KOYLIs North Africa

Hi

My father fought in North Africa. He was with the KOYLIs and attched to the 8th Army. I have his service record but don't really understand the abbreviations.

What I do know is that he volunteered to go to Italy (perhaps parachuted in) at the end of the war to attack infrastucture. He drank contaminated water, fell ill and was looked after by an Italian family - persumably at great personal risk to them.

I can't find any KOYLI war diaries

If anyone can shed light on any element of the above, I would be very grateful

Steve

 

Steve

Welcome aboard !

Why not Scan a few of his records, post them here and then ask away for any abbreviations you don't understand.

Ron

 

Hi Steve, Welcome to the forum.

Could you scan/copy the relevant pages of your father's records? The members here could then help you with understanding the abbrevations and notations you are unsure of.

I have conducted a quick search for files concerning the KOYLI on the National Archives website in the period 1939-1946, and the results including war diaries can be found here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/search/search_results.aspx?Page=1&QueryText=King's+Own+Yorkshire+Light+Infantry&DateFrom=1939&DateTo=1946&SelectedDatabases=A2A%7cARCHON%7cBOOKSHOP%7cCABPAPERS%7cDOCUMENTSONLINE%7cEROL%7cMOVINGHERE%7cNRA%7cNRALISTS%7cPREM19%7cRESEARCHGUIDES%7cE179%7cCATALOGUE%7cWEBSITE%7cTRAFALGAR&SearchType=Quick.

If you are unable to get to Kew, there are members here who can assist you with copying.

Mark

 

Steve
Welcome to the forum!

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

Thank you so much for the welcome and your generosity in offering to help me with understanding his service record.

I am attaching a page (I have others). You will see that he was awarded the Africa Star and the 8th Army Clasp. He also received the Italy Star.

Underneath the entry 'Awarded 8th Army Clasp' there is a reference to him being posted to '1 Spec Force'. I can't make out the rest of the writing. I think this may be a reference to him being sent to Italy and this is the part that interests me.

If you can shed any light on what this means I would be very grateful

Steve

 

I read it as saying: posted 1 spec force, 6 base sub area remaining x(i) although I've no idea what that means.
It seems your father was transfered to the 9th Battalion, KOYLI (also known as: THE QUEEN'S OWN YORKSHIRE DRAGOONS) on arriving in Egypt, a little info is on Wiki click here

Theres a post explaining the x list is here

Can't see anything on the page re: Italy, but as he received the Italy Star he must have been there, can you post any other pages you have?

 

click here for a post discussing 1 special force, seems someone else is researching and could help?

 

According to Wiki, click here, Special Operations Executive in Italy was renamed 1 special force in 1943.

good luck with your research, and please post anything you find here, it will be interesting to find out more.

 

Thank you so much for taking a look. I will post up some more pages.

Steve

 

Here are some extra pages that might help identify what my dad was doing in Italy

Thank you
Steve

 

Nothing much to add, but the 3rd pic here shows him going on leave from 24/9/45 "embarked CMF' CMF is Central Mediterranean Force, or Italy in other words.
As it seems he was with SOE, it stands to reason that there is not much info on the records, a book I have seen (but not read) gives an overview of SOEs role in Italy, might be worth a look - its "Mission Accomplished: SOE and Italy 1943-1945"

 

Another book is mentioned here

 

Just had a thought, it would be as well posting in the special forces forum for more info, there will be members there who could help more I would imagine.

 

Thank you so much for your help, I think you have given me some suggestions I can work with. I guess my next task will be to go the National Archives, I believe they have the KOYLI war diaries and a history of the SOE/SAS. I will let you know what I uncover.

Thank you again

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Here's one file that might be of interest to you when you visit the National Archives:HS 7/60, Italy: Number 1 Special Force activities during April 1945

I had a quick look to see if he has an SOE personal file but there is none.

Lee

 

Hi Lee

Thank you for that suggestion, I will look up that file.

Kind regards
Steve

 

Hi Lee

My biggest problem is lack of experience - I just don't know what to look for and therefore wouldn't be able to give you a complete brief. All I have is the service record and a 'family story' about my dad in Italy. The guys on the site have been hugely helpful so far with suggestions and interpretations etc and any help is really appreciated.

I want to know more about my father's activities in Italy, but am in the dark really.

Kind regards

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Sorry only just spotted your reply. I'll send you a PM.

Best wishes,

Lee

 

My Great grandad was in the 9th bn koyli. (Queens own yorkshire dragoons) he died in Italy anzio battle in May 1944. Where he is buried at the beach head war cemetery.