Hi All Thanks to all the help and guidance, that I have been given on the forum already, I have very slowly been navigating my way through all the various twists and turns of the Royal Artillery Regiments which dad served in, but have now come to a total dead-end and would be grateful if anyone could help with this please? Having arrived back from Italy - 18th Medium Regiment - which was disbanded in February 1945 Disembarking UK 13/3/45......28 days leave starting 15/3/45 followed....that takes me up to the 12/4/45.... But then......his records just show 'Posted from Depot RA - to 1st A/T Range Det. No.1 ATK....on the 10/5/45 (RAC Titchwell), until he was demobbed in April 46 So basically, I am missing a whole month and wondered if anyone knows of the process from when the regiments would have disembarked back in the UK? Was there an RA Depot, where Regiments were reformed (if that's the right word?)to be later posted out to different units etc, that he would have spent a month at? many thanks...as always Suz
Hi Suz, I found this link, it might not answer your question directly but hopefully may give you some idea of what happened http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/24/a2779824.shtml Hope this helps David
Suz, I wouldn't be surprised if his home leave was simply extended for the "missing month". I've no documentary evidence to support that assertion but I do know an uncle of mine was repatriated on welfare grounds, due to his mothers ill health, from Egypt to UK in late March/early April 1945. He had been abroad 2 years. His mother passed away whilst he was in transit. There is a 6 week "gap" in his record before he was posted to a German POW camp. My Dad was a repatriated prisoner of war who arrived home in May 1945 and immediately started 3 months leave. He was at home until mid September 1945 when he was posted to a holding unit. Steve Y
Suz The record does tell you realy, (posted from RA Depot), that he returned there as per,after his leave was up, spent a month there on general duties waiting to be processed with many others as reinforcements & was posted on to his new regt. Unfortunately it dos'nt tell you which one as there were a number of "RA Depots" unless there is a clue somewhere in the documents or his effects. His case is not unusual, this happened all the time. Rob
Hi Suz, I've been looking for this and at last found it, I hope Ron G' doesn't mind me using it. Another link that might help you. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/13/a2062513.shtml David
Thank you all for your replies and giving me more thoughts on the probabilities and also some good leads which I have been trying to do some searches on... (or at least as best as I can without getting myself into even more of a muddle!?) Fingers crossed that the last diary I have on order (thanks again Andy/Drew5233 for the great help and service with these), will shed some light on to the actual preparations to get them home....ie Ship etc. And....I'm thinking???......maybe the admin side would have been dealt with during the voyage, rather than dealing with everyone at the port in the UK???? Now...this may...or may not....be of any particular reference - but there is a mention (on the same line and date as Depot RA dated 14/3/45) - Coy 557 B.O.D., R.A.O.C. but then gives the date 16/2/45??? But even if the journey does stop here, I do count my blessings for the most important thing of all....he did get come. thanks again Suz Ps (thanks for the first link you sent David....and now, you just know that I'm going to want to find out more about the demob suits!!! )
There are a number of files for 557 Base Ordnance Depot at Kew including a unit 'history' which may be worth exploring but unfortunately none of the dated diaries seem to cover the begining of 1945. Maybe have a look at WO 204/5982? Good luck
Hi Hutt Thanks for checking this out and letting me know about the War Diary....it could be another good lead. fingers crossed Suz
Hummm, demob suits that's a thread in its self Beginning on 18 June 1945, millions of men were demobilised from the British armed services on a phased basis according to age and length of service. A set of civilian clothes was essential in order to help them integrate into civilian life and because they normally no longer had their original clothes after years in uniform. Clothes rationing meant that it was not possible to buy a new suit from a shop without a large quantity of ration coupons and a long delay while the suit was made. Many separate demobilisation centres were run by the Army, Navy and Air Force, alongside Civilian Clothing Depots. Army centres were run by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. One air force centre was at Uxbridge. David
The suit Some servicemen complained that their suit made them look like an old-time gangster. At the demobilisation centre, men exchanged their service uniform for civilian clothes. The demob suit was just one part of a complete set of clothes. According to the Imperial War Museum, the full outfit included: A felt hat or optional flat cap. A double-breasted pinstripe three-piece suit, or a single-breasted jacket with flannel trousers. Two shirts with matching collar studs. A tie. Shoes. A raincoat. A variety of other items are sometimes said to have been supplied, the list varying according to the source, including gloves, underwear, socks, and bowler hats. In addition, men were given a special allocation of clothing coupons with which to buy any extra items they might need, a special cigarette ration and a one-way rail warrant. Men could keep their service uniform too and many left the distribution centres in uniform with a small suitcase containing their demob clothes. Towards the end of 1945, around 75,000 demob suits were being made each week. One of the principal suppliers was Burtons, founded by Montague Burton, leading to speculation that the phrase the full monty, meaning "the works", originated in reference to a full set of demob clothes supplied by the firm. Other manufacturers included the Fifty Shilling Tailors and Simpsons of Piccadilly. Demob suits were made of the best quality material available in quantity at the time and were not utility clothes, however, problems with distribution meant that the right sizes were not always in stock when the clothes were fitted and the style of what was available was not always what men wanted. These problems made the demob suit the butt of much ridicule and humour. One soldier described his trousers as "unfriendly", saying "they kept their distance from my feet, in mourning at half mast". Another complained that his suit "looked as hostile and intimidating as the bloke pushing it my way". Men took pot luck with what was available when their turn came. Sometimes only unusual sizes were available, although being a particularly difficult size could be an advantage as then a bespoke suit was ordered and delivered by mail which might be a better fit than one of the off-the-peg suits. The fact that certain versions were very common and easily recognised made some men feel that they had substituted one uniform for another. One remembered that he "walked proudly into town wearing my light grey pin-striped demob suit, looking around, I recognized all the ex-servicemen – they were all back in uniform – light grey pin-striped suits!" Others were embarrassed to wear the suits. One reported that he rarely wore his to work as "both the pattern and the hue made it difficult to hide its patriotic origins". Nonetheless, the suits were often the first that a man had owned and they remained in use for many years after the end of the war, being brought out whenever formal wear was required, such as at Christenings or weddings. David
