New website - britisharmyingermany.com

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by Historic Steve, Jan 16, 2017.

  1. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Now added to Combat Service Support Arms – Royal Army Service Corps

    Information taken from higher formation War Dairies/Historical Information from Kew as kindly supplied by Lee at arcre.com

    Do not hold RASC files, except early CRASC 49 (West Riding) Infantry Division, so the listed information is very incomplete, if you can help with post May 45 details please get in touch.

    Now working on RAMC – have listed hospitals as a starter.

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
  2. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day


    Puzzle solved after 10+ years, the attached was taken from a 1945/6 publication with the story of 30 Corps in Germany purchased on eBay, the grid references quoted in War Dairies failed to find a firm location on Google Earth and was just about to make my second reece to Nienburg, did a search again on the internet and BINGO this was the Amtssparkasse am Goetheplatz that opened in 1921, now demolished and replaced with a new building serving as the main HQ for the Sparkasse in Nienburg.

    Not the first time finding a bank had been requestioned, HQ Royal Signals 21 Army Group from 25 Aug 45 British Army of the Rhine were located the Deutsche Bank, corner of Kloster and Porta Strasse in Bad Oeynhausen.
     
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  3. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Latest update 1 Oct 2022

    Now added to Combat Service Support Arms:
    Medical Services – Royal Army Medical Corps + Royal Army Dental Corps
    Provost – Corps Military Police – Royal from 28 Nov 46
    Royal Army Ordnance Corps
    Town Majors

    In preparation
    Intelligence Corps
    Pioneer Corps – Royal from 28 Nov 46

    Always looking for War Diaries/Historical Records for units post May 45 to try and improve the published information.

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
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  4. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Major website update 1 Jan 2023

    Have now competed records best I can for nearly all Cap Badges that are listed under:
    Combat Arms
    Combat Support Arms
    Combat Service Support Arms

    Higher formations are listed from their command as at VE Day 8 May 45

    To follow:
    Miscellaneous units
    Military Government
    Allied Armies – Belgium – Dutch – Norwegian – Danish

    Thanks to all members who have assisted with information

    Wishing everybody a Happy and Healthy New Year

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
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  5. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    From Twitter by john bolton @JohnIceAgency using tweets by 7 RLC Regiment in November 2013, alas copy & paste is not working:
    Yes, a BAOR unit, so could be of interest.
     
  6. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Thanks David, this would be the Mixed Service Organisation (MSO) see GSO & MSO
     
  7. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    It may have been that the Brits recruited complete units or based the MCTGs around a cadre.
    OC 632 MCTG'sm office had a Stammlein (?) /Lineage board which traced the unit to a named transport column from, if memory serves me , 1st Fallschirmjaeger Armee
     
  8. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    On starting 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine only recorded the Canadians on German soil, as the First Canadian Army were under command 21st Army Group later BAOR, felt it correct to include them in the Netherlands, thanks to Canadiana Héritage War Diaries being available online have been able to update the website, at the moment just the chain of command and major units, needing further research to add divisional troops along with batteries/squadrons locations, have been very pleased to have found more information on British units serving in the Netherlands before moving to Germany.

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
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  9. PokipsiePaddy

    PokipsiePaddy Member

    Looking for any records on British Chaplains serving in the BAOR. Especially interested in one Chaplain, Captain Monaghan. Anyone familiar with resources or records?

    https://www.ccgermany.org.uk/organisation
     
  10. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Sorry unable to help with tracing personnel.
     
  11. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    The 3rd Infantry Division has been revised now starting from 1 May 45 until moving to the Middle East, having access to war diaries from Kew, thanks to Quis Separabit for sharing 9 Inf Bde, have seen so many errors on the internet and wanted to get the records straight, work is still in progress on the website and awaiting files from Lee@arcre, when complete will probably amend all higher formations back to 1 May 45.

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (as always under construction)
     
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  12. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

  13. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Steve,

    Could the lack of reporting of the APO squadrons reflect their covert role in watching the border and beyond? Long ago there was an article on a RAF training flight's presence in West Berlin.
     
  14. Quis Separabit

    Quis Separabit Junior Member


    Hi Steve, me again...

    After a rather bizarre chance meeting at the D-Day commemorations with the son of my Dad's 9th British Infantry Brigade Defence Platoon Sergeant (pictured above to Brigadier's left), I have been sent some photos from what I believe of 9th British Infantry Brigade HQ personnel at a time shortly after the war ended.

    There are no names/dates/locations on the photos but some of the photos include insignia including:
    • 87 / DP3 (on back of truck)
    • 87 (on motobike, motorbike helmet and Sergeant's Mess sign)
    • C4705550 (on motorbike)
    and it is my assumption that these are BAOR insignia which may indicate where they were based when the photos were taken?

    I can't see any obvious reference to "87" or "DP3" in War Diaries at 9th British Infantry Brigade During World War 2 and was wondering whether you might know what these insiginia may mean and/or potential locations?

    Any assistance greatly appreciated.

    Quis Separabit

    upload_2024-8-8_15-56-53.png upload_2024-8-8_15-57-26.jpeg

    upload_2024-8-8_15-58-12.jpeg
     
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  15. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Speculation, but DP3 could mean vehicle 3 of the defence platoon.

    The 87 looks like an arm of service number - these identified the unit within a division to which a vehicle belonged. The strange thing based on what you said, is that 87 was for the HQ of the second brigade in a division, based on the following chart:

    https://uktankmarkings.wordpress.co...21/05/uk-europe-infantry-division-1944-01.png

    Which I'd have thought was 8th brigade rather than 9th.
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2024
  16. Quis Separabit

    Quis Separabit Junior Member

    Hi Chris

    Thanks for the chart with the arm numbers, that would make perfect sense as I believe 9th Infantry Brigade were the "Second" Infantry Brigade in 3rd Division as shown by the 2 stripes on my Dad's battledress (the Blue Triangle designates Brigade HQ).

    So I can now confirm that those shown in the photos amongst the marked vehicles are members of 9th Brigade HQ, although doesn't help me with the date/location as hoped....

    I also know that atleast 2 of those shown on the truck marked "DP3" were in the 9 Brigade HQ Defence Platoon so "Defence Platoon" isn't an unreasonable speculation...

    Thanks again.

    Quis Separabit

    [​IMG] upload_2024-8-9_14-29-16.jpeg
     
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  17. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Good morning Quis thanks for sharing, regarding locations May 45 onwards, does not look like Delmenhorst, Lengerich or Recklinghausen, according to the GRs Bde HQ was located in town, at a guess it is Liedtspark in Audenarde Belgium but could be wrong!
     
  18. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi Quis,

    I had mistakenly looked at an earlier OOB for the division (when 7th Brigade was a part of it). I agree, for 1944-45, the markings do line up with 8th Brigade being the 'second' brigade!

    In the photo including the sign of the sgt's mess, I think the dark circle is actually the divisional symbol, but the blue and red are indistinguishable in the black and white photo. That's a little more apparent on the back of vehicle DP3.

    Cheers,
    Chris
     

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