LAA Regt disembarked on sword beach.

Just checked my files and thought I only had October 1944. Have got the diaries for June 1944.

Apart from a few slightly fuzzy pages (will reshoot these pages and change next week), the pages for June are very informative regarding departures, landing dates, battery landings and even troops of battery landings.

First troops landed at Graye sur Mer (Juno Beach) on 13 June 1944.

 

Although the 92nd LAA Regt is listed as landing on D-Day with 3Div it was only Fox troop of 318 Bty. The book that shows the picture of a Bofors mounted on a Crusader is wrong, we had self propelled guns on a lorry chasis. Fox troop's mission was to protect the bridges at Benouville, which they did very well. Most of the Regt were on the Liberty Ship Sambut which was hit off Dover on D-Day and set on fire. Some of Regt landed about D+6 without guns, but the reequipped regiment land about 10 days later.

 

I seem to have a mixture of documents, his service book, skills at arms book, release certificate and bits
I know he went to Burma and he never really talked about it with my Gran and I found a japanese flag with lots of writing on it, my mum told me there was a sword as well but it's missing, there's a Burma Newsletter 12.10.1945.
I've also found a map of holland.

Here goes for the documents(hope I've done it right)........

His name was Donovan Edward Lafford No.229724. Captain R.A.

 

I'm not sure some of these documents are going to be readable, they're quite big files - fingers crossed

 

Burma Newsletter - part1

 

Burma Newsletter - part2

 

Burma Newsletter - part1

View attachment 37996

Merseyside dockers striking Oct 1945. Not a lot changes over the years eh.

 

View attachment release cert01.jpg

 

There are a lot of photos but I'm going to have to talk very nicely to a relative to get them so I'll put them on as soon as I can.

 

Well, I have been through so much stuff...

I've got the photos I wanted from my relative and am in the process of scanning them.
I've got my grandad's uniform all folded up in a suitcase that he bought in India (according to lots of letters I found)
I've got O/S 'military edition' maps of Southern England.
I've got tank recognition charts for Italian, Japanese, German, Russian, British and American tanks.
I've got a one rupee note stamped or printed with 'currency of Burma' on it.
I've got notes on different regiments my grandad was in as well.

What should I do with the photos? Can I pile them in here or should I put them in other threads?

In the letters I've been looking at, it quotes the address as Draft RAAXH (RA), India Command. What does the RAAXH mean?

 

I would start a thread in the Royal Artillery section with you grandads No. Rank Name and unit as the title. Start the thread at th ebegining of his service and finish at the end of his service.

Cheers
Andy

 

I would start a thread in the Royal Artillery section with you grandads No. Rank Name and unit as the title. Start the thread at th ebegining of his service and finish at the end of his service.

Cheers
Andy

ok, I'll go and put it in some sort of order.

Thanks

 

Hello,

My late grandfather, Gnr Gaston Dehaes served with 89 LAA also...it seems we have a common interest.

Regards

Andrew DeHeaes-White.