Searching for Uncle in 1 Green Howards 1944-47

Hi there
I am researching my late Uncle Ted (Lewis Edward Styles) of Wolverton Milton Keynes. He served with the Green Howards in WW2 and am hoping someone may be able to help track down his company with in the Green Howards or even better someone may have a Nominal Roll for 1st Bn. G.H 1944/45/46.

Details from his pay book are as follows:
D.O.B 24.02.1923
Army Number 14205621
Enlisted 19.02.1942
App. W/S Cpl 2 Ech. (then what appears to as what is written next after 2 Ech is 'Grdens') (promoted to W/s (Workshop?) Corporal 9. Feb 1945)
It also has 'Tech Storeman' group C class ll tested and mustered 4 December 45.

Postings:
He was on teh 32nd I.T.C 19.02.1942
Transferred to the Green Howards 27.06.1942 Posted to 10th Bn.
Draft RBYHF 16.01.1943
Embarked for Middle East 16.01.1943
Disembarked Egypt 20.03.1943
Posted to 6 Bn. GH 13.05.1943
X(ll) 7.6.43
X(lV) 29.6.43
1st Bn 17.8.43
Xll 22.3.44
XlV 30.5.44
Emb MEF for CMF 24.2.45
1 Bn 21 AG 4.4.45 (what does AG stand for)
Posted to Y list 21.11.46

Struck off strength(SOS) Med Ex Force (MEF) to British North Africa Force (BNAF) 29.08.1943

On his release cert. dated 13.11.1946 he was CPL in M.T section
Transferred to Army Reserve 03.03.1947 (Cert Number 56542(

I know he was serving in Africa including Palestine and was at ANZIO (this he told me) with 1 Bn GH. He was transferred into 1st Bn after he had a stint in hospital. (he had Jaundice in 1944) Th eBn he transferred from was heavily mauled whilst he was in hospital. My Mother (Teds Sister) thinks he may at one stage have been in the 2nd Bn. However upon his release he was 1 Bn.
He was also in the occupying force in Germany and have photos of him with "Schoningen Germany May 1946" ( East of Hanover) written on the back I also know he was in Celle, Germany which ios Nth nth east of Hanover.
Places :
Egypt/Africa - 3 months
Sicily - 1 month
Italy - 11 months
Belgium - 1 month
Germany - 11 months.

I have his records from teh MOD but they are rather patchy. I live in NZ an dits hard for me to research from he other than the internet.
Any and all help would be greatfully accepted.

Cheers
Simon

 

Simon

not a lot can be added to your version of his paybook - if that is what it is although it seems like lot of information

not much hope in finding out which company he was with, and all I can do is to fill in some gaps etc…e.g the W/s means war

substansive- he was paid extra - 32ITC - one of the first with the new training schedule after Alanbrooke took over - then

posted to regiment ….10th Batt GH would be a training battalion - then around the Cape to Egypt- two months in a transit camp

awaiting orders- X(ii) = sick list = X(iv) awaiting posting - 21AG = 21st Army group NWE -Y list = unemployed- XT reserve after
demob…

Cheers

 

Hi Tom

Thanks for the info on the abreviations I was at a loss there mate.

The info under the sub heading of 'Pay book' was only the info down until I listed his postings they were from his other paper work.

Thanks again all and any info is greatly appreciated.

Simon

 

Hello Simon,

The 6th Bn Green Howards was in 69th Infantry Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. They had fought in the Western Desert from before the reverse at Gazala, to victory at El Alamein, Mareth, Wadi Akarit, to virtually the end of the fighting in Tunisia, when on 25 April 1943 they set out on a journey to Kabrit in Egypt for combined operations training - the preparation for Operation Husky, the landings in Sicily.

They stopped first on 13 May 1943 at Sidi Bashr to re-equip, reorganise and train. They left for Kabrit on 5 June 1943. It looks like your uncle Ted took ill around the time they got to Kabrit.

It is not clear if he was still sick or took part in the landings on 10 July 1943 at Avola in Sicily, where the 69th Infantry Brigade was a follow-up brigade to its sister 151st Infantry Brigade (which was an assault brigade), or in the fighting thereafter. However, given that he was awaiting orders on 29 June 1943 and was then posted to the 1st Bn Green Howards on 17 August 1943 it appears unlikely. Coincidently, the 17 August 1943 is the date the fighting in Sicily finished.

The 1st Bn Green Howards was in 15th Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, which had also fought and was present in Sicily.

Whereas the 6th Bn Green Howards, along with all of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, returned home to the UK in November 1943, and landed as an assault battalion on Gold Beach on D-Day and fought on in NW Europe, the 1st Bn Green Howards fought in Italy and undertook Garrison duties in the Middle East, before setting out for NW Europe (Belgium) on 3 March 1945.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Steve.

 

Hi Steve
Thanks very much for all the info that's awesome. It all goes into the mix to get the picture

Cheers

Si

 

By my reckoning Simon this is the units he was with going on the info you posted?

10 Green Hoarwds 1942 to 1943
6 Green Howards 1943
1 Green Howards 1943 to 1946

If that is the case then as requested these will be the diaries you are after:

WO 166/8708 10 Green Howards Jan-Dec 1942
WO 166/12558 10 Green Howards Jan-May 1943

WO 169/10219 6 Green Howards Jan-Nov 1943

WO 169/10218 1 Green Howards 1943 Jan-Dec
WO 170/1392 1 Green Howards 1944 Jan-Jun You already have a Copy
WO 169/16288 1 Green Howards 1944 Jul-Dec
WO 169/20050 1 Green Howards 1945 Jan
WO 171/5199 1 Green Howards 1945 Feb-Dec
WO 171/9236 1 Green Howards 1946 Jan-Jun

Cheers
Andy

 

Hi Andy

Cheers for that. I am looking into that story I told you about Dennis Compton the cricketer who was a captin in the G.H. He served along side Hedley Verity (page 161 Wisden Cricketers of the Year: A Celebration of Cricket's Greatest Players).
I have found out that Hedley was India then after he took ill he got shipped to Egypt and went onto Sicily. I am trying to find where they both were in Sicily and if they were at ANZIO.

As you know from our previous chats Mum said that Ted mentioned one of his Captian's was Denis Compton the English cricketer so I am re looking at this.

The above mentioned diaries would WO 166/8708 10 Green Howards Jan-Dec 1942 have his 32nd I.T.C in it?

Cheers

Si

 

A bit of a long shot, Si. but you may find something here: http://www.fightingthrough.co.uk/home/4575850987

This is a Forum members blog about his father's service in 6th Bn Green Howards during WWII.

Best,

Steve.

 

Si.

I suspect that the period of jaundice probably saved his life. 1 GREEN HOWARDS fought at the crossing of the Garigliano in Jan 44 and were then transferred to prop up Anzio where they stayed right through to the breakout in May 44. During that time, they suffered enormous casualties.

If you ever want to see what happened to them on both the Garigliano and at Anzio PM me. I am out there regularly guiding studies.

Regards

Frank

 

Hi Simon,

Not sure, I have the regimental history at home so I'll look an dsee if 10 battalion was a training battalion for you.

Andy

 

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your info its all going into the mix.

I have found out from the G.H Museum that in 1946 the 1st BN GH left Schoningen and moved to Richmond Barracks in Celle. The writer spoke of marching trough the town with military band to locals delight. This was written in the Green Howards Gazette dated 18th June 1946.

 

Hi Frank
Thanks for that it seems to fit in with what Mum had told me.

What do u mean by PM me??

Cheers

Si

 

Ref 10 Green Howards

They were formed in June 1940 and based at Tidworth until Feb 1941 when they moved to Kent until Dec 1942 from there they moved to Truro in Cornwall and in May 1943 they converted to the Parachute Regiment and for the rest of the war were known as the 12th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.

 

Hmmm Strange that I thought they may have been a training Bn

 

To be fair 6 moths with a training battalion is a long time. The ITC (Infantry Training Centre) is where he would have done his basic training then anything else would have been done at battalion level.

The bit you need to figure out really is these lines:

Draft RBYHF 16.01.1943
Embarked for Middle East 16.01.1943
Disembarked Egypt 20.03.1943

We know 10 GH didn't deploy overseas so who was he with before joining 6 GH's in May 1943?

The regimental history states that all but one of the 10 GH's officers and some 300 OR's volunteered to stay and become part of 12 Para which fits in with him joining 6 GH's.

 

The 6th Bn Green Howards would have been looking for replacements after their efforts at Mareth, Wadi Akarit, etc. and in preparation for Operation Husky. It was not unusual for these to come from other battalions within the same regiment.

It could be that when the 10th Bn Green Howards was on notice that it was being converted to the 12th Bn Parachute Regiment, either, the Paras did not want him or he did not want the Paras and so he was posted out to 6th Bn Green Howards.

It could be that simple, or maybe I am being simple...

 

Steve - I'm 100% certain you are right. I would even wager there is a mention in the 6 GHs war diary of a large number of soldier joining as replacements. The 16th Jan to 20th March is the bit puzzling me.

 

On the 25th April 6 and 7 Bns set out for Sidi Bashir arriving on 6 May to re-org and train for Sicily.