he ever a part of the DDay landings. I can't seem to find a battalion or company for him . Regards kim
Hi and welcome to the forum Kim987, good luck with your research. Any chance of posting his records? Also do you have any photos you could post?
It was their 1st Battalion that was out in India, Most of the time was spent on training and internal security duties but the did join 17th Indian Division very near the end of the Burma campaign. As he was in India at the time, he couldn't have been involved in the D-Day landings. If he was in Malaya in the 1952-57 period, he would have been involved in the Malayan Emergency.
Hello Kim, Only the 2nd and 5th Bns East Yorkshire Regiment took part in the D-Day landings, and neither of them saw service in the Far East. The 4th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment was overrun and 'put in the bag' by the Axis Forces at Rotunda Ualeb in the Western Desert (Libya) on 1 June 1942, but would have otherwise have likely been involved in D-Day (as it was in the same Division as the 5th Bn). It saw no service in the Far East. I agree with Idler, your Great Uncle Michael must have served with the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, as they were in the the Far East all through WWII up until late 1945, when they came back to Europe in Austria. What I don't understand is the fact that he was 'Home' between 1940 and 1942. This is inconsistent with continuous service with the 1st Bn. The only battalion that was 'Home' at that time was the 2nd Bn, as the 4th and 5th Bns were overseas (Middle East) for the latter part of that time. It may help us answer more fully if you were able to post his service records onto this thread, but understand if you do not wish to do so! Best, Steve.
Hello and welcome to the forum. Could you start a new thread in the appropriate section with his name and regiment and post his records up if it is not too personal? Members have a better chance of transcribing them if they can have a look. Lesley
Hi Everyone and thanks for your replies. Lesley - Sorry, I'm new to forums so I'm still getting use to them. I'm not sure what the appropriate section would be. Steve & Idler - His service records are quite big and also A3 size but I could try and upload them. Would it be possible for someone to explain how to do this Kim
Hello Kim, In terms of his WWII service, this is contained in the last two documents you posted. These appear to have been reconstituted after the events; notice the handwriting is the same throughout. You would normally see the handwriting of different clerks over time. Nor do they carry as much detail as you would normally see, for example, precise location. He did not have continuous service with the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment.. After his basic training in 1934 he served with the 2nd Bn for approx 11 months before transferring to the 1st Bn. Between 30 June 1940 and sometime prior to 17 November 1944 (which is not explicitly stated but is likely to coincide with him returning to the Far East and the 1st Bn on 11 February 1942) he was with 1TC, Special TC and 5ITC.' TC' stands for 'training centre' and suggests he may have been an instructor or at least part of a training regime, probably training infantry recruits. I hope this assists. If you want further information on any part of his service get back in touch; but there is some of his post WWII service records missing, for example, that relating to Korea in 1951/2. If you could provide these also that would be helpful. Best, Steve.
Hello Steve Thank you for your help In deciphering Michaels service record. We always thought he had served in Germany....those family rumors. As you can see he got the Malaya medal, was he in Malaya? He also got the U N Service Medal and the Burma Star etc, Do you know why would he have been awarded these medals? Are there any books or information I could read about were he served? I am posting the rest of he service record but I will be removing it from the forum in about a week due to family requests. Once again thank you for your help.
Did you see the service records Leslley? I'm struggling to ID the unit(s) he was with during WW2 for Kim.
Yeah I saw that Andrew - I have seen them but couldn't figure out if he was with a ITC or Inf Bn for most of WW2.
Hello Again I am reposting the service records up again for a few days any help would be appreciated Regards kim
Hello Kim, Per your PM earlier, I am happy to have a look at this for you... Forum members - There is a lot to get through here, so if anyone is or will be analysing these service records please can you let me know so that we don't duplicate/waste time and effort! Edit: I have printed all of the service records that Kim posted. Michael appears to have done somewhere between 33 and 43 years service. Never seen anything like this before! Best, Steve.
Go for it Steve, I'm working for the next five days, with three night shifts so will have little time to look.
* Hello Andy, I've got it analysed up to Korea. Should finish the rest by or before the weekend. He wasn't always in the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, but the main changes were after WWII. Do you do copying of post-WWII War Diaries, e.g. Korea, Malaya, etc. I assume there would be such documents available for these 'wars'? Kim may wish to know more about these events... Best, Steve.
Hello Kim, Here's Michael's first stint in the Army from 8 May 1934 to 26 November 1946. Home - 8 May 1934 to 17 Sep 1935: 1. Attested - 8 May 1934. 2. Posted to Depot - 9 May 1934 probably for Training. The Depot would likely have been in Beverley. 3. Posted to 2nd Bn East Yorkshire Regiment - 23 October 1934. This is a Regular, rather than Territorial, battalion. India - 18 Sep 1935 to 29 Apr 1940: 4. Posted to 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment - 18 Sep 1935. This is also a Regular, rather than Territorial, battalion. Home - 30 Apr 1940 to 11 Feb 1942: 5. Posted to ITC - 30 Apr 1940. ITC = Infantry Training Centre, and likely to be the East Yorkshire Regiment's own at this stage of the War, i.e. before the advent of the General Service Corps. a. Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal - 14 Jun 1940 b. Appointed paid Lance Corporal - 5 Jul 1940 c. Appointed unpaid and paid Corporal - 11 Nov 1940 d. Promoted War Substantive Corporal - 9 Feb 1941 e. Appointed unpaid and paid Lance Sergeant - 27 Feb 1941 f. Posted to Special Training Centre - 14 Apr 1941 g. Posted to ? - 23 Apr 1941 h. 5 ITC, and relinquishes rank and reverts to War Substantive Corporal - 14 Aug 1941 Note 1: His return 'Home' from the Far East to an Infantry Training Centre (probably the East Yorkshire Regiment's own) is not surprising. As a nation, we were not then at War with Imperial Japan in the Far East (where he was stationed) but there was a need for recruits to be trained ready for any fighting that would be necessary in Europe et al and that training would need to be carried out by experienced Regulars. Note 2: There is effectively a gap in his 'Personal Occurrences' between 15 Aug 1941 and 8 Sep 1944 and so, indents 6 and 7 are improvised by me based on other information gleaned from his service records. 6. Posted to 7th ? - ?. Apart from this number the entry is illegible. However, I believe he was posted to the 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, which like Michael was on 'Home' service, some time between 15 Aug 1941 and 11 Feb 1942. It is highly unlikely he was posted outside of the Regiment due to what happens later. This would likely be a temporary posting. Better that than go to a non-regimental Holding Unit, as he could have been posted anywhere from one of those. Given he was again posted to India his end date in this battalion would appear to be 11 Feb 1942. India - 12 Feb 1942 to 29 Oct 1945: 7. Posted to ? - ?. There is no detail given as to this posting. However, I believe he was posted back to the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment. We know that he returned to India on 12 Feb 1942. We know he was promoted to War Substantive Sergeant on 9 Sep 1944 and this is annotated '11AG' = 11th Army Group, which was the British and Commonwealth forces higher authority in South East Asia. He also received a reprimand on 17 Nov 1944 and this is annotated '1 Bn' = 1st Battalion. We know (or at least believe) he was still with that 1st Bn when he was eventually discharged from the East Yorkshire Regiment. i. Promoted War Substantive Sergeant - 9 Sep 1944 Note 3: The 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment were part of the 99th Mountain Brigade between April and August 1945, along with the 1st Bn Sikh Light Infantry and 1st Bn, 3rd Gurkha Rifles. It returned to Europe (and Austria) in late 1945, but it looks like Michael didn't serve in Austria. Home - 30 Oct 1945 to 23 Mar 1946: j. Posted to Sect 'B' Army Reserve - 24 Mar 1946 k. Transferred to Class 'Z' Army Reserve - 8 May 1946 l. Discharged - 26 Nov 1946 Military Conduct: Very Good. Testimonial: Honest, sober and reliable. A clean, smart NCO, who is an excellent worker. He is conscientious, loyal and trustworthy. See post No. 21 for continuation.
Hello Steve This is brilliant and I can understand it. looks like he was in India or at home for most of the war training new recruits, I wonder what he thought as two of his brothers were in France and the other was in Egypt\ Africa. Thank you Steve for all your time and hard work I will be on google checking a few things out you are a star. kim
Hello Kim, In my last post Mick was discharged on 26 November 1946... He reenlisted the following day. Home - 27 Nov 1946 to 30 Jan 1947: 8. Reenlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment, joining at Liverpool - 27 Nov 1946. m. To 6th Infantry Holding Battalion - 27 Nov 1946. n. Granted War Substantive Rank of Sergeant - 27 Nov 1946. Note 4: There is again effectively a gap in his 'Personal Occurrences' between 28 Nov 1946 and 3 Oct 1950 so, indents 9 to 12 are improvised by me based on other information gleaned from his service records. MELF - 31 Jan 1947 to 12 Jan 1948: 9. Posted to ? - ?. There is no detail given as to this posting. However, I believe he was posted to the 2nd Bn East Yorkshire Regiment. We know that MELF = Middle East Land Forces and only the 2nd Bn was then stationed in the Middle East; the 1st Bn being in Austria. He would have been stationed in possibly Palestine and then Egypt; see link: http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/infantry/east-yorkshire-regiment.html The 2nd Bn then moved to Austria in 1948 where it later amalgamates with the 1st Bn (on 14 Sep 1948), but he appears not to have gone with them; rather he goes on a course back in the UK. Home - 13 Jan 1948 to 22 May 1951: 10. Attached to 77 Training Centre, School of Chemical Warfare, Winterbourne - 16 Jan 1948. We do not know when this attachment ceased. 11. Posted to ? - ?. We know that he didn't leave the UK in this period and that the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment was in first Austria and then Germany until Nov 1952. So, he wasn't serving with them. We do know that his service record is annotated 'Y&N Bde" on 4 Oct 1950. Y&N Bde = Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade. In 1948, the 14 UK Army depots adopted names and 'E' depot became the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time. The Brigade was formed on 14 July 1948 and combined the depots of the following regiments: The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own) The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York's Own) The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) The York and Lancaster Regiment See link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Brigade He had to be serving somewhere within this Brigade for some of this time, but as mentioned not in the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment. I believe he may have been serving as part of Brigade HQ troops. This is explained at 12. below. Korea - 23 May 1951 to 17 Dec 1952: 12. Posted to IND. FD. RECS. INF. - 31 May 1951. I have not been able to find an explanation for IND. FD. RECS. INF., but it will stand for something like 'Independent Field Recruits Infantry'. o. SOS to Korea (NF) - 23 May 1951. SOS = Struck Off Strength of Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade on transfer to Korea. This is what make me think he was Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade HQ troops until 22 May before going to the 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. But why the 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers? First, until 1936 the Northumberland Fusiliers had been abbreviated as 'NF'. Second, the only British infantry battalion in Korea from the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade at this time was the 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers ; see link: http://northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/korean_war_commonwealth_units.htm It was part of the 29th Infantry Brigade; see write up on Korea and the Korean orbat in this link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/29th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom) Kim - A bit more for you here and much more to come. Not finished with Korea yet! Much more to come...
