history of the Royal artillery regt Far East theatre 1941-46 by Farndale

Discussion in 'Research Material' started by Patwalker, Apr 2, 2010.

  1. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Glad I could help. Flicking through the London Gazette for Baass shows that after WW1 he remained in the RA and slowly but surely worked up the ranks in the peace-time army. By the time of the actions reported here most of the longer serving members would have known him as Baass whereas the younger ones would have only known him as Baillie.

    Depending on who wrote various reports his name could be either variant....
     
  2. Patwalker

    Patwalker Junior Member

    Just to let you know how things are going with the rersearches. I have now got 145 pages of text and discovered quite a lot more of their brief history. I have about twenty five pictures/ sketches to go with the text as well. two of survivors and one who died after rescue under tragic circumstances.
    The story behind the Lt Col Bailie being `lost` In fact he legged it out before the fall of Java by grabbing a place on a flight saying he was needed elsewhere.!! In a book I have just finished by one of his officers both the brigade major and he are most disparaging about their Colonels desertion. Amongst the coincidences that have happened during the researches one has got to be even more amazing.
    my son in law who has been researeching his family history knew his Grandfather was a gunner in a medium regt but knew nothing about his brother. When he input his brothers details into a FEPOW site up they came with a picture of his service file and blow me if he was not in 6 Regt 12 Bty. !!
    best regars for now,
    Patrick
     
  3. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Would be intrested if someone could tell me if there are refrences to this unit in the book that the thread has the title of RA 1939-45 82 A/Tk Rgt
     
  4. Derek Barton

    Derek Barton Senior Member

    Yes, 82 A/Tk Rgt has 8 entries in the index. Is there anything in particular you are looking for.
     
  5. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Yes, 82 A/Tk Rgt has 8 entries in the index. Is there anything in particular you are looking for.
    Hi Derek, my Uncle Albert Parr, as i have recently learned served in the 82nd A/Tk Rgt in Burma I will try to find out more from my Cousin next time I hear from her.
     
  6. Harrison

    Harrison Junior Member

    Gentlemen Hello I am attempting to some research on my wife`s Grandfather whose name and rank Gunner Stanley Weston 797495 12 Bty 6HAA RA died 7 May 1945 we know that his name is on the roll of honour at Singapore , we know that he was a POW of the Japanese and I think from your very informative thread that he may have been involved in the fighting fo the P1 and P2 airfields , I was wondering if you may have come across him during your research , we would be very grateful for any information or any guidance I stumblec across this very informative site and am now hooked
     
  7. Walter

    Walter Junior Member

    I'm wondering if any of the books referred to in this thread could help me track down info on my father, William Henry (Bill) Tuttlebee, who arrived in Singapore about 1-2 weeks before it fell. I don't have many details, but I believe he was trained as a driver in the RA - but didn't get to do much of it before becoming a PoW.

    He only ever spoke of being in Changi, but I guess he may also have gone out on the various working parties, but don't know how to find out.

    I wonder if the books may have details of which units arrived when on which ships ? Or if anyone has lists of names of the personnel in the various RA units ?



    Thanks for any steers.

    Walter
     
  8. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    I'm wondering if any of the books referred to in this thread could help me track down info on my father, William Henry (Bill) Tuttlebee, who arrived in Singapore about 1-2 weeks before it fell. I don't have many details, but I believe he was trained as a driver in the RA - but didn't get to do much of it before becoming a PoW.

    He only ever spoke of being in Changi, but I guess he may also have gone out on the various working parties, but don't know how to find out.

    I wonder if the books may have details of which units arrived when on which ships ? Or if anyone has lists of names of the personnel in the various RA units ?



    Thanks for any steers.

    Walter

    Hi Walter,

    Unless you know the identity of his unit, you are looking for a needle in a haystack.

    There are no lists of men in units as such and if there are, these are fairly rare. If you know his service record number/date of birth, I would recommend applying for his service records. When you get these (up to a year's wait and £30), even then, you are relying on eye witness reports from that time, as when units were captured, the writing of war diaries ceased.

    The fastest thing to check, is whether there is a completed returning prisoner of war report for William Henry Tuttlebee at the National Archives. Not everyone completed one, but you never know. If there is one, it will give the id of his unit and any camps he was held in. I'll send a Forum Member a Private Message to see if he happens to have a copy and let you know his answer either way.

    Researching POW’s of the Japanese is one of the more difficult areas of research you can undertake.

    Regards - Rob
     
  9. Walter

    Walter Junior Member

    Hi Walter,

    Unless you know the identity of his unit, you are looking for a needle in a haystack.

    There are no lists of men in units as such and if there are, these are fairly rare. If you know his service record number/date of birth, I would recommend applying for his service records. When you get these (up to a year's wait and £30), even then, you are relying on eye witness reports from that time, as when units were captured, the writing of war diaries ceased.

    The fastest thing to check, is whether there is a completed returning prisoner of war report for William Henry Tuttlebee at the National Archives. Not everyone completed one, but you never know. If there is one, it will give the id of his unit and any camps he was held in. I'll send a Forum Member a Private Message to see if he happens to have a copy and let you know his answer either way.

    Researching POW’s of the Japanese is one of the more difficult areas of research you can undertake.

    Regards - Rob

    Rob

    Many thanks for the reply. I've requested his army service record but - in line with your comment - I was told they have an 11 month backlog and are just starting on the March 2011 searches ! I'm visiting Kew soon to see if I can find his PoW card & liberation questionnaire - I hope he completed one...

    Do you know if there are any lists compiled anywhere of the troops on the ships which arrived in Singapore in 1942 - my Dad arrived about 2 weeks before the fall... I don't know which ship he was on or precise date.

    Thanks for your help,

    Walter
     
  10. Dave Moss

    Dave Moss Junior Member

    My wife's grandfather served with 12 Bty 6 HAA. He eventually died on the "Hell ship" Singapore Maru en route to Japan. I would be interested to know if there was any way of finding out whether he was captured at Kalidjati with Coulson or if he made it to Garoet to await what was to be the general capitulation. We have lots of his letters home from the war. I have a photo of one of them here .... to my very own darlings | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

    This was his very last dated Jan 20th 1942.
     
  11. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Hi Dave,

    I've sent a message to Pat Walker, the originator of this thread. He has written and recently published the history of 6 HAA Regt and has done extensive research of this unit. He will no doubt be in touch with you shortly.

    Regards - Rob
     
  12. Dave Moss

    Dave Moss Junior Member

    Thanks Rob!

    Pat has already been in touch!
     
  13. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Thanks Rob!

    Pat has already been in touch!

    I thought he would have been. Good to hear.

    Regards - Rob
     
  14. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

  15. DCRS

    DCRS Junior Member

    Hi All. I’m new to this so here goes .My Dad Gnr. 818653, William John Stone, joined the R.A in Winchester on January 20th 1932, aged twenty two, for seven years in colours and a further seven in the Army reserve. He served four years in Kirkee in Pune and I would be interested to know what type of service that involved. On the eleventh of November 1942 he was posted to Iraq until fourteenth of February [Valentine’s Day, how ironic.] 1942 to Singapore. He is recorded as a P.O.W on Fifteenth of February, 1942. My Mother led me to believe that he walked off the boat and did not fire a shot in anger, having to lay down his arms.If this is the case why were they sent there? Moving to various pow camps , first Changi, then Saigon, on to Tha Soe, Nakom Paton, Tha Muang and eventually Pratchai, the treatment heand his comrades received is well documented. I am present reading Brian MacArthur’s Surviving The Sword . His regiment is listed as 6HAA, 3bty and I would be more than grateful for any information I can glean into his movement from England, via Iraq to Changi camp.B)
     
  16. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Here is a little summary of its movements:


    6th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
    Station: Blackdown
    Batteries: 3rd, 12th, 15th AA Batteries

    The regiment was mobilized at Blackdown with 3rd, 12th and 15th AA and 1st Light AA Batteries. It moved to France through Cherbourg and deployed in defence of Le Mans under 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade. By 2 November 1939, it was deployed to Aubigny at Berlette. It was reorganized in January 1940 with 2nd, 12th and 18th AA Batteries. It had RHQ at Habare on 10 May 1940 and was ordered to advance into Belgium. It eventually had 3rd Battery at Trounai, 15th at Brussels and 12th at Ath.
    It became a Heavy AA Regiment on 1 June 1940 on return to England. It reorganized at Aberystwyth with 3rd, 12th and 15th Batteries with 3” guns. By the autumn of 1940, it was located under 34th Anti-Aircraft Brigade in the Birmingham/Coventry area.
    It left the United Kingdom on 14 November 1941 for Iraq. Instead it was sent to Java, where it arrived on 19 February 1942 without guns or equipment. It fought on Java from 28 February to 12 March 1942 as infantry under 16th Anti-Aircraft Brigade. It was then captured by the Japanese.
     
  17. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Hi All. I’m new to this so here goes .My Dad Gnr. 818653, William John Stone, joined the R.A in Winchester on January 20th 1932, aged twenty two, for seven years in colours and a further seven in the Army reserve. He served four years in Kirkee in Pune and I would be interested to know what type of service that involved. On the eleventh of November 1942 he was posted to Iraq until fourteenth of February [Valentine’s Day, how ironic.] 1942 to Singapore. He is recorded as a P.O.W on Fifteenth of February, 1942. My Mother led me to believe that he walked off the boat and did not fire a shot in anger, having to lay down his arms.If this is the case why were they sent there? Moving to various pow camps , first Changi, then Saigon, on to Tha Soe, Nakom Paton, Tha Muang and eventually Pratchai, the treatment heand his comrades received is well documented. I am present reading Brian MacArthur’s Surviving The Sword . His regiment is listed as 6HAA, 3bty and I would be more than grateful for any information I can glean into his movement from England, via Iraq to Changi camp.B)

    Hi DCRS,

    One of our Forum Members, Pat Walker has written a book about 6 HAA Regiment. It will tell you more about his journey. This is a link to a thread with details.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/book-reviews/41405-6th-heavy-anti-aircraft-regiment-royal-artillery-book.html

    Your Father's name is actually listed in the index of Survivors and I have sent a Private message to Pat to contact you. 3 Battery was in Singapore when captured. 12 & 15 Batteries were captured in Java.

    I have been helping Pat over time, by getting copies of all the POW survivor questionnaires of this Regiment and those with surnames beginning with S are next. If I find one for Gunner W J Stone, I will send you a copy.

    Regards - Rob
     
  18. DCRS

    DCRS Junior Member

    Thanks Rob for you prompt and informative response.I have obtained a co py of a questionaire filled in by my father from The Saigon Battailion database as he was there with Lt Col F.E. Hugonin before moving onto the railway 22 6 42. Would you be aware of the information I would glean from the Japenese index cards available from Kew?I will now click onto the link you forwarded me
    Cheers DCRS
     
  19. Bozerboy0585

    Bozerboy0585 Junior Member

    A really interesting thread - Derek do you know if the Farndale book also lists personnel attached to RA units. In particular 14226401 Signalman W Pearson Royal Signals who was attached to 18 Field Regiment
    Steve
     
  20. Patwalker

    Patwalker Junior Member

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