November 20th, 2011 04:25 PM #1 Roderick14 View Profile View Forum Posts View Blog Entries View Articles recruit Join DateNov 2011Posts2Salute!0Saluted 0 Times in 0 Posts Hello Hello All I live in Adelaide, Australia. Its great to be apart of the forum. Can anyone help? Im after info on my Great Uncle. Francis Harry Bailey. He served in: Trooper, 'A' Sqn. Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons). Royal Armoured Corps. Does anyone have any knowledge on The Royal Scots Greys in WW2? Were they solely a tank division? He died on the 10-9-44 Service no. 7888698 ( 3 months after the Invasion of Normandy ) I would like to know his exact role and where he died. He is buried at Brussels town cemetry in Belgium. Thank You Roderick
Welcome to the forum Roderick - enjoy! No doubt our numerous tank enthusiasts will be along to assist you shortly. Best, Steve.
Name: BAILEY, FRANCIS HARRY Initials: F H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Trooper Regiment/Service: Royal Armoured Corps Unit Text: 'A' Sqn. Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) Age: 33 Date of Death: 10/09/1944 Service No: 7888698 Additional information: Son of Francis James Bailey and Emily Bailey, of Shipston-on-Stour, Worcestershire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: X. 18. 14. Cemetery: BRUSSELS TOWN CEMETERY
Here is a quick summary of the WWII service of the Royal Scots Greys: The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) Station Rehovath, Palestine (15 miles from Jaffa) Royal Armoured Corps September 1939 Battle Honours Caen, Hill 112, Falaise, Venlo Pocket, The Rhineland, The Hochwald, The Aller, Bremen, North-West Europe 1944-45, Merjayun, Syria 1941, Alam el Halfa, El Alamein, El Agheila, Nofilia, Advance on Tripoli, North Africa 1942-43, Salerno, Battipaglia, Volturno Crossing, Italy 1943 Affiliations 12th Light Horse (The New England Light Horse): Armidale, New South Wales The North Auckland Mounted Rifles: Whangarei, North Island 2nd/10th Dragoons: Hamilton, Ontario The Greys were located in the Lydda area in Palestine under Palestine and Transjordan Force until 1 March 1941. It also formed part of 6th Infantry Division from 25 March to 30 May 1940. From 1 March to 31 July 1941 the regiment came under control of 6th Cavalry Brigade. ‘A’ Squadron and the RHQ fought under Todcol with the Staffordshire Yeomanry in Syria from 8 June to 31 July 1941. The 6th Cavalry Brigade was redesignated 8th Armoured Brigade on 1 August 1941. The Greys were under the command of this brigade until 30 June 1942, leaving Palestine for Egypt on 19 February 1942. On 14 June the regiment went to 8th Army Reserve. It arrived at Charing Cross in the Western Desert, but it was ordered back to the rear on 20 June. By 30 June the regiment was located at Mareopolis, but were then sent to Khatatba to pick up more tanks. It went back to Mareopolis on 8 July and to El Hamman between 9-11 July. On 15 July the regiment came under command of 22nd Armoured Brigade in the South African Box, replacing 3rd County of London Yeomanry. It stayed with this brigade until 16 September 1942 in Egypt. The Greys then came under 4th Light Armoured Brigade until 21 December. It refitted for a brief time and then took the place of 1st Royal Tank Regiment in 22nd Armoured Brigade from 2-4 December 1942. It then joined the New Zealand Division until 20 January 1943. On this date it was relieved of operations to reequip, which proceeded until July 1943. From July 1943 until January 1944 the Greys served under the operational control of 56th (London) Infantry Division: ‘A’ Squadron with 167th Infantry Brigade, ‘B’ Squadron with 201st (Guards) Infantry Brigade, and ‘C’ Squadron with 169th Infantry Brigade. From 9 September 1943 until 14 January 1944, the 23rd Armoured Brigade had the actual command of the Greys. The regiment handed over all of its vehicles on 14 January to 50th Royal Tank Regiment and departed for the United Kingdom on 27 January. In England the regiment joined 27th Armoured Brigade and remained with it until 29 April 1945, departing for France on 7 June 1944. The regiment was under the operational control of 21st Army Group from 29 April until 6 June 1945, when it joined 31st Armoured Brigade for the remainder of the war.
The last British cavalry regiment to use horses in a mounted action- finally mechanized in 1941. SCOTS GREYS NOT TO BE MECHANISED - British Pathe
