RAF RADAR units in the Battle of the Bulge

Great pictures jmch. Will have a look at my Ardennes archive if I can find some clues re locations of the photographs.

If you have more, please do not hesitate to post them here!

 

Some more photos from my dad's cigar box. I'm not sure if they are all Ardennes but any information I can get will be great.

 

Hotel Albert nowadays is known as the Hotel Sanglier des Ardennes and is located at Durbuy, a small town on the Ourthe River downstream from Hotton. It's right on the N833, the road along the Ourthe River running north out of Hotton, which was probably taken by the RAF truck column.

The other pictures in post # 64 don't look like the Ardennes, more Germany, but not sure.

 

The Photo's below are , I think in Belgium




This may be. Mons or Possibly Brugge. If it is Brugge it may be Group HQ which was in a Convent.



I think this may be Dinant from some notes I have.

 

This is the final batch of photos I will post on this thread. Unlike the others they are of my father and the men he served with. If anyone recognises anyone, Please let me know. I know these were taken in Mons during the time they were re-equipping.



Arrival in Mons. I remember dad telling me when he showed me them that this was when the US troops with them revealed that there
Orders were to get them out or kill them and destroy the equipment.




MY father. Note the tricolour flag on his lapel. There is one on each lapel. I have no idea why as he was not one to wear badges.


Group photo taken in a commercial studio in Mons. Note the brand new uniforms and natty black polo neck sweaters.

 

Very interested in the above my father was in 72 wing 60 group. I'm very frustrated that I never asked him about his war years I'd love to see some photos. His name was Louis Fitzgibbon and he was a Wireless Op with the RAF

 

Thank you everyone for sharing this information. My Grandfather George Williamson (From Rotherham) was in the RAF regiment ( I believe a rifleman) and I remember as a child been told of a miraculous escape in the Ardennes as the radar trucks were stuck in the mud as the Germans broke through, and were only rescued by American trucks ( possibly half tracks) pulling them out. He was also at Remagen after the Ludendorff bridge collapse. I haven't got precise details of his squadron / unit but hope to dig this out next time I am back in the UK. I suspect he may have served with some of those units discussed in earlier posts.
I know he joined in 1939 or early 1940 and spent the early years of the war on radar and bomber stations in the UK particularly Scotland, where he met my Grandmother a cook in the WAAF.

 

My Dad was a dispatch rider with the AMES 9442 - he told a few stories but gave me 2 copies of the 'Lonesome Pine' magazine/booklet produced at the base. the editor was AC1 Shepherd, LAC Rimmer sub editor, LAC Blake Art Editor, LAC Wiber Photographic editor and CPL D Johnson General Manager. Does any of this mean anything to anyone?

 

My Dad was with the AMES 9442 as a dispatch rider he gave me 2 copies of a magazine/booklet called 'The Lonesome Pine' published in 1945.

 

Hi Tony - excellent news.

Can you scan and post copies of this magazine. I'd love to see and imagine others would too.

Cheers

Ian

 

To confirm We found an official photo of the whole of Grandads squadron (it was 2811 squadron) dated Oct 1944 looks like it was before they were shipped over to Europe or at least posted as it appears to be in camp. Will try and get this uploaded, we found a few more bits a pieces including some photos of Grandad in 1944 and 1945.

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7159319
Reference: AIR 29/103/2
Description:
2811 Squadron RAF Regiment. Moved around various UK stations including Matlask (Norfolk) and Fairlop (Essex); transferred to 142 Wing in May 1944. Based in Belgium and Germany from November 1944, and disbanded at Ghent in March 1946
Note: Open in 1972
Date: 1942 Oct-1946 Mar
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

TD

 

Hello Great Guys,
This isn't my area and I've only skimmed your thread but I just found this mention of 72 Wing in the war diary of 53 Div HQRA while fighting Op Veritable.