Hampshire Regiment arm of service

Hello,

.ExternalClass p.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass li.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass div.EC_MsoNormal {margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:0cm;line-height:115%;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:'Calibri','sans-serif';} .ExternalClass .EC_MsoChpDefault {;} .ExternalClass .EC_MsoPapDefault {margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt;} .ExternalClass div.EC_Section1 {page:Section1;} Hi there i am trying to find out the badges my grandfather would have worn on his uniform i know he was out on operation torch he was posted to 4thbattalion the Hampshire regiment then posted to 2/4th battalion Hampshire regiment.
From what i gather he would have been part of 43rd Wessex division 1st army but i can’t seem to work out what insignia he would have worn on his arm of service or what order it would have been in also the thin strips.
Any help would be great as i would like to finish of the collection to go along with his medals and service record.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum...The thin stripe sounds like whats called a TRF today.

Can you get a picture on here of it?

Cheers
Andy

 

Yogib -
I think if you call up the Hampshire regiment's History you will find that 2nd Battalion served in France with 1st Division - then after Dunkirk became 2/4th batt. in 43 Rd Wessex div - then on Nov 42 joined the 46th Mixed Division in North Africa - later in the X corps 8th Army- attached to 5th US army were landed at Salerno - Garigliano - Cassino - then a long rest before joining in V corps 8th Army at the Gothic Line where they took a hellish beating at Croce and Gemmano - then on to Austria at the end of the war - I think they also changed numbers again to 4/5th battalion - not sure of that though

So the shoulder flash would have been a Green Oak Tree - with Africa Star and numeral "1" and Italy Star along with the 1939/45 Star - Defence medal and Victory medal - the small gold stripe was called a wound stripe in those days....

Cheers
Cheers

 

hay thanx for replys chaps im still a little confused i must say!! unfortunatly every photo i have of him you cant see his arm except one it looks like a lcpl stripe but upside down on his left wrist i have his hamphire shoulder title and medals and record of service which goes like this:

posted 4th bat. hampshire regt. 17 may 1939
posted 2/4th bat. hampshire regt. 23 august 1939
called up for service 02 sept 1939
enbarked uk for north africa 06 jan 1943
posted to school of instruction 141 force AMGOT 1943
wounded in action 2nd week of march 1943 exact date unknown
posted to AMGOT 15 army group central mediterranean force 25th oct 1943
entrained milan for uk 10th ocy 1945
arrived uk 18th oct 1945
proceeded on leave 20th oct 1945
released army reserve 17th jan-10th feb 1954
allocated to general reserve 11 feb 1954-05 april 1956
service with the colours 17th may 1939- 05 april 1956

from reading up on wat happend i thought he was 1st army (badge st george cross)
then 43rd wessex (badge yellow dragon blue background)
a thin green stripe to indicate infantry and then it mentions these thin red stripes to indicate which infantry division 1 2 or 3? is this incorrect then chaps?

 

www.petergh.f2s.com/flashes/4th-infdiv.jpg

have been using this site guys

 

hay thanx for replys chaps im still a little confused i must say!! unfortunatly every photo i have of him you cant see his arm except one it looks like a lcpl stripe but upside down on his left wrist i have his hamphire shoulder title and medals

Any chance of posting the pictures on here ?

Regards
Andy

 

Yogib -
Well he started off in 43rd Wessex - after Dunkirk - then in Jan '43 he landed in North Africa with 1st Army - 46th division - and he saw some action to be wounded - then he went on a training course with AMGOT (Allied Military Government Office of Treasury - they made up our money as opposed to the local money)

strangely this force 141 was the room in the Hotel Algiers where they were planning the Invasion of Sicily - so he appears to have joined AMGOT- in Italy - and thus left the Hampshires and virtually had a base job - no idea what they would have worn on their sleeve but the upside down chevron usually denotes long service -he hardly qualfyies as he joined up in Sept '39....

Entraining at Milan was obviously for the LIAP leave of 28 days in the UK

The 15th Army group was the combination of 8th army and 7th US Army of gen Patton for the Sicily invasion - when it became the 8th and 5th US armies in Italy - they didn't bother to change it to 13th Army group - can't think why ?

The Infantry was known by the 2 inch strip of RED cloth - the three red stips were to indicate the seniority of each brigade within a Divsion.....forget the 43rd Division- they didn't move until D Day and beyond

Cheers

 

right chaps thanx again your knowlege is remarkable!!!

i thought AMGOT was (Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories)

this is what i have been goin of its alot :
[FONT=&quot]The 2/4th Battalion.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Details taken from "The Royal Hampshire Regiment 1918 - 1954" by David Scott Daniell.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]After the fall of Tunis the 2/4th Battalion was split into two to form two Defence Units of two Beach Groups.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]10th July 1943 the 20th Beach Group (“A” and “B” companies) invaded Sicily as part of “Operation Husky”. The role of the Beach Group was to land supplies until a harbour could be captured. On 12 July 20th Beach group moved inland, behind the advancing infantry, but by 22nd July the half-Battalion was in the line, capturing Mount Scalpello. On 4th August the half-Battalion moved to Catania, where they remained on garrison duty.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]9th September 1943 the 21st Beach Group (“C” and “D” companies) invaded Salerno. The assault went in at dawn against stiff opposition, and rather than take its allotted role the half-Battalion was moved straight into the line. However there was little action until 13th September when the half-Battalion was attacked by armoured half-tracks. This happened again on 15th September when ‘D’ company was over-run. However, the half-tracks didn’t assault ‘D’ company as such, they ran over the slit trenches until picked off by 6pdr anti-tank guns. On 17th September the half-Battalion was moved back into Reserve, and by 23rd September they were back on the beaches unloading cargo.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]18th November 1943 the two halves of the 2/4th Battalion were re-united at Portecagnano near Naples. However, there was no immediate employment, and orders were received to send cadres to the three battalions in the Hampshire Brigade (this was rescinded after protests). However, 6 Officers and 77 Other Ranks were posted away to form the “2/4th Hampshire Training Centre”, 3 Officers and 188 Other Ranks were assigned to ‘porter-age duties’ and another detachment of 50 men was assigned to help the Provost Corps with traffic duties.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]29th February 1944 the 2/4th Battalion was back in the line in Italy, near Garigliano, as part of 28th Infantry Brigade, in 4th Division. This was the same ground where the Hampshire Brigade had suffered through the Italian winter. The battalion was relieved for short periods on a regular basis before returning to the line.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]11th May 1944 the 2/4th Battalion assisted the other two battalions of their brigade to cross the River Rapido as part of the assault on Casino. The river and bank were under intense enemy fire, and the river so swift that swimmers from 2/4th had to cross with lines to enable the boats to get across. Troops got across the river but could make little headway against the storm of machine gun fire. The 2/4th could not get across to join their fellow battalions, and so on 12th May they came under command of 12th Infantry Brigade and crossed via a bridge on 13th May. Supported by 17th/21st Lancers and their Sherman tanks, the2/4th Battalion attacked along the river, taking 200 prisoners. On 14th May, back in 28th Brigade, the 2/4th attempted to cross the River Pioppeta . The bridge for tanks sunk in the mud, and the Battalion lost 100 casualties in two minutes. The 2/4th waded the river, but in spite of heavy casualties and fierce resistance, the advance continued. During this advance, Captain Wakeford won the Victoria Cross. By 6.30pm all objectives had been captured, and the 2/4th reorganised on a three-company basis. On 16th May the battalion was relieved. Two days later, Cassino was captured by the Polish Corps.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]22nd June 1944 the 2/4th battalion was back in the line near the village of Villastrada, between Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno to north of Rome. On 24th June a major attack was launched on that section fo the Trasimene Line by 2 Somerset Light Infantry supported by the tanks of 12 Canadian Armoured Regiment. 2/4 Hants were to follow on, but their entry into battle was delayed until the next day. Having passed through the village of Vaiano, which they found unoccupied, an attack was launched on a ridge being held by the German 1st Parachute Division. Although "C" Company established a foothold on the ridge, occupying a farmhouse, that night a fierce German counter-attack was made by the Germans, who over-ran the company headquarters. Fighting was close and confused, and the company ran low on ammunition. It was forced back to literally the last ditch, but hung on. At dawn the next day, 26 June, the Battalion counter-attacked and managed to recapture their previous positions; the Germans were withdrawing to the Arezzo Line. The 2/4th Battalion followed up, coming into action again on 21st July. Supported by the North Irish Horse, a steady advance was made. The battalion was then taken out of the line again – some platoons were down to ten men each with no officer.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]28th July 1944 the 2/4th attacked Santa Lucia, a small but fierce battle which was captured on 30th July. The enemy then withdrew, and the 2/4th moved up to the River Arno. On 10th August the Battalion was withdrawn.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]15th September 1944 the 2/4th began its assault on the Gothic Line, attacking across the River Marano and capturing Casa Bagli. All the first day objectives were achieved, and the 2/4th defended them on 16th September against German counter-attacks. On 17th September the battalion captured Cerasola, and were relieved the following day. The battalion then moved north behind the army’s advance, arriving in time to stand by to support the Hampshire Brigade’s assault on Forli during November. During 22nd November the 2/4th attacked and captured a bridgehead over the River Cosina against heavy shelling, and this was the battalion’s last action in Italy.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]11th December 1944 the 2/4th Battalion was flown to Greece in the bomb-bays of Wellington and Liberator bombers in response to the outbreak of the Greek Civil War, arriving 12th December. The E.L.A.S. army, armed and trained by the British, was trying to overthrow the Greek Government. On arrival, the Battalion was split up, primarily defending the airfield, then clearing E.L.A.S. forces from Athens. This did involve some fighting, and the 2/4th Battalion lost 3 men killed. The 2/4th Battalion then settled down to peace-keeping duties.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6th May 1945 the4 2/4th was moved to Crete to take charge of the Germans, who had surrendered, and they ended the war there.[/FONT]

 

as to a picture how do i place that on here?

 

hay that pics good so is that it!!! the only difference is his shoulder title is red and says hampshire reg not royal hampshire?

 

owen can you clear up this AMGOT difference?

 

thats strange, he gave it to me in person its even moth eaten lol.
let me check his pics again!!

 

did it work??lol that cap does look like the right one!!

 

Yogib-
We used to call AMGOT all sorts of things but the main thing was that they gave us our money - now that was important...while your history of the Hampshires is very interesting- can I point out that your realtive left the Hampshires just after the 7th Armoured element captured Naples and so he missed all the fun at the Garigliano - Cassino - Chiusi and Trasemeno - but you are right - they were with the 4th Div as I thought they were in 46th Div - there were a few Hants battalions in Italy- even one in Vienna for the Tattoo in June '46.

Cheers

 

Hi Tom, he was actually quite badly injured in africa he sufferd with shell shock for a very long time it was stll in his neck till the day he died.

i think he was given the option to go home but didnt he wanted to stay on so the story goes ...he did alot of griving he was a first class driver of all types on his record, i think he did alot of behind the scene things in italy that is ware he met my nan she was italian in torino and they married i have lots of photos but they are at my mums house, so cant show on here! i recently got his medals and want to get them framed for my son when hes older along with what he actually did but i would like to get all the badges aswell that he would have worn.

 

hay i got a stripe
<<<<<<<
going up in the world lol