REME War Diary Help - Middle East, Greece, Italy

Discussion in 'REME/RAOC' started by Robert Duerr, Nov 25, 2019.

  1. Robert Duerr

    Robert Duerr Member

    Hi All

    I'm after some help tracking down War Diaries for my Grandfather. He served with REME through WW2, going from Egypt to Greece (captured, then escaped), then went back to the Middle East, through Italy before a return trip to Greece.

    I've got some experience with War Diaries and Kew, having looked into my other Grandfather (Royal Artillery, killed in France July '44), and thought at the time that trying to work out how to track the activities of an AGRA was hard work, but I don't know where to start with REME.

    The salient details of my REME Grandfather's service are:

    1st Armoured Brigade Company RASC 16.11.40 - 06.01.42 (including period of capture and escape in Greece)
    3 Company Base Depot 06.01.42 - 16.03.42
    13 Corps Supply Column 16.03.42 - 30.08.42
    Base Depot 30.08.42 - 13.11.42
    2 Base Workshops 13.11.42 - 16.01.43
    2 Workshop Company REME 16.01.43 - 31.05.43
    2 Base Workshops REME 31.05.43 - 03.06.44
    139 Infantry Brigade 03.06.44 - Demob (presumably)

    If anyone can point me to any index for War Diaries or any other useful information I would be very grateful. The best handle I have so far is with 139 Infantry Brigade in Italy when they saw heavy fighting on the Gothic line, I have a vivid diary entry from what I think was the Battle of Gemmano - Wikipedia. Even some sort of context for how REME integrated with parent (?) units would be helpful.

    If anyone should wonder why, apparently I did such a good job the first time round with my RA Grandfather that my Mum would like me to do the same for her Dad. It took me the best part of a year to put together something the first time for a man who was in Normandy for about two weeks before he disappeared, now I've got six years to look into and am unsure where even to start.
     
  2. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    These might be some of the War Diaries you are interested in.

    WO 169 covers the Middle East and WO 170 the… British element which invaded Sicily in July 1943, and landed in Italy in September 1943. Also of British units in the Balkans and Greece and of British occupation forces in Austria. 1942-1946

    Regards

    Danny


    1st Armoured Brigade Company RASC 16.11.40 - 06.01.42 (including period of capture and escape in Greece)
    WO 169/1265 1 Army Tank Brigade: Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) 01/03/1941 - 31/12/1941
    WO 169/4201 1 Army Tank Brigade: RASC (Royal Army Service Corps). 01/01/1942 - 31/12/1942
    WO 169/4206 1 Armoured Brigade: RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) 01/02/1942 - 31/08/1942


    3 Company Base Depot 06.01.42 - 16.03.42

    13 Corps Supply Column 16.03.42 - 30.08.42
    WO 169/4017 13 Corps: Corps Troops Supply Column RASC (XIII Corps Royal Army Service Corps) 1942 Jan.- Aug.
    WO 169/4018 13 Corps: Corps Troops Supply Column RASC Detachment (XIII Corps Royal Army Service Corps) 1942 Jan.- Apr.


    Base Depot 30.08.42 - 13.11.42

    2 Base Workshops 13.11.42 - 16.01.43
    2 Workshop Company REME 16.01.43 - 31.05.43
    2 Base Workshops REME 31.05.43 - 03.06.44WO 169/12391 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: 2 Base Workshop (REME) 1943 Jan.- June
    WO 169/12392 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: 2 Base Workshop (REME) 1943 July- Dec.
    WO 169/17177 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: 2 Base Workshop (REME Wksp) 1944 Jan.- June


    139 Infantry Brigade 03.06.44 - Demob (presumably
    WO 170/624 139 Infantry Brigade: R.E.M.E. Wksp 1944 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 170/4482 139 Infantry Brigade: R.E.M.E. Wksp. 1945 Jan.- Dec.
     
    zola1 likes this.
  3. Robert Duerr

    Robert Duerr Member

    Bloody hell, thanks mate. How did you dig them all out? Is there a WO series index somewhere? I have not got anything more sophisticated than putting key words into the Kew search engine.
     
  4. zola1

    zola1 Member

    Great work Danny, ..same question How did you dig them all out? Is there a WO series index somewhere?

    Derrick
     
  5. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    As 46 Inf Div were supposed to be resting after all the fighting in Italy, most of 139 Inf Bde were sent to Athens in December 1944 and had a really rough time of it defending the ports of Piraeus and Phaleron with the help of some minor/support units and a squadron of RAF Regiment.

    When ELAS fled the city in the early January 1945, 'Blockforce', named after the CO of 139 Inf Bde was then sent to Patras to help the beleaguered 11 Ind Inf Bde who were surrounded. 'Blockforce' drove ELAS out of the area in just a week. ELAS suffered many casualties. 'Blockforce' suffered none.

    The rest of 46 Inf Div arrived in Greece in late Jan/early Feb 1945. Calling themselves 'Brewforce'

    Hope this helps

    Gus
     
  6. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    Below is the method that I use when looking for War Diaries on the Discovery Search Engine.

    Regards

    Danny


    On the Discovery | The National Archives page click on the “Advance Search” next to “Need more search options? Use our” The National Archives | Discovery Advanced Search Form.

    1. Put the number of the unit in the “All of these words” box. If you do not have a number then you will have to use one of the words from the unit title.

    2. Put “REME” or “RASC” or the unit you are looking for in the “Any of these words” box. One word will normally do.

    3. Put the War Diary Theatre of War reference number in the “Any of these references” box.

    4. Enter the year that you are after in “Search a date range”.

    5. Tick the “Search the National Archives” box.

    6. Hit “Search” and then sift through the results and hopefully the unit that you are looking for is in there.

    Sometimes you can end up with a lot of results but I have found that this is the only way of finding some units.

    War Diary Theatre of War reference numbers are in section “3. Unit war diaries” on this page British Army operations in the Second World War - The National Archives

    Kew 1.jpg

    Kew 2.jpg
     
  7. Robert Duerr

    Robert Duerr Member

    That does help, thank you! I know Grandad spoke very good Greek having lived with Greek civilians in the villages for several months whilst evading the occupying forces, and presumably this was put to good use - wait who am I trying to kid? This is the Army we're talking about!
     
  8. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    Some useful reading.

    Craftsmen Of The Army Vol 1 – The REME Shop

    It is out if stock at the moment so if you are planning to search online make sure it is Volume One and there are some crazy prices being asked as well, for a ten pound book.

    Your library might even have one or if they find one elsewhere will organise an inter-library loan for you.

    My father was a driver in the REME from 1942 to 1946, serving with in N.Africa, Palestine and Greece.

    Gus
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

Share This Page