Help sought with a Tracer record entry

Lesley
What ..? - and interrupt their tea -time...come on ..!

Cheers

 

I've had another look at the documents sent to me from the Historical Disclosures unit, and the only other things I have besides the Attestation papers are a page headed 'Statement of the Services of no...' , and a page headed 'Military History Sheet'. Both of these are all but blank. Neither of them have the number B103 on them, so it's entirely feasible that I am indeed missing something.

The problem I now have is that I can't seem to find a phone number to contact them about this - the web site seems to be implying that the only way I can contact them is to go through the whole process of application again. Can anyone help me with a phone number please?

On the subject of 'missing things', I managed to obtain the medals from the Medal Office some years ago, however we didn't receive an 8th Army clasp which should have gone with his Africa Star. Do they not issue clasps these days?

Thanks again to everyone who has been so helpful with this - I have managed to create an album with all the photos of my father that I have (at the moment, at least), including the only one I had at the start of my research 8 years ago: the group photo of my father standing with 2 other people - who I still haven't managed to identify yet.

Clive

 

Clive
I have a number with the letter I received from the MOD
Don't know if it is out of date but you can try
0141 224 2146
e-mail disc4@apc.army.mod.uk

Lesley

 

Lesley, that's great thank you I will give that a try.

Clive

 

Update - having called the above number last week I spoke to someone regarding my father's service history, and the possibility that I had not received everything. I was told that I had already received everything to which I was entitled. Now, normally I would have accepted that and gone away, but thanks to some very helpful advice from this site I challenged that statement with the fact that I had not received any form B103. The person conceded that the file would be called up again, and if there was anything to send I would receive it in due course, or alternatively I would receive an email to the effect that there was nothing else on file...

... well, today, this morning, I received an email... and there is a B103 winging its way in the post to me! (If I knew how to do a giant grinning smiley symbol thing, I'd put one right here!)

Obviously at this time I have no idea what it shows, but for now I just wanted to say a big, big, thank you to everyone who has taken the time - their time - to help me with my quest for information on my father's war service. But for the advice offered here, I would even now be none the wiser. As it is, it is to my eternal regret that I did not ask for help sooner - I was pleased as punch to receive the information that I did some 8 years ago; only now have I come to realise that it wasn't complete.

No doubt when I am at last able to see this document and get it scanned, I shall post the details here and see what you good people can make of it!

Clive

 

Clive

nothing new here - the old tale of overworked civil servants- cough cough - oops something in my throat......

Cheers

 

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWuxtsLJe0GjgL0-jTbU26O6_MAsYpwlqcJsL91qPvRpGMYhDHFg

Hi Clive
Great news. You will find that the B103 forms hold the missing information you are looking for.
Look forward to your posting it up.

Lesley

 

What REALLY annoys me is that when the people at the MOD look at your file why can't they copy ALL the papers in the first place? Oh it really makes me so:mad111:.

The only reason I knew about the form B103 is because I got a few pages of it and this seems to hold the most information, crucial for people looking for details of movements etc.

Lesley

 

Another update - the scanned (6!) pages of the B103 came through the post yesterday, with a covering letter apologising for the oversight. I've now managed to scan them, they are now added to my 'documents' album.

As was suggested, lots more detail, including a couple of AWOLs and a refusal to obey orders - which was evidently enough to bust him back down to Trooper! But confirmation that he was indeed wounded in action, on 1st September 1942.

Thanks again for everyone's help and support on this.

Clive

 

Thanks for posting them up on your album Clive. A result!!
Lots of detail in them as you would expect, bet you are chuffed to bits.

Lesley

 

Thanks Lesley, it is certainly starting to fill in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of him.

For interest, I thought I would show the 3rd RTR War Diary entry for 1st Sept 1942 (I hope its OK to do this!):



0430; Reveille.
0500, Moved back to battle position.
0545; Received orders to occupy Pt. 89 at 0615 hrs. – vacated by NOTTS YEO who are advancing two miles on 328 degs. and then due WEST to contact enemy.
0615; Moved towards Pt. 89 but received orders to join advance in reserve to Bde. with 257 A/Tk. Bty and 489 Bty. RA.
0750; Took over right leading position from NOTTS YEO. Bde. two up with STAFFS YEO left.
0830; At 43608810 engaging 28 German Mk. III and Mk. IV tanks to the WEST, but soon became apparent that enemy were in better position and had heavy A/Tk. Guns to our left flank. 3 R. Tanks destroyed three enemy tanks and lost one GRANT destroyed and three GRANTS disabled. The flanking fire from the left gave the STAFFS YEO a lot of trouble and they lost some GRANT tanks. 3 R. Tanks had withdrawn 1000 yards, “A” Sqdn. still in observation forward.
1030; Temporary lull. Readjustment of position. NOTTS YEO came up on left, STAFFS YEO centre, 3 R. Tanks right facing S.S.W.
1130; NOTTS YEO moving forward WEST to try and contact left of 22 Armd. Bde. 3 R. Tanks placed in reserve to left rear of Bde. HQ.
1230; Replenishment and food. Apparent movement of M.E.T. to EAST and N.E. 4000 yards to our SOUTH.
1430; “A” Sqdn. bagged one enemy tank and lost one Crusader.
1330; 3 R. Tanks advanced to Pt. 79 to establish line on left of the other units in Bde.
1600; Some shelling, but attained objective. Enemy fire was from tanks and guns to WEST.
1650; Still on position. Enemy appeared to be manning NORTH edge of DEIR EL AGRAM some 2000 yards to SOUTH or left of our position. Made position quite uncomfortable.
1730; Left flank being somewhat more heavily engaged with A.P. shot and our own ammunition running short and restricted. Apparently some friends to S.E. of DEIR EL AGRAM also shelling enemy concentration in that area.
1945; Pulled back 600 yards to night leaguer.
Casualties 1 officer (Lt. J.A. WATTS) and 5 O.Rs. wounded. Tanks destroyed 1 GRANT 1 CRUSADER. Tanks to w/shops 3 GRANTS 3 CRUSADERS. Tank state 19 GRANTS/LEES 5 CRUSADERS. Enemy tanks destroyed – 4

If my father was indeed here, then it's entirely feasible he was one of the 5 "O.Rs" wounded that day, a sobering thought.

Clive

 

Hi all

As a kind of a 'P.S.' to this thread, and mindful that it's a bit mature, I just wanted to record the fact that today, 16th May 2013, is the 50th anniversary of my dad passing away, and to share a wonderful photo that my auntie (my dad's baby sister, now in her 80s) showed me recently (hoping this works):



Regards,

Clive

 

Lovely photo Clive. Thank you for posting

Lesley

 

Clive - as Lesley says, it's a lovey photo.

Jules.