Parent Regiment Coldstream Guards - Airborne

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by cass, Jun 18, 2013.

  1. cass

    cass New Member

    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
     
  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    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

    Screen shot 2013-06-18 at 14.26.56.png

    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.
     
  3. cass

    cass New Member

    Thank you so much for your help, you are incredible :) Virtual hug winging it's way to you :)
     
  4. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    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

    .
     
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  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Cheers Steve for your input, post war not my thing.
     
  6. cass

    cass New Member

    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
     
  7. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    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]
     
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  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    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.
     
  9. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    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.
     
  10. David Woods

    David Woods Active Member

    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.
     

    Attached Files:

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