Hi Vitellino, Many thanks for your reply, I've contacted the National Army Museum regarding the book you mentioned & am speaking to a curator later today ref the possibility of taking a look at the book etc. How did you know of this book ?.. was Frank in the 2 Battalion Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment at that date ? regards Derrick
Hello Derrick, When I was researching the Battle of Trasimeno way back in 1999 I contacted the Beds & Herts Museum and they sent me the relevant pages. The book was never published - a pity. If I were you I would contact them as they were very helpful indeed. Frank Snape was a sergeant in the regiment. You'll see from the above link that the Letitia docked in Naples 20 February 1944 and on other occasions, Vitellino
Hi Tony, Thanks for reply, i agree with you comments about the abbreviation RETD, Dad was always involved with Transportation during my lifetime, he was a HGV Engineer and was always fixing things ...the picture is becoming clearer....the indiscretion failing to observe MT Standing Orders..could be he didn't check the oil on some transport,!,i ve enclosed a scan of the Front of a 1939 Standing Order book & Cycle of Maintenance.. they were given a lot of responsibility & if you messed up ..no pay ! and a reprimand !. Interesting times with all they went through. I upload the first page of Dads Record of Service Paper. sometimes the scans i send are not easy to read (this one looks ok at 300dpi) . but i've typed out the important info :- Name: Frederick George Wiltshire Army Number : 14534864 Unit Posted to : General Service Corps National Registration ID : DDXJ. 45/3 Registration Number under N.S Acts CKH2151 I've never heard of the last two numbers.? Yes, i've posted before and this post is helping a lot with finding out more detail to Dads time in Service . Many thanks Derrick
Thank you for the update, i'll let you know how i get on with the book questions. That link is a very interesting document, if i can dig deeper on the RE's troop movements between NA & Italy at that time (either through WD's & a mixture of other units transportation).. i might get lucky. Here is a scan from from an entry in the 364 Works Section WD in Spring 44 of other RE units that were in the area that Dad was in ..might be worth a look at some of their WD's to see how they arrived in Italy (possibly the same troopship ?) Many thanks Derrick
Hi TD, Great find thank you:- The dates tie up please see snips below:- Looks like it did a lot of picking up and moving troops, equipment, around the med during 43-44 Dad was in NA in that time period...and the Lettia left from Alexandria -Naples so its possibly the Troopship ? Great research by James McLellan,, there is no detail from the ship's movement cards for that trip,.........i'm just trying to piece the jigsaw together. Derrick
Arthur Hague has the same details or rather the other site used some of Arthurs - however the point is they can throw light on the convoys and other ships names that may be in your notes Arnold Hague Convoy Database Select ship search, type in Letitia and away you go TD
Hi Vitellino, I've just spoke to a volunteer curator of the Beds & Herts museum and the book is in the Archives in the council offices in the town i live in Bedford ! Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue | Details They are closed ,but i can view the book by appointment, so i will visit to see the archives to see if there is any info ref the Lettia troopship and other relevant documentation. I'll post any info. regards Derrick
Vitellino, Whereabouts in Italy are you ?.. My wife's family are from just North of Benevento (Campania). regards Derrick
A beautiful part of Italy, me and Maria had a holiday at Lerici, a lovely coastal town, lots to see and a fun place to relax. On the book it’s not so straightforward to get to see it as I thought. Would you happen to have any scans from the research on the Battle of Tresimino ..?( I know it’s a long shot as it was back in 99). Derrick
Letitia was a merchant ship, she was only HMS in the first year of the war when she was an Armed Merchant Cruiser.
Derrick I think I am right in saying that you have only posted one page of your father's B103 (attached for reference) and this covers his service from 4/2/43 to 7/4/44, as previously mentioned this would appear to only cover his time in the UK and North Africa. I wonder if it would be useful to post the rest of this form so that we can see the actual dates he was in Italy and perhaps pick up other clues.
Hi Roy, Thank you for your reply, does this mean she was not a troopship for the early months of 44 ? Regards Derrick
Hi Tony, These are the remaining pages of the record. Up to a total engagement period of 5yrs 124days.
R.e. 'See Naples and Die' by Frank Snape I have pages 1-3 and 46-57 only. In these pages the only reference to the Letitia is in the quote I have posted. Vitellino
Hi Derrick, It looks as if she was a troopship for all of the war, with the exception of that first year. Troop ships were merchant ships, some were prefixed HMT. Hospital ships and hospital carriers were MN manned, as were half of the Infantry Landing Ships at D-Day etc. Roy
Derrick Thanks for posting - my reading:- 3/4/45 accidental injury 4/4/45 admitted to 107 (? South African) Gen Hosp 10/4/45 disc hospital TOS unit Believe this hospital was at Florence between 13 December 44 and 31 August 45. Can you confirm dates of other hospitalisation. 24/?/45 to 22 Gen Hosp 28/?/45 disc hosp to unit 22 British General Hospital was at the following locations: Quassassin May 43 to January 44 Taranto January 44 to June 45 Mestre June 45 to July 45
Tony, Thank you for the further reading on the B103 form :-..i have enclosed a photo of the form with ...hopefully some more abbreviations (let me know if its readable please ?). I don't have any more information on dads injuries/hospitalisation, apart from what is on the form. He never talked about that.....he did very occasionally talk about incidents during his service in Italy, but it was very brief and a bit distressing...so i was very careful about pursing talking about them...albeit to my eternal regret now...... I think some comprehensive cross referencing of the dates /locations on B103 form to Dads 364 WD would help no end to forming a clear picture of his movement ..maybe a timeline ?..say from leaving Liverpool 12th Dec 43 to leaving Italy (Mestre , Venice) 45. regards Derrick
