Help with service records

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by Laura Oakley, Sep 5, 2021.

  1. Laura Oakley

    Laura Oakley Member

    Hi all,

    I have recently received copies of my grandads service records and I am having quite a hard time trying to decipher it all!
    From what I can gather he started in the Cheshire Regiment and then was transferred to 30 Corps for the rest of the war.

    Would anyone be able to decipher his records and shed some light on what he was involved in. I have attached all the records that we now have on him and any help would be very appreciated!!

    Thanks
    Laura
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    I can help with your request, Laura. Will look to respond tomorrow morning!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
    Laura Oakley likes this.
  3. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Some thoughts:
    27.10.39 Enlisted Cheshire Regt
    15.11.39 157 Machine Gun Training Centre (MGTC)
    10.5.40 - 9.5.40 BEF France
    26.6.40 Posted to A company 4th Cheshires UK
    2.1.41 Attached HQ Company Cheshires
    1.2.41 Attached 10 Bn Lancashire Fusiliers
    Periods of leave
    30.1.42 Transferred to 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (RNF) and Attached 24 MGTC, Chester
    14.2.42 14.2.42 - 28.8.43 Middle East
    22.5.42 - 29.5.42 19 General Hospital, discharged to 1 Base Depot
    7.6.42 Line of Communications Signals 8th Army
    15.6.42 Taken off strength (TOS) HQ 30 Corps attached to Defence Sqn 30 Corps
    27.7.42 Hospital
    5.8.42 Convalescent Depot
    19.9.42 30 Corps HQ
    21.9.42 Attached Defence Sqn HQ 30 Corps
    1.1.43 Re-joined HQ 30 Corps still on x list
    24.6.43 Embarked for unknown destination
    29.8.43 Struck off strength (SOS) Middle East Force to British North Africa Force (BNAF)
    29.8.43 -25.11.43 (BNAF)
    7.11.43 Embarked for UK SIck, SOS BNAF
    25.11.43 Arrived UK
    19.1.44 Africa Star with 8 Army clasp
    15.2.44 To x(i) list
    3.6.44 - 30.12.45 NW Europe
    10.4.46 To reserves

    Cheshire Regiment - Wikipedia.

    List of Royal Northumberland Fusiliers battalions in World War II - Wikipedia

    Medals
    1939/45 Star
    Africa Star (8th Army)
    Italy Star
    France & Germany Star
    Defence Medal
    War Medal 39/45

    Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility

    X lists
    X lists (Service Records)

    Does not appear in casualty lists so hospitalisations possibly sickness rather than wounded.
     
  4. Laura Oakley

    Laura Oakley Member

    Wow, thank you both for the speedy reply!

    Thank you Tony, at least I have something to go by now and hopefully it’ll help me find out what he was involved in.

    We heard snippets about his adventures but he never really spoke about his experiences. My grandad was a damaged soul when he came back from the war and quickly turned to alcohol, sadly the alcohol took him before any of us were old enough to ask anything hence why i applied for his service records. I guess I want to understand him a little better and hopefully pass on everything I learn about him to my children.

    Again thank you so much!
     
  5. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    The only thing I will add to Tony’s analysis is what the following likely involved:

    This probably involved Operation Husky, the invasion of + fighting in Sicily, the landings being on 10 July 1943 and finished near the end of August 1943.

    Most men destined for the fighting in NW Europe, for example, the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, the 51st (Highland) Division and the 7th Armoured Division, started to arrive back in the UK during November 1943.

    The fact that he has the Italy Star in his medal haul supports this likelihood.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
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  6. Laura Oakley

    Laura Oakley Member

    Ahh okay thanks Steve! I will certainly look into that once I have got my head around it all.

    I have started looking at the beginning of his records and his time with the 4th Cheshires and the BEF, am I right in thinking that he was involved in Dunkirk? I was just looking at the dates etc and they do seem to line up with him returning to the UK on the 1st June 1940.

    Thanks,
    Laura
     
  7. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    He was with the 4th Bn Cheshire Regiment and so the BEF, from 10 to 31 May 1940. He would likely have been evacuated from, either, Dunkirk, Bray Dunes or La Panne. Excepting the HQ Coy, the 4th Bn Cheshire Regiment had a lot of casualties, including most of its MG company officers being either killed, died of wounds or taken PoW. They did not serve overseas thereafter.

    I have the regimental history: 'The History Of The Cheshire Regiment In The Second World War' (Crookenden), if you need any further background.

    Did your grandad have any relatives serving with the 6th Bn Cheshire Regiment, during WWII ? The aforementioned book reveals a Sergeant Thomas Oakley being awarded a Military Medal.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
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  8. Laura Oakley

    Laura Oakley Member

    Wow! I am actually in shock as we were never aware of his involvement in Dunkirk. Dunkirk and the BEF was never mentioned by him at all. Thank you so much for the explanation, I am completely clueless when it comes to this from being part of the younger generation I suppose.

    Regarding Thomas Oakley of the 6th bn Cheshire, I did at first think this was my grandad as all I knew was that he served with the Cheshire’s. Since receiving my grandad’s records I’ve come to find that in fact it can’t be him and just a coincidence I guess. My grandfather did have a half brother who served with the 1st bn Wiltshire Reg, sadly he was killed in action in Burma. His name was Samuel G Gore.

    Best wishes,
    Laura
     
  9. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

    Hi

    Here is Samuel on CWGC - Casualty Details | CWGC
    Click on the registrations and headstone for more information.

    regards

    Robert
     
    Laura Oakley likes this.
  10. Laura Oakley

    Laura Oakley Member

    Thank you Robert
     

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