Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by DavidP, Aug 14, 2008.

  1. Niccar

    Niccar WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hello again Harry

    Sorry didn’t have much time over the weekend to get back to you but have some info concerning the dates you gave from your dads AB 64 part one they are the dates we arrived at those particular places i.e. N Africa 27-5-43 Sicily 28-9-43 Italy and so on until we landed in Egypt on the27- 7- 44 for a rest and re-equipping then returned to Italy early on the 9- 9- 44 because of riots some of the division were involved in but that’s a story I will only tell you if you are interested the division must have felt justified in that fracas to include it as a battle honour on the notice on the border between Italy and Austria re your scan on Ken Fords book the remaining date being when we left Austria to arrive in Greece as part of AMFOGE ( Allied Mission For Observing Greek Elections) that gives you some idea of abbreviations dreamed up by the services that was painted in letters under the windscreens of the jeeps we used going from village to village to inspect and check the election rolls.
    I can’t for the life of me fathom out what the other three dates you give are for that’s the Army for you, your Dads twenty eight days leave after hostilities ended was normal as Tom pointed everyone had been fully stretched by then and had not seen home for more than three years but returned after leave to our Units until demob. Your Dads photograph shows him in a dress forage cap a dress cap being navy blue with thin yellow lines around the edges and the standard badge of the Middlesex Rgt the cap badge of the Kens was a Star with the shield of the royal borough of Kensington in the middle the badge impossible to obtain these days. One of the reasons we drove our Bren carriers over the Alps into Austria was because they had to be deployed forming a Guard around the Cossack camp they had the machine guns mounted on the front in case of any problems it was a very depressing job to do and many tried to look the other way and not notice anything that went on

    regards niccar
     
  2. smith022

    smith022 Junior Member

    Frist off I can't believe there are some people talking about this regiment. Over the past couple of years I have searched for info about it just to find a few links outside of general info.

    My dad is Ronald (Ron) James Smith. He joined at the start of the war and was originally in the Middlesex Regiment. He went to France as part of the BEF and while there was moved over to the Kensingtons, he got out of France at Dunkirk. From here he was in it all the way from Africa, Siciliy, Italy to Austria.

    He has never revealed much about it even though my brother and I have tried. He was a corporal in the 1st Battalion and I recently got out of him that he was in D company. He won't say what platoon, he keeps saying he was kind of a filler, someone who would jump in when needed whether it be on the Vickers or with a heavy mortar. I personally have learned the most about the regiment from 2 books that I have found on the internet. One was on the 78th Infantry, Battleaxe Division but the best book however has been "The Kensingtons, Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment, Second World War" by I think it is Harpur, Wood, Evans, Jacobsen and Cannon. It is only about the regiment and starts just before the war and covers I everything the regiment went thru during the entire war. Unfortunately when I was looking there was only 1 other copy on the internet.

    If anyone knows my dad or has anything to add let me know. My dad has said these books tell everything so he does not have to but while he is still around I would like to know as much as I can.
     
  3. Richard Fisher

    Richard Fisher Machine Gunner

    Hi there,

    There is a Cpl Smith of D Coy mentioned in the Kensington history, which I managed to get off of eBay a while ago. It mentions he was wounded on July 27th, 1944: Is this right? It refers to him as being in 14 Pl.

    However, this is the 2nd Bn so if he was definitely the 1st Bn, then there is no specific mention of him but certainly a lot about the actions he was involved in.

    Regards

    Richard
     
  4. AWS

    AWS Junior Member

    I am currently researching my father's war history. He was William Hugh Scott who served with PLKR 1 st Battalion (C Company). Sadly he passed away in April this year at the age of 87.

    I am considering retracing his route sometime next year, yes the Algiers to Austria experience, although he finished his military service down in Greece.

    He kept in touch with many of his comrades via the PLKR reunions, but that seemed to fade away in recent years as his chums also passed on. I know of a couple of chaps who are still around from his regiment - Geoffrey Stuttard and Billy Bennett (I am regularly in touch with Geoffrey).

    I am lucky to have quite a lot of information including photographs and maps, plus around 100 letters that he wrote and sent home to his mother during 1943 to 46.

    I will be driving to Spittal this Xmas to stay for a few days in the area and see how it might have been in winter time. We are staying at Berg on Drau and look forward to exporing the Lienz Valley.

    Perhaps this note might be of interest to one or two of you.
     
  5. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    AWS -
    when you have a few hours in Berg am Drau - get someone to take you to the Kanzelhohe which is a few miles north of Spittal.

    That was in 1945/47 the skiing area for 6th Armoured Div where many of us learned to ski with Peter Schnieider who had been a National Champion at one time, and Hans Worth - after all these years I still recall the fun we had on the slopes with Peter eternally yelling "Knie Boggen" and shaking his head at the equipment we had issued - then there was always a "maskenball" with all the local frauliens to end the days - but then we were young and stupid at times - but then no one was shooting at us !
    Cheers
     
  6. Niccar

    Niccar WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi AWS

    Welcome to the forum, your post brought back a few memories of bygone days and if there is any way in which I can help just ask but I would add that unlike your Dad I did not keep in touch with the OCR (old comrades reunion) so anything that I can
    contribute would be purely from memory about the 1st Battalion Kens and their exploits from the time we boarded the SS Samaria in Liverpool till I came home from Greece To get demobbed would love to see any photographs you have maybe could recognise any one in them

    regards niccar




    Hi AWS

    Welcome to the forum, your post brought back a few memories of bygone days and if there is any way in which I can help just ask but I would add that unlike your Dad I did not keep in touch with the OCR (old comrades reunion) so anything that I can
    contribute would be purely from memory about the 1st Battalion Kens and their exploits from the time we boarded the SS Samaria in Liverpool till I came home from Greece To get demobbed would love to see any photographs you have maybe could recognise any one in them

    regards niccar
     
  7. Niccar

    Niccar WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Must learn how to use this confounded contraption

    niccar
     
  8. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Niccar -
    Join the club ....although I must say your memory is still pretty good as you can still find the keyboard - and it can spell !
    Cheers
     
  9. Niccar

    Niccar WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Tom

    At the moment I don’t subscribe to the saying that they had to bomb our school to get me out of the infants but when the wife says” loosen your belt a little it looks like your trousers have had a row with your shoes” or “that coats not warm enough for this weather” or the last straw “are you sure you have done your flies up” it compounds the theory that things are not as they used to be and its quite embarrassing trying to zip your flies up in the middle of the supermarket none of that compares with trying to get this contraption to do the things I want it to do and there’s dear old Ron with a nonchalant approach to all things technical and is able to master them wonderful
    (apologies if I have gone of thread)

    niccar with tongue in cheek
     
  10. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Niccar -
    Don't worry about wandering off thread - we are now at the age when we can say what we like ...that Ron - he cheated - he went to school to learn abot computers.
    Cheers
     
  11. Marcoweb

    Marcoweb Junior Member

    Ron.
    He also had three postcards in his treasures box.
    One of the 'Ponte a Cascata del Liri' (bridge and weir on the River Liri) at Ceprano.

    The third is of what looks like a war memorial sculpture of a standing woman placing a flower on a dying soldier - it says 'Gruppo Scultoreo del Monumento al Caduti in Guerra che CEPRANO ha inaugurate l'8 Octobre 1922'
    Mean anything to anyone?

    Hello, is amazing! I'm from Ceprano, Italy, where I was born 45 years ago. The sculpture still exist today in the main square of the city. During the war Ceprano was took by "Perth Regiment" of Canada may 28, 1944, but more troops passed trought because Ceprano was (and is) across of way Casilina.
    Marco
     
  12. AWS

    AWS Junior Member

    My father, William Hugh Scott was an officer with PLKR C Company, who passed away in April 2008 aged 87 years.

    I am lucky to be in possession of around 100 letters that he wrote home to his mother between 1943 and 1946, and also have a mass of information including maps, photos, orders, machine gun manuals etc, plus some of his kit including helmet, bedroll, and even wax from the Austrian skiiing days.

    He was awarded the MC for bravery at Point 508 (Monte la Pieve). I believe there is a 'Paul' within the forum who is trying to piece together information. The books required relating to PLKR are "The Kensingtons" (Second World War) published by the Old Comrades Association, and "Algiers to Austria" by Cyril Ray.

    This December/January, I visited Austria to trace his footsteps, including where his platoon set up camp at Lienz, where he stayed at Sillian and then Edland Camp, Spittal. We also visited the Katchsberg Pass where the soldiers leaned to ski. One of his letters mentions the old lookout at the top of Aineck that he climbed to, which I have now stood in!

    I am hoping to trace my father's entire Algiers to Austria route at some stage, and with details such as the original way point list out of Algiers for example, should be very special.

    I'm not sure I have really helped anyone who is interested in PLKR, but for me the journey has only just begun. It is very special to have visited just a small area where PLKR served.

    Anyone using Google Earth can locate specific points as I have done, which is great.

    "Quid Nobis Ardui"!
     
  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I'm not sure I have really helped anyone who is interested in PLKR, but for me the journey has only just begun. It is very special to have visited just a small area where PLKR served.

    AWS,
    Sounds like a long but rewarding journey, keep us posted on how it goes.
    Have you a citation for your father's MC ?
     
  14. AWS

    AWS Junior Member

    Owen

    Yes, I have the citation (and several copies of it, as my father recorded everything meticulously!).

    Thanks for your interest.

    Regards

    AWS
     
  15. Niccar

    Niccar WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi AWS

    Your post brought back quite a few memories from the time I was with the battalion
    From Algiers to Austria with the 78th division a very eventful time that is etched in memory for ever I wish you luck in your quest to track the battalions progress from A to A your first stop will be a place called Rouiba about 17 miles outside Algiers heading towards Tunisia many miles away to Hammamet a holiday resort now but a deserted stretch of land miles long in those days if I can be of any help let me know


    regards niccar
     
  16. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Yes, I have the citation

    Could we read it please?
    If that's OK ?
     
  17. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Marcoweb - from Ceprano

    You are right in saying that the Perth Regiment of the Canadian 5th Armoured Div liberated Ceprano - so just to go slighlty off topic - here is an article by a friend of mine who was fighting near the reservoir in those days and he mentions some of his friends being killed there .....

    Return to Cassino

    Cheers
     
  18. AWS

    AWS Junior Member

    Niccar

    I recall my father telling me that he marched around 20 miles once they left Algiers. I have the route card and have plotted the points on a map + Google Earth which takes PLKR (1st Btln) to Guelma.

    The note at the bottom is printed as follows:

    15 V.T.M.
    15 M.T.H.
    Movement Control will Police the Convoy

    What do the initials mean?

    Regards

    AWS
     
  19. smith022

    smith022 Junior Member

    Well I have found out more about my dad's role with the regiment. He was with D Company, he says 11 Platoon but he also says he was in the B Echelon. It is hard to get info out of him and I feel bad about constantly asking him to repeat it, I need to learn to write it down as he says it. In this B Echelon he would go back to where water was, fill up the tanker and doing what he had to "cleanse" the water then bring it back so it could go up to the platoons in the line. Some names he has mentioned that would go with him are Vic Parsons, Topper Brown. It is very interesting to hear him talk about having to take supplies up to the platoons at night. It was also interesting to hear him talk about escaping at Dunkirk. Anyhow that is my little bit for now. Still enjoy reading the posts as they come in.
     
  20. DavidP

    DavidP Junior Member

    This December/January, I visited Austria to trace his footsteps, including where his platoon set up camp at Lienz, where he stayed at Sillian and then Edland Camp, Spittal. We also visited the Katchsberg Pass where the soldiers leaned to ski. One of his letters mentions the old lookout at the top of Aineck that he climbed to, which I have now stood in!

    I am hoping to trace my father's entire Algiers to Austria route at some stage, and with details such as the original way point list out of Algiers for example, should be very special.

    Anyone using Google Earth can locate specific points as I have done, which is great.

    "Quid Nobis Ardui"!

    AWS. Have you thought about saving the google earth map that you are making? I hope you do, and that you post its url here so that we can all find it too...
    Thanks
    David
     

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