Researching my Great Uncle from 2RTR

Hello - I'm a new member so forgive any missed rules! That said these forums have been incredibly helpful!

Summarizing what I know below, I've got a few of the regimental histories and I've requested his records from the MOD but sounds like that will be a long wait. Would appreciate any thoughts/help/digital records people have readily at hand!

----- ----- ----- Claude.ai summary of my research so far:

Captain Francis Brundrit Richardson, M.C., T.D. (Service No. 72100), known as Frank, born January 14 1915 to Francis William and Elizabeth Grange Richardson, and married to Jennie Richardson of Caton, Lancashire.

He held the Territorial Decoration (with the King's Own) before transferring to the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Following the 2 RTR's path, he fought in France (May 1940), evacuated via Cherbourg, deployed to Egypt (August 1940), served through the Western Desert campaigns (1940-1942), moved through Iraq and Syria (1942-1943) where the regiment re-equipped with Shermans, and arrived in Italy (April 1944). On September 13, 1944, aged 29, Captain Richardson was killed in action during the Battle of Coriano Ridge—part of the Gothic Line offensive—in terrain "too steep and thick for tanks," facing German fire, snipers, and anti-tank teams. He rests at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Plot XI, Row G, Grave 5, Emilia Romagna, Italy.

 

Here's his WW2 medal index card.

Address is redacted as medals probably claimed by a NOK.

 

Thank you for sharing this - a poignant reminder of the sacrifice paid by Frank, and so many others.

 

His CWGC entry, always helps, as sometimes the expertise here can add information: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...-details/2636189/francis-brundrit-richardson/

An online search with: "Coriano Ridge" + "2 RTR" site:ww2talk.com id'd three threads here. A wider search just for the "Coriano Ridge" site:ww2talk.com found multiple threads - that may provide the wider context of the battle. I expect 2 RTR were divided up to support individual battalions.

There is a thread (id'd in 1st search) that has a one line mention of him. An online search with: "frank" + "Richardson" + " tank" site:ww2talk.com found no threads; so did using just his initials.

Wider search with: "2nd Royal Tank Regiment" site:ww2talk.com id'd very few threads; more when using: "2 Royal Tank Regiment" site:ww2talk.com -somehow some refer to Burma and many more id'd with: "2 RTR" site:ww2talk.com

I note, although whether they went to Burma is moot to me:

Do you have his MC commendation? Tried TNA search, nothing found nor his Service Record.

It must have been early in the war as it was announced in the 1940 Kings Birthday Honours List, for when he served in The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), Territorial Army. From: 1940 Birthday Honours - Wikipedia

A memorial plaque @ Hornby: Memorials: 2013 Horby: Hornby, Lancashire - Wikipedia

 

He must have been detached from 2 RTR during their time in Burma which possibly explains why he was not awarded the Burma Star. Have you asked the Tank Museum Library at Bovington for a copy of his Tracer Card? It used to only cost 5 pound and in my experience they have always been very useful and helpful.

“After the end of Operation Crusader, in November 1941, 7th Armoured Brigade was withdrawn from the line for re-equipping and at this time it became known that it was destined for the Far East theatre of war, following Japan's entry into the war and after the attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941.
At this time the Brigade consisted of 7th Queen's Own Hussars, 2nd Bn. Royal Tank Regt (initially commanded by Lt-Col R. F. Chute DSO, and then later in March 1942, Lt-Col G. F. Yule), the 414 Battery RHA (Essex Yeomanry, 104th RHA) equipped with twenty-four 25-pounder guns, plus support troops. Both armoured regiments were equipped with fairly new American Stuart (Honey) light tanks, numbering 115 tanks in total.
The Brigade set sail aboard 7 transport ships. The 'A' vehicles were in HMT Mariso, HMT Birch Bank, HMT African Prince and HMT Trojan. Most of the personnel of 2nd RTR were aboard HMT Ascanius. This was to be a voyage of 4,600 miles through the Suez Canal and Red Sea to Aden, and eventually across the Indian Ocean to Rangoon. Initially the convoy was destined for Singapore, but when Malaya was attacked by the Japanese at the same time as Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941, and the situation in Johore became desperate in mid-January 1942, the Brigades convoy was diverted on the orders of General Wavell from its route to Java and reached Rangoon on the 20th February 1942. By now the brigade had adopted the Jerboa divisional sign, but with the background colour changed to jungle green, as shown below. All these had previously been red prior to the move to the Far East.”
The History of the British 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, "The Black Rats and Green Jerboa" History of the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades (Black Rats and Green Jerboa) Main Page

“2nd RTR had hardly reached it assembly area, twenty miles north of Rangoon, when on 23 Feb 42, B Sqn (Maj J. Bonham-Carter) had to be hurried forward to Waw to cover the retreat of 17th Indian Division to Pegu. By 25 February, C Sqn (Maj M.F.S. Rudkin) and A Sqn (Maj N. Bourne) arrived at Waw and conducted patrols, and then after an unsuccessful attempt to recapture Waw, 2 RTR was withdrawn to Hlegu on 5 March for a few days rest while the 7th Hussars tried to hold the enemy north of Pegu. On 7 March 2 RTR was the main rearguard, for the Brigade withdrawal to Prome.” The Tanks Vol Two Pg 296

 

Hello Craig.

If you haven't already, perhaps contacting the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum Lancaster would be worthwhile for you.

King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

They hold at least one photograph containing your great-uncle (see screenshot and link to same below). I'm sure that you would be able to obtain a good copy of said photograph (likely for a small fee) from the museum if you wished. Please note that at the time of the photograph (Christmas 1940) your great-uncle was the Adjutant of the 5th Battalion.

And as and when you receive your great-uncle's service record this will show if he was in France/Belgium with the B.E.F. In the meantime, if there is one to be had, the battalion war diary for the period may contain pointers to any actions that your great-uncle was part of that contributed to his later recommendation and award of his M.C.



King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Your great-uncle is front row (seated) fifth in from the left.

Also, the museum may have copies of the original submission of the recommendation of your great-uncle for the award of his Military Cross.
Note: This would not be a "commendation" in the regular or usual sense, as your great-uncle received his M.C. in the King's birthday homours list of July 1940 (please see extracts from the Supplement to The London Gazette of the time, noting that the birthday honours were published a little later in the year than usual, delayed by the military situation in May/June 1940. I have attached the complete edition in pdf format for you too).







And cropped close:



A small start for you Craig, but if nothing else it will save you trying to hunt down a "commendation" that does not exist.

Good luck with your continuing research.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Also Craig, courtesy of The museum, the Fifth Battalion's 1940 can be found here:

King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

You'll note in the introductory paragraph the mention of the conversion of the Fifth in January 1942 to the 107th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (The King's Own).

Maybe your great-uncle's initial service with "the tanks"?

Always remember, never forget,

Jim.

 

And Craig, should you not have it already, Casualty List entry pertaining to your great-uncle.

Three images; Casualty List header, full page, and close up of page section containing your great-uncle's details as recorded.

Always remember, never forget,

Jim.

 

Hello again Craig.

Having a read of the forum thread here will help fill in some background regarding Italy in September '44 for you. Please do not be put off by the dates in the title of said thread, as the book extracts within cover beyond the 7th of September for 2 RTR (and other units). Hopefully you will find it informative, there's some great work by forum members within said thread.

2 RTR on 4-7 September 1944 Italy

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Craig.
This is an extract from 'Seconds Out' by Sgt K Chadwick.



2 RTR were supporting 168 Inf Bde at the time of Capt Richardson's death on 13 Sep 44.

Regards

Frank

 

Wow - thank you all for the time and effort here, this is all incredible stuff!

Really appreciate all this info!

 

He doesn't pop up in the 2 RTR war diary for Op CRUSADER, so may have been working staff duties somewhere else?

All the best

Andreas

 

Apologies for resurrecting thread, I stumbled across it whilst researching another 2RTR man. I just wanted to let you know that T/Capt Richardson was in command of C Squadron during the Western Desert Campaign, even if he isn't apparently mentioned in the war diary as Andreas notes.
He very much IS mentioned in Lidell-Hart's The Tanks: The History of the Royal Tank Regiment (Vol.2, 1939-1945).
Capt Richardson is mentioned several times in the description of the battle of Beda Fomm (6-7 Feb 1941) as part of Operation Compass. You should be able to find a used copy of the book on eBay for further ref, but here's one passage that mentions him, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is how/where he earned his MC, the timing being about right between action and Gazette:
"...while the 2nd Royal Tanks tackled its head. At 08:50Hrs Strong [A Squadron Comander] reported that he was being engaged by ten enemy tanks [Italian M13s] and supporting artillery. At 09:10Hrs the rest of the regiment came forward to his aid. Strong had taken up a hull-down position on a hillock - aptly called 'The Pimple' - which adjoined the road, and the Squadron reported that eight of the enemy tanks were knocked out. But then a fresh party of [enemy] tanks advanced around his [Strong's] eastward flank, and to avoid being cut off he fell back to a low ridge about a mile east of the road - called 'The Mosque' Ridge because a conspicuous white tomb stood on it. Here, he checked the enemy's frontal attack, taking a reported toll of a further seven [enemy] tanks.
C Squadron under Richardson now arrived on the scene and raked the enemy's flank, the combined fire of the two squadrons disabling eight more enemy tanks. Richardson then asked his Commanding Officer ([Lt Col AC] Harcourt) for permission to attack 'The Pimple'. On this being sanctioned, he [Richardson] led the Squadron on a circuit that brough it round on to the objective from the North - recapturing the position and claiming the 'kill' of ten more tanks in his indirect approach, and rear attack. Meantime part of the enemy column..." Lidell-Hart, The Tanks: The History of the Royal Tank Regiment (Vol.2, 1939-1945), London, Cassell, 1959. P.59

Me again. The action was intended to protect Combe Force's flank. Richardson's C Squadron was equipped with a mixed bag of A9s (Cruiser Mk I) and A10s (Cruiser Mk II). Beda Fomm is often overlooked, largely I think because it was fought against Italians rather than Rommel's Afrika Korps (they landed a few days later). This is unfair; Beda Fomm routed Italian 10th Army, resulting in the capture of 25,000 prisoners, over 100 enemy tanks, 216 guns and 1,500 wheeled vehicles. It effectively crippled the Italian effort,left the door open to Sirte (>100 miles away), and necessitated the deployment of the Afrika Korps. In capturing the Pimple, your uncle played a key role in that, and you should - as I'm sure you are - be very proud indeed. I will read Lidell-Hart again over the weekend and see if I can find any further mention of Capt Richardson and report back if I do. Incidentally, as well as Lidell-Hart's book, you may also find interest/detail in Kenneth Macksey, Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory, New York, Ballentine Books, 1971. It's a pretty short book so don't get too excited. I have a copy, but alas I'm afraid I have leant this to a student, and so am not sure if it contains more specific detail on your uncle Frank. Anyway, hope above is helpful.

Very best,
Martin

 

Martin,

Welcome aboard and with a very helpful update.

Craig R. the thread's opening author has not logged in since 6/1/2026, so I will send him a Private Message (PM) alerting them to your post, asking them to return. A reply depends on the email address given when registering is still valid and they are motivated to help.

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