Hi Everyone, I'm brand new to this forum the reason for that is I am trying to find out more info about my Grandad whom I know nothing except what I have found out to date, which is he served in Ceylon and India (prior to his death in 1944) in the 8HAA Royal Artillery to which he was transferred to from the A.M.P.C. I have obtained his Army Records, but I have little understanding of the abbreviations/Units or even some of the writing, which seems very unclear to myself, and I think they are incomplete as his promotion to Lance Bombardier is not mentioned. I have attached these records in jpeg form (hoping they will enlarge if I've done them right) in the hope that someone may be able to shed some light on what seems to be an impossible task for myself in trying to work out what the Units are and what the unreadable words may be, If anyone is able to enlighten me then I would be very grateful.
Hi Frenchy, On the first jpeg in the column for rank, alongside the date of death, it has L/BDR. So it does have the rank correct. Also on that line at the far left, it states 'Cipher, Sec ?Echelon/India'. This is normally 2nd Echelon and refers to the communication of his death and details to rear command. As with so many of the Burma theatre soldiers Edwin died from illness/disease rather than wounds from fighting. The fact that he is buried at Chittagong War Cemetery, makes me think he was in action in the Arakan region of Burma in 1944. Google 8 Belfast HAA Regiment Royal Artillery to see their involvement in WW2.
Hi, Thanks for the reply, I have worked out the last few lines on the record with regard to his death as I have these records from CWGC, and I have googled the 8HAA which came up with the Lennon Wylie web site to which I sent an email to be informed that no record could be found for my Grandad which confused me in that I thought they may be two 8HAA (but I doubt that) What I am also trying to find out, is info as to what possible unit he was with from the record to when he was transferred to the RA in 1941, but I am unable to work it out, I came up with what I thought was 205 Anti Tank but i am a novice. This missing info would be helpful as I could then hopefully get the war diary for the unit in question.
Frenchy, Difficult to say for sure but I reckon it might be 205 AA Training Regiment RA. See this link. Might be something to work with going forward. http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/trng/page7.html Steve
Frenchy, I've just come across these photos etc. for sale on EBay, they show some group photos 8HAA. There are more than just the ones shown, may give you an idea of times and places: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-1940s-WWII-HEALTH-MEMORANDA-FOR-BRITISH-SOLDIERS-IN-THE-TROPICS-/360786047699?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item54008632d3 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-WWII-POSTCARD-CAMBRIDGE-BARRACKS-WOOLWICH-CIRCA-1940s-/390695818341?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item5af7491465 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-WWII-PHOTOGRAPH-23rd-BELFAST-H-A-A-BATTERY-PIPE-BAND-BURMA-1942/360786039966?_trksid=p2046732.m2060&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D16581%26meid%3D2542661236349764803%26pid%3D100040%26prg%3D7839%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D360782128694%26 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-WWII-PHOTOGRAPH-8th-BELFAST-H-A-A-REGT-FOOTBALL-TEAM-MADRAS-1945-/360782105866?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item54004a0d0a http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-WWII-PHOTOGRAPH-RICKSHAW-RIDE-IN-DURBAN-SOUTH-AFRICA-1942-/360782111197?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item54004a21dd http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-OLD-WWII-PHOTOGRAPH-SKEGNESS-1942-ARMY-UNIT-JUST-ABOUT-TO-LEAVE-ENGLAND-/360782128694?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item54004a6636
Hello Frenchy, I`ve got to say I`m not an expert, I`ve only been doing this a few years myself, but it looks an awful lot like he may have been sent to 205 Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment (205 A.A. T.R). It`s hard to say because the writing is difficult to read on the small scan. It would make sense as HAA training regiments were numbered in the 200 series and of course it shows your Grandfather being transfered from the rank of Pte (Private) to Gnr (Gunner). Also, and yes I know what it says on the CWGC site, but are we absolutely sure he was with the 8th HAA Regiment, and not the 8th HAA Battery? I say this because it looks and awful lot like "8 HAA Bty" written next to 2nd Eschelon? Bty is the common abbreviation for battery. The 8th HAA Battery also appear to have been in the far east looking at the war diary references at Kew. They are: WO 172/4700 WO 172/7548 WO 172/2347 WO 172/6667 WO 172/2431 Sorry if I`m wrong but you never now there might be an error here somewhere? Regards, John
Thanks for the reply John, I agree about the training, and unfortunately after this in late 1941 is where I have lost the trail as to where he actually was and which Unit/Battery etc he was actually with in Ceylon and India. I have also thought there may be some mistake with 8HAA Regiment or Battery but have drawn blank upon blank even with his army records. I would need to look at the war diaries you mention but I would like to get a little more info before I proceed with that, it's just a shame that all I have to go on is the info from CWGC and his war records/medal awards etc, just a case of where to look next.
Sometimes, it is what you discount on the journey of discovery, which is very much how I view this work, that makes it that much more sweet when you do find that single line, or maybe, when you are very lucky, a page of detail... I can't help you with the specifics of your journey in this case but welcome to the site, and its many learned colleagues... Kew, and the files contained therein, are so worth the day, or several in may of our cases, but there are several very helpful people who charge very reasonable rates for copying them if you can not make the trip... Kenny
No problem. I also noticed on the 8th HAA "Regiment" website that it states in their history that they sailed from the UK in the Spring of 1942. There is also a personal diary of one of the gunners on this site which indicates the regiment sailed from the Clyde on 28.5.42 and arrived in Bombay 27.7.42. Your Grandfather`s service record indicates his unit was assigned to Ceylon 7.1.42 - 11.3.42 and at that point the 8th HAA "Regiment" had clearly not even sailed from the UK. This also seems to add weight to him being with the 8th HAA "Battery". Some quick Googling seems to point to the 8th HAA Bty being in Malaya in the early part of the war (note also your Grandad`s record has "Malaya" crossed out and replaced by "Ceylon" - coincidence?), then part of Burma Army: See this link. http://www.rothwell.force9.co.uk/burmaweb/burmaArmy1Feb42.htm Looking at the dates on his record suggests he was sent to 205 A(unreadable assumed also to be A) T.R. in April 1941 where he stayed (in training?) until June 1941 when was then "mustered" for overseas service where he arrived in theatre in January 1942 (7.1.42) This is a best guess. Hope this helps a little further. Regards, John
Thank's to all so far for the input, I think I will get hold of some of the war diaries for the 8HAA Bty with the matching relevant dates, there may or may not be a clue in them, as previously mentioned the key may be at the National Archives.
8 HAA Bty was an independent battery in India at the start of the war, and were then sent to Burma, taking part in the 1942 retreat. They continued to serve in the Chittagong area until the battery was broken up in 1944.
Hi Frenchy59! I am also searching for the War Diaries of 8 HAA Bty, Indian Army. Can you help me find these if it is possible for you? Thanks and Regards
