Quite possibly there is already an answer to this question on the forum! From my father's records relating to his national service in the RASC / Catering Corps - I can see that he embarked on 13 Feb 1942 after training at Dorchester and Aldershot. I think I have narrowed his troopship down to the 'Nea Hellas' which left from Glasgow that day, sailing to Port Tewfik via the Cape. After disembarcation on 11 April 1942 he was posted to various units in the Middle East before being 'struck off strength' in February 1946 - his total time away being 4 years and 13 days. My question is, when and by what means of transport did men get home from the Middle East at the end of the war? The journey there took several weeks, so I am curious as to how they all got back.
Hi, The 1942 outward journey was so long as troopships had to go down to South Africa and then travel up to Egypt as the Mediteranean was too dangerous. The 1946 return journey by sea direct from Middle East to UK would only take 10 days through the Mediteranean but some men would be flown back in less time despite intermediate stops en route. Steve
Hi I have been researching my fathers wartime adventures in RAOC/REME for about 15 years now and have still not managed to establish how he got back to UK from Greece in September 1945. In amongst my father's wallet was some foreign currency notes. All exactly match those countries he travelled to. Except two which are from Cyprus and Italy. Italy kind of makes sense as it would appear that most ships went to Italy first from Greece so maybe he stayed there for a few days. But no idea how he ended up in Cyprus. Just had to leave it as one of those little unanswered mysteries. Hope this helps Gus
Thank you for the reply. I've discovered more about the Nea Hellas on this site now that I have learned how to search! I have always wondered how he got home. He never really spoke much about it. I know he was in Cape Town on the way there as I have a letter that a volunteer sent home on his behalf after some of the soldiers visited the St Andrews Hall for teas and coffees etc.
Hello again Generally speaking, most soldiers moved around the world during ww2 as part of a complete unit. The unit's war diaries should give you all the information of their movements. The reason why the last trip home is going to be more difficult is that in a lot of cases soldiers returned to UK in small numbers as each formation was slowly reduced and in then eventually disbanded. The war diaries for my fathers unit on the day he left Greece just says "12 personnel returned to UK on LIAP." Hope this helps Gus
Thanks for all the replies and help. Where, if any, would be the best place to look for a War Diary pertaining to his unit? The last half dozen or so entries on dad's service record are: Posted to 134 Salvage Unit - 1 Mar 1944; Posted (back) to 155 Transit Camp - June 20 1944; Upgraded to Cook, Group B Class 2 - 12 June 1944; Admitted to 82 General Hospital - 19 March 1945; Discharged from Hospital Unit - 29 March 1945; Posted to X (viii) A Python (Middle East) 3 Feb 1946; SOS to UK - 14 February 1946; Army Catering Corps/68/46/UK - Feb 26 to Nov 5 1946; Released to Class Z (T) Territorial Army Reserve UK - 6 Nov 1946. What does A Python (Middle East) mean and also any relevant information regarding 82 General Hospital would be of interest!
Hi, Here are the details of 82 BGH from Scarlet Finders website - 82 British General Hospital Saida [Syria] 6/43 to 11/43 then to Moascar; Moascar 11/43 to 12/43 then to Cyrenaica; Cyrenaica 12/43 to 10/44 then to Benghazi; Benghasi 10/44 to 30/10/46. You won’t find anything about him in the unit War Diary. His medical papers will be in his service record but MOD don’t release them. There is a great deal of information on both this forum and the internet about Python. A search for “Python leave WW2” turned up this information in a Facebook post - “Python was the codename for the scheme introduced in January 1943 for 'home duty for long term veterans of overseas service'. Prior to this date, a soldier could serve overseas for six years before being eligible for a posting back to the U.K.. When introduced, the time served overseas was 4 years and 9 months in a European theatre (including Tunisia, Sicily and later Italy), and 4 years in India and South East Asia. In September 1944, the qualification period for India and South East Asia was reduced to 3 years and 8 months, and then in May 1945, 3 years and 4 months. Python allowed for 28 days home leave (usually plus two weeks embarkation leave), then two months on duty in the U.K., before becoming eligible for posting to the British Liberation Army in N. W. Europe. In Parliament on the 8 June 1945, the Secretary of State for War announced the intention to reduce the qualification period still further to 4 years in Europe and 3 years in India and S. E. Asia, 'as soon as shipping accommodation allows'. Suddenly, through a political decision, hundreds of soldiers were now able to claim Python leave, and the two British formations lost many senior, experienced, and therefore, key personnel. Repatriation proved difficult to achieve and led to some resentment amongst British troops serving in this theatre. Then the cessation of hostilities meant that many POWs required repatriation to the U.K.. There was not enough troop ships to accommodate everyone eligible to come home. Hence, the West Africans had to wait well into 1946 before they were able to get home. LILOP stood for 'Leave in Lieu of Python' and was a form of extended home leave before return to the field, and LIAP was 'Leave in Addtion to Python'.“ Steve
Python was a leave scheme for long-serving soldiers and is explained well in: Leave - Python and Lilop There are many references to the term here. Class Z (T) Territorial Army Reserve UK refers to a reserve requirement for 'x' years. See: Class Z - Class A - X Code : X (viii) - British Army - WWII 155 Transit Camp Two threads here contain that:RA Service records help and 7th Oxs & Bucks Monte Camino November 1943 refers to it being located in Tripoli in 1943. 134 Salvage Unit Nothing found here for them. Online only a RAF unit and nowt in the National Archives on a very quick search.
Hi Only found following RASC units on TNA Discovery search. 134 Detailed Issue Depot 134 Depot 134 Petrol Depot. I did find 134 Salvage Unit, but it was part of the Pioneer Corps. The trux pages does mention salvage units in miscellaneous and its establishment, but isn't clear as to which service they come from. Miscellaneous units Hope this helps Gus
Thank you very much to all who have replied. I think you have answered all of my queries. I know he didn't obviously get leave to home as it would have been impossible. I do remember him saying he was in Benghazi, so probably that was the hospital... and also Tripoli and Alexandria, so perhaps that could have been during his leave at the end of the conflict. Thanks again, this is a great site and you folks are so helpful and knowledgeable.
