What an amazing site! I've seen more suitable information here than anywhere else! My dad was a Coldstream Guard, but attached to the parachute regiment, this is as far as it goes, he never was much of a talker about the War. He died in 2002 and I'm looking for his service records. 14859131 (service Number?) CPL D V Caton Coldm. Gds this is on the side of his GSM with Palestine clasp. He also has, however, his name isn't on any of them: 1939 - 1945 Star The Italy Star The France and Germany Star The Defence Medal The 1939 - 1945 Medal Would anyone be able to advise where to go next, please? Best Wishes Cass
Hi Cass First step is to apply for a copy of his records. I can confirm his Army Number - From TNA Catalogue Refence WO 100/526: 14859131 Lance Corporal D CATON, Coldstream Guards General Service Medal, Palestine 1945-1948 Notes state "1 & 4" which I take to mean that he qualified for the award by serving with both nos. 1 and 4 Battalions. His number falls within the block allocation for General Service Corps 14200001 - 15000000, so this means that he was initially in that Corps once ?conscripted and then he transferred to Coldstream. The GSM would have been named but the British WW2 campaign medals were not engraved officially. Good luck, and if you have any photos, especially a squad one, please share.
Hi, Re quote from Diane above...."Notes state "1 & 4" which I take to mean that he qualified for the award by serving with both nos. 1 and 4 Battalions". Don't usually put my head above the parapet without looking at the sources but I am away from home at the moment so here hoping I haven't got it wrong......I don't think either of those Coldstream Battalions served Palestine 1945/48. I have not seen the full medal roll that Diane quotes (and I am not aware of Guards Parachute Battalion details for Palestine) but if your father earned the GSM with a Coldstream Guards Battalion it would have been with 3rd Coldstream. They also earned the "1st" Palestine clasp (1936/39) for service Oct 1938/April 1939. My father was No 2 Company in Palestine pictured left in my avatar going on guard duty at Company HQ in a convent outside Jerusalem.circa Dec 1938. Regards, Steve Y .
Hi Steve, Thank you for your information 1st (Guards) Parachute Bn 1945-48, check this link for information : http://britains-smallwars.com/Palestine/units.html#army. Maybe the 1 in the notes refers to 1st (guards) and the 4 perhaps applies to 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, although this doesn't specify "Guards". I've just applied for my dads service records, and presumably will specify which unit he was with in Palestine. Best wishes, Cass
http://www.no1guardsparachutecompanyassociation.co.uk/ Guards Parachute Association [SIZE=12pt]After WW2 in1946 many of the numerous Guardsmen who had served in the Airborne Forces were brought together to form the 1st Guards Parachute Battalion which was employed on operations in Palestine with 6 Airborne Division. When the 6th Airborne Division was disbanded in 1948, the 1st Guards Parachute Battalion was reduced to company strength as 16th( Guards) Independent Company the Parachute Regiment, and subsequently re-roled to become the Pathfinder Company of the newly formed 16th Parachute Brigade Group.[/SIZE]
Had a quick look at what's on the internet There are some photos via this link, unsure how relevant. http://www.shinycapstar.com/palestine2.htm I don't think I've ever posted up a list of postwar Historical Reports for Coldstream so may as well add them here: TNA Catalogue Ref: WO 261 Series War Office Middle East and Land Forces: Quarterly Historical Reports http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1020839 Reference:WO 169/20032 Description: 3 Coldstream Guards Date: 1945 Aug.- Dec. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1024000 Reference:WO 169/23193 Description: 3 Coldstream Guards Date: 1946 Jan.- June http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1809922 Reference:WO 261/543 Description: 3 Battalion Coldstream Guards Date: 1946 Sept.-1947 Dec. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1809923 Reference: WO 261/544 Description: 3 Battalion Coldstream Guards Date: 1947 Apr.-June http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1809677 Reference:WO 261/299 Description: 3 Bn. Coldstream Guards Date: 1948 Jan.-Mar http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1809675 Reference:WO 261/297 Description: 1 Bn. Coldstream Guards Date: 1948 Jan.-June http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1809676 Reference:WO 261/298 Description: 1 Bn. Coldstream Guards Date: 1949 July - Sept.
Hi Cass, all should be clear once you have copy records in front of you. It shouldn't take too long (certainly a lot less turnaround than MOD in Glasgow) and are worth the effort. If your gran is still with you, she may apply as Next of Kin and widowed spouse - that is free of charge. All other relatives applying will have to pay a fee. Thanks Will for that link.
There were 6 issues of G.S.M's and clasps to the Coldstream Guards. 14859131 L/Cpl. D. Caton received issues 1 & 4. Issue 1 - G.S.M. Issue 4 - Clasp "PALESTINE 1945-48." See photo of the relevant page from G.S.M. Roll for more details.