Service Records and Troopships

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Harrogate, Mar 4, 2014.

  1. Harrogate

    Harrogate Member

    My Father served in Hong Kong in the 1930s, and his service records show overseas service as being 20th February 1936 to 7th January 1939.

    He travelled out with his unit, 8th Heavy Brigade, RA, but returned without them.

    Family records throw some doubt on the dates given in the service records, so my first question is - Does the time on board a troopship count as overseas service?

    My second question, which might answer the first, is - are there any lists of troopship movements in and out of the UK and other ports (in this case, Hong Kong), preferably showing the units on board?
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    I think I read somewhere (Maybe Ron Goldstein posted it) that when you boarded the troopship from the UK it counted as overseas service.

    Lesley
     
  3. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  4. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    RON -
    Footslogger is trying to contact you as you have not responded to his calls - he PM'd me

    Cheers
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Tom

    Thanks

    Ron
     
  6. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    We're chasing the same information for a troopship - this one in a later wartime convoy WS4 late 1940. I've been in contact with Archie Munro who researched these convoys and he says that lists of units are possibly found in early wartime cconvoy Commodore reports - in WS4 he found simply Advance party from RA....

    If the movements were by commercial vessel they may appear in passenger lists .. a long shot.

    A query for you ... tried to find 8th Heavy Brigade but only see 8th Coastal in Hong Kong .. can you post an image from the service record? Plenty of help from others searching for similar things.

    Robin
     
  7. Harrogate

    Harrogate Member

    Robin,

    8 Heavy Brigade was renamed 8 Heavy Regiment in 1938, and then became 8 Coast Regiment in 1940. They were captured when Hong Kong fell on 25th December 1941.

    There seems to be a lot more information available regarding wartime troopship movements. Surprising, considering the top secret nature of wartime troop movements.

    Harrogate
     
  8. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Thanks for the clarification
    The documents for wartime troopship convoys we have are all marked 'Secret' .. perhaps that is why they survived....

    Harrogate .. will be there for GYS in June

    Robin and Margaret
     

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