My uncle died a few years ago and he had served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the Second World War. Unfortunately we didn't take the time when he was alive to find out more about what he did and where he'd been, and now we're trying to find out what we can. Unfortunately, we have very little information other than his name - Thomas Francis Prior (Leitrim, Ireland) born on 1st November 1923. The main problem in finding anything out about him is that we can't trace is army number. We know he served in north Africa. Does anyone know of how we could find out more or is it impossible given all the information we have available? Thanks for your help!
Hello and welcome to the forum As you have a DOB I think it's worth applying for a copy of his service records. You need to work out who his next of kin is. If he was married and his widow is still alive she could apply as there is no fee to be paid by spouses. Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel [Forms can be found on the blue links on the right-hand side under Related Pages] Did he apply for his medals? If not, see here Ministry of Defence | Defence For... | Veterans | Medals | MOD Medal Office If he did, then do you have access to them? Campaign stars will give you an idea of the theatres in which he served. Does anyone have photos? Why not post them up here, there might be some clues to be found.
Hi, Do you know when he joined up? The 2nd battalion served in France during 1940 and is well documented. I have their war diary for 1940. There are other diaries held at the National Archives for different campaigns etc. but you need to know the 'when's' and 'who with's' first. If you unsure of dates and units the first best step to take is apply for his service records. Army Personnel Centre - British Army Website
Hello and welcome to the forum As you have a DOB I think it's worth applying for a copy of his service records. You need to work out who his next of kin is. If he was married and his widow is still alive she could apply as there is no fee to be paid by spouses. Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel [Forms can be found on the blue links on the right-hand side under Related Pages] Did he apply for his medals? If not, see here Ministry of Defence | Defence For... | Veterans | Medals | MOD Medal Office If he did, then do you have access to them? Campaign stars will give you an idea of the theatres in which he served. Does anyone have photos? Why not post them up here, there might be some clues to be found. Hi Thanks for the info. We don't think he claimed his medals (certainly he didn't have them when he died) but he did tell my mother he received a citation although we haven't been able to confirm this. I will try getting his records but I was told previously that without his number it wouldn't be possible.
Hi, Do you know when he joined up? The 2nd battalion served in France during 1940 and is well documented. I have their war diary for 1940. There are other diaries held at the National Archives for different campaigns etc. but you need to know the 'when's' and 'who with's' first. If you unsure of dates and units the first best step to take is apply for his service records. Army Personnel Centre - British Army Website thanks again. We think he joined up prior to the war so he would have been serving in 1940. Would the diaries include names?
We know very little about him unfortunately. His parents (my grandparents) died quite young and left a young family behind. The older children in their late teens and early twenties had to leave home and Tommy headed from Ballinamore in Leitrim the 20 or so miles to Enniskillen and joined up. We believe this was before the war and the army was a good option for someone in Tommy's position. As the family was split up due to their parents dying, it was also the last the family heard of him... until 1997. As the years went by attempts were made to find out if he had survived the war and where he might be but it was never successful. It wasn't until Tommy retired and claimed his pension that we were able to locate him. He was living in Birmingham. We met up with him and it turned out he had continued to serve in the army after the war ended. He eventually left, and became a labourer working on the motorways. He died two years later in 1999 so we didn't get to spend enough time with him to find out more.
Have you tried contacting the museum? Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Regimental Museum Yes, tried that but apparently they no longer keep records there.
Some diaries do and some don't, some contain very little info and some have lots. I'll check the 1940 later-I'm just about to go out.
Some diaries do and some don't, some contain very little info and some have lots. I'll check the 1940 later-I'm just about to go out. Hi Drew I don't suppose you turned anything up on this? Thanks.
Star Spangler It looks like a long way around - but - I think the 2nd Skins served in 38th bde of 78th Division - so if you get hold of the Book "Battleaxe Division" by Ken Tout - that will answer many of your questions on what he did at that time - there is another on their journey from "Algiers to Austria" - which might help as well as the diaries of the 78th Division . Cheers
Star Spangler. As Tom mentions, the 2nd Skins served in the 38th (Irish) Brigade. However, the 6th Battalion also served in North Africa. After heavy fighting in Sicily & Italy the 2nd and 6th were merged to form a 'new' 2nd battalion.
Hi Drew I don't suppose you turned anything up on this? Thanks. I've just quickly gone through the diary and there is only a nominal roll for officers and their company's. I think the service records are your best bet if you haven't applied for them yet? Regards Andy
Thanks for all the help! I'll go and find those books. The problem I have with the service records is that they're insisting on his army number which I don't have.
Hello and welcome. I sent off for my dad's army records and didn't know his army number or where he had served or what unit. I just gave them his name, date of birth and address where he lived when he signed up. Give it a try-they found my dad's records-or maybe I just got lucky! Lesley
