Finding information on my Grandad

Karen, there are a lot more images from the Berlin Victory parade, July 45. Do any of these match up with what you have ?

VE Day & Berlin Victory Parade Commemoration Page
The Desert Rats in Berlin 1945 page

 

Hello Karen, I think that your Grandad was a sapper. Judging from the two photographs that show men in berets or general service caps, the cap badge is a round blob and not a Royal Artillery field gun. This would tie in with the pictures that feature the vehicles with the unit serial numbers visible. Number 42 (Austin K3) indicates a Field Park Squadron Royal Engineers and the number 46 signifies a Field Squadron R.E. both for an Armoured Division.
The 46 is also next to the famous jeboa of 7th Armoured Division, the desert rats.
The units would therefore be (from about 1940 onwards) 143rd Field Park Squadron or either 21st or 621st Field Squadron R.E. (depending on dates).

This page on engineers from the 7th Arm Div site has some interesting links about the job role of a sapper in an armoured division.

Cross posted with the two above, great minds think alike.

 

Two half trakcs of the unit (2TP). Left Sgt Mitch S? Right Sgt Edwards just after the salute by PM



M3 Armoured Personell Carriers of 5 RHA ?

 

142 Field Park Company where in Greece in April 1941 as part of 'W' Force, they served as part of the 1st Armoured Brigade under command 6th Australian Division.

The 'Force' Troops are listed below

Force Troops

Artillery
Antiaircraft Batteries
122nd Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA
154th Light Antiaircraft Battery,
52nd Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA
20th Antiaircraft Battery, RA (20th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA)

Antiaircraft Regiments
106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Antiaircraft Regiment,
Royal Horse Artillery
2nd Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, RA
155th Light Antiaircraft Battery (from 52nd Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA)
16th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA

Medium Regiments
64th Medium Regiment, RA
7th Medium Regiment, RA

SOURCE : Greece 1941

Have to say the more I look the more they look like Gunners, the Sergents look to have Arty Lanyards on the right sholder and the cap badge the flaming bomb, but I,am shore somone will prove me wrong.
Rob.

 

Two half trakcs of the unit (2TP). Left Sgt Mitch S? Right Sgt Edwards just after the salute by PM



M3 Armoured Personell Carriers of 5 RHA ?

Certainly not M3's Phil. They are either M5A1 or M9A1's. Could well be 3rd or 5th Royal Horse Artillery though.

 

Have to say the more I look the more they look like Gunners, the Sergents look to have Arty Lanyards on the right sholder and the cap badge the flaming bomb, but I,am shore somone will prove me wrong.
Rob.

Those sergeants could well be gunners Rob. The poster on the wall is for the HAA Regt. Carnival dance.

 

Karen, may be a long shot, but did you grandfather get married, and have your father post the end of the war or during the war ?

If during it is possible that some of his service details would be on the marriage and birth certificate >

 

Hello, Thank you everyone for all your replies - it's really great to think that we might actually be able to find some more information about which unit my grandad was attached too. My Dad was born in 1937 so unfortunately no details can be obtained that way.

If my grandad was in one of the units listed above how do I go about finding which one for sure. Is there a database that I can trawl through or is there somewhere that I can apply?

We have already applied to the war office a few years ago but they said without his war number they were unable to help.

Thank you all so much for your help - I'm away now for two weeks on holiday but I will certainly be back here to find out any more information you may have for me then.

Regards
Karen

 

Oh Hi Son of a Rat. Yes I am still around and to be honest was highly delighted when I read your post. Would it be possible to have a photocopy or email of the piece of paper. How wonderful that your Father is "very much alive" and able to give you the information. It's been a while since we picked up all this information and I am very excited and going to dig it all out at the weekend. I will have a look to see if I can see anything else.

Thank you so so much.

Please get in touch if you need my email address.
Karen

 

Oh Hi Son of a Rat. Yes I am still around and to be honest was highly delighted when I read your post. Would it be possible to have a photocopy or email of the piece of paper. How wonderful that your Father is "very much alive" and able to give you the information. It's been a while since we picked up all this information and I am very excited and going to dig it all out at the weekend. I will have a look to see if I can see anything else.

Thank you so so much.

Please get in touch if you need my email address.
Karen
Hi Karen I will try scan the paper it was hand written by the late Norman Steed, Looks like he had made a note of the men he served with also a few photos they were given to me by Normans partner she also gave me his pay book and a few of his items. We made contact though the Desert Rats Memorial Association. Father has also written a book just for family on one page he talks about being invited for lunch and to bring a friend. Quote" I asked Taffy he was a nice quiet little chap and he wouldn't let me down. I will also try scan this page. email would be good.
Andy

 

Hi Karen I will try scan the paper it was hand written by the late Norman Steed, Looks like he had made a note of the men he served with also a few photos they were given to me by Normans partner she also gave me his pay book and a few of his items. We made contact though the Desert Rats Memorial Association. Father has also written a book just for family on one page he talks about being invited for lunch and to bring a friend. Quote" I asked Taffy he was a nice quiet little chap and he wouldn't let me down. I will also try scan this page. email would be good.
Andy

Oh my I do hope that this relates to my Grandad. My dad will be so pleased to see your last post. My email address has been pm'd to you
Thank you once again
Karen

 

Karen best remove your email address from the post and private message it to the forum member

regards
Clive

 

Hello

Just to keep everyone up to date, as I was sooooo grateful for all of your help. We applied to the get my Grandfathers information and currently they are working on March and we applied last May. I am still sitting here searching and searching in the hope that I may find something on line but well to no avail. When we receive some information I will report back as the information I get may help others.

Thank you all again and will be in touch soon.

Regards
Karen x

 

Hello Everyone
We have had a very exciting weekend in that we had information from the Army Personnel Centre. More information than we could have hoped for. My Grandfather was in fact in the 142 Field Park Troop, 56 Field Company and 621 Field Squadron. So now I need to search on all of these. It states that he would have been awarded three medals too - the Africa Star with the 8th Army and Italy Star and the France German Star.

There seems so many things for me too look up but the listing I have received shows dates when and where he would have been etc.

Thank you all so much for your help. If you have any further suggestions or advice I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
Karen x

 

Hi Karen
I am so pleased you have received your Grandfathers full records. They are indeed well worth waiting for, I was chuffed to bits when I got my dads. Would you please post them up on here so members can help you more. They are very good at deciphering them!

Lesley

 

Hi Karen.

List just the units and the dates he was with them and I'll post the units war diary ref's held at TNA.

 

15.01.40 - Enlisted
27.04.40 - Embarked for Field Force
10.06.40 - Joined 3 TRRE Rupic (?) BEF
03.07.40 - Arrived - Taken on strength
09.07.40 - Listed to 142 Field Park Tps. Proceeded to Post of
15.11.40 - Pk Troops Embarkation
15.11.40 - RE Recs Embarked for Middle East
01.01.41 - Disembarked MEF 142 Field Park Troop Gen HG 2nd Gch Middle East
01.01.41 - 142 Field Park Troop - Disembarked at LTY for services seas
02.03.41 - GHQ 2nd ECH Mid East - proceeded to port of embarkation ****16 embarking for unknown destination with W Force
26.06.41 - 56 Field Coy - Left Palestine
27.06.41 - 56 Field Coy - Arrived Iraq
12.09.43 - 621 Field Squadron - To BNAF
06.01.44 - Disembarked UK

Think there is some more on another page to but thats a bit harder to read.

Hellllllppp ha ha x

 

Karen, as Lesley has suggested if you can scan and upload the pages we might be able to decipher it a bit more for you.
Glad to hear you have received the record after such a long wait.

 

I will try and scan on to the computer later tonight. Thank you all for being interested x