Researching Grandad (Eighth Army)

thanks for that i will do, i have had a dig in the bag of general photo's and found the remnants of a album, on the back of which i found a picturecard from Marion to Ken, addressed to 14pln C coy 2/4th KOYLI C.M.F dated 1943 post stamp in the middle looks to be 7 DR (december ?) 43.



also on the same page is a staged photo of him and Brian, his headress shows KOYLI he has some sort of unit citation or battle honour on his pocket looks like a white bar ?


i noticed also a photo of him, again with KOYLI wearing white stable belt and over guards on his boots (dispatch rider at this point ?) stood infront of a fountain i have another picture same fountain with two children by his side.


there is a photo with him as RSF he has what appears to be a white lanyard under his left arm, is this another battle honour ?



and finally back to the bridge, looking closely at the picture i have, there are some pretty nice cars in the streets which would suggest to me a city with good economy.



Shaun sent me a pic of his grandad on the same bridge with some other RSF boys but they are in shorts it is the same Bridge though no doubts there.

Jack is the chap in the coveralls. it is beleived that the chap on the left is my grandad, i am in debate about this but my dad reckons it is, as does shaun...... i remain sceptical

just posted the pictures up as part of the research (as most of them are new to me)
and it always generates debate or new info

and for Von / Rich the bikes used were Norton Dominators with a featherbed / roadholder frame ???? my dad has a pic of kens bike somewhere. we believe he was a dispatch rider for only a short period.

 

Owen, do you think the webbing is blancoed or scrubbed and sun-bleached ?

Richard, It sounds as if your Grandad was a post-war motorcyclist. 'Dominator' was the name given to Norton's post-war range of twin cylinder machines and the 'Featherbed' frame was introduced on the road range from 1953. 'Roadholder' was the brand name for the telescopic (rather than girder) forks featured from 1947 on.

If you've got a photograph of a motorcycle in service, please post it !

 

No probs Rich will see the old man as he has the albums, i found another photo ina book of three carriers titled "British Bren Carriers come ashore near Salerno" my old man reckons it is a still taken from the footage he had seen with his father. the numbers on the front fenders are (drivers side) "60" and on Gunners side "16" would this connect to the 46th div ? 2/4 KOYLI ? or even 56th Black Cats..... ?


Rich






also found this one of carriers landing near Rome, dont think this had anything to do with grandad but nevertheless.


these carriers have 62 on the drivers fender

 

yes that would be the one, the photo i have is in the ww2 by photo's book. was curious about the numbers.

EDIT: obviously a well used picture

 

cheers Owen i can always rely upon you for a speedy reply

at the very least regardless of regiment i know cammo style for my carrier so it will be correct as i am trying to copy grandads.

i have sent off again for his serice records, i had sent a SAR which was returned quite some time later advising this was the incorrect form. i have been told it can take up to 3 or 4 months for the results (if any) to return.. Blimey !

will do some digging on the "16"

 

emailled Nigel Watson but he cannot give any info on the "16" either. I have a holliday booked Oct / Nov to go to Italy from Salerno upwards, me and the old man so it will be interesting, hope i have the results back from the army by then.

 

well rang up Kentigerm house today to see how they were getting on, i have kindly been told circa two weeks which was nice, so i cant wait ! been pouring over footage from British Pathe for clips from the Italy campaign its been really interesting to watch although frustrating that it seems focus'd on the Americans and what they were doing.... some nice shots of carriers coming ashore etc etc just got me thinking......"i bet he's in one of them"

Rich

 

Eureeeka !!! the service records came, and they were worth the wait !!!! the pics of the sheets will follow (note the A3 peices are uploaded sideways, when i rotated them they seemed to lose all definition ?)

well My grandad joined up in 15/02/1940 as part of the RSF, he was with them until 18/09/43 at which point he had transfered to the KOYLI (he had been in hospital imediately prior to this date with the mhumps for around 3 weeks !!!!) so our hunch was a good one pats on the backs all round there lads. i can confirm he HAS been to Madagascar, India, Iraq, Syria, Italy, Karrachi, pani ? (unless this is Pai) and some where which is dated 16/06/40 but i cant read it (looks like Turriff ?) i really feel sorry for him as he had come out of hospital on the 18th to 2/4th KOYLI and was landing on the beaches of Salerno 21st ! he would not have known anyone, i have read that he landed on Uncle beach (green or red) and was one of the earlier units to come ashore so it must have been hectic., his medals include the 1939-45 star, Italy star, afrika star, and the usual war medals. if anyone has any other interesting facts which i have missed from the forms please shout up...

near the end of the war he was granted 8 weeks compassionate leave extended a further 4 weeks as his dad had died and he had to return home to arrange his fathers affairs and ensure the family business did not go under..... cant believe he was granted this much time during war, i cant get compassionate leave from my current job !!!!!
































Cheers

Richie

 

should also point out they have him down as being born 1919 he was born 1917 so either he wanted to be younger or someone somewhere screwed up with the admin

 

These are for Shaun & Richard .... particularly Shaun - Italian bridge photos

 

hi. thanks for posting up, do you know Shaun ? he is a crackin bloke. there is some disagreement on the location of this photo, clearly my grandad was still RSF at this point, the first shot he is in old issue battle dress but the second he is in khaki kit. i dont believe at the point the shot was taken RSF had been to Italy yet. I wonder if this was perhaps Karachi or Iraq... i have been viewing old footage from these cities and both were very wealthy, infact i would go as far to say pretty awesome towns unlike today !

 

on the subject of this matter, looking at the records, grandad was definately not in Italy with RSF, and his longest stretch in one place was Iraq, it is unclear which picture was taken first, but would the dress coincide with the dates i have mentioned on the pictures ? that is of course if the male in shauns picture is my grandad..... he would be a dead ringer if it was not

 

thanks for that i will do, i have had a dig in the bag of general photo's and found the remnants of a album, on the back of which i found a picturecard from Marion to Ken, addressed to 14pln C coy 2/4th KOYLI C.M.F dated 1943 post stamp in the middle looks to be 7 DR (december ?) 43.



also on the same page is a staged photo of him and Brian, his headress shows KOYLI he has some sort of unit citation or battle honour on his pocket looks like a white bar ?


i noticed also a photo of him, again with KOYLI wearing white stable belt and over guards on his boots (dispatch rider at this point ?) stood infront of a fountain i have another picture same fountain with two children by his side.


there is a photo with him as RSF he has what appears to be a white lanyard under his left arm, is this another battle honour ?


Interesting you should mention Persia (!raq) but the fountain seems very reminicent of Persian Lions with a minaret from a mosque in the background

But............ I think this fountain with the Assyrian Lions is actually in Leicester ...... Town Halll behind
http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/images/nrpEM/EM80.jpg

 

here you go, not to stereo type but the kids may round it down to a handfull of countries



here is one of grandad walking with a pal, i dont recognise the hat, i have mentioned it before, he had the glen garry, the Tam, and this one.... i presume it is perhaps working dress

also found this one in with the bundle unfortunately it has either been over exposed or is fading with time............ grandad is not in the picture but i think its still RSF from the socks (unless all units had this type of socks) the vehicle is called "TISHY" and has a number 10 on the front offside fender.

 

here you go, not to stereo type but the kids may round it down to a handfull of countries





Don't think this is in UK - Leicester Town Hall Square then?

Brian

 

hahahaha. anyone out there reckon they can pinpoint these locations ? the bridge and the fountain ?............think we have ruled out leicester town hall square mind i wonder if that fountain was copied from the one my grandad is stood in front of ? as they are very alike