Here is my dads service record from 18/06/1942 To 30/03/1951 7960690 Private William Freeman York and Lancaster Regiment 18/06/42 Enlisted into Royal Armoured Corps embodied Territorial Army and posted to 56th Training Regiment 19/08/42. Transferred to West Yorkshire Regiment and posted to 6 infantry centre 07/11/42. Posted to 1/5th Battalion 28/09/43. Posted to 2nd Battalion 07/03/44. Posted to British reinforcement Camp 28/04/44. Transferred to York and Lancaster Regiment and Posted to 8th Battalion 12/01/45 Posted to 2nd Battalion 27/07/45. Posted to No7 Holding Battalion 07/03/46. Posted to 54 Reinforcement Holding Unit 29/04/47. Released to Army Reserve 30/03/51. Discharged ceasing to fulfil Army medical requirements Service with the Colours 18/06/42 to 28/04/47 Overseas Service India/Burma 16/01/1943 to 18/06/1945 Served BAOR. 16/03/1946 to. 22/01/1947 Any help on this please would be gratefully. Received Thanks Elsie
Elsie The fact that your Dad has an RAC number - issued in 1942 - is odd in itself as most joining at that time were given General Service Numbers in the 142***** - then two months later - he was transferred to the Infantry.......From 113 RAC probably.......you have more detail than you are showing us at this time as another battalion of that regiment became the 51st ( Leeds Rifles ) became the 51st RTR and served with the 25th Tank Bde in North Africa and Italy.....can you scan his records ...? Cheers
No Tom I have copied everything exactly as it is written down on the service records we received from MOD . The only bit I have missed of is the start of the letter which says ...Dear Mrs Freeman in reply to your letter our records show the following particulars of the military service of 7960690 Private William Freeman York and Lancaster Regiment . Deemed to have been enlisted. This is the only bit I did not put on the earlier post. I have copied it word for word. I will get this scanned I will do this tomorrow . My dad sister always said he enlisted under age but I have no record of this . How rude of me Tom I forgot to Thank you Take care Elsie
I have to say I have been useless at trying to find where dad was what dad did but at least I am a tryer and will keep on with this. You see my dad died at a young age of 59 and I still miss him terribly. Like the rest of the world I was busy raising children and working but 4years ago I lost my nephew tragically at age 15 then 2 years ago l lost my brother age 59 but on the day he died we lost my mother as the shock of his death fetched on Alzheimer's And I took early retirement and mum lives with me and I care for her .The point of publicly telling this is that All these events set me thinking about life and how to make good use of my time and I decided that if I could find the information then my goal was to go to Burma for the 70th Anniversary 2014 and I have found by researching my dads war records I do feel close to him even though I don't seem to be getting any where but unless I can find what dad did and where he was during his war years then my trip to Burma will be delayed which I really don't want to do. Thanks all who read this . Elsie
These are the war diaries you want to look at: WO 166/9001 1/5 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) 1942 May - Dec. WO 166/12785 5 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) 1943 Jan.-Dec. WO 172/2561 2 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)1943 Apr.- Dec. WO 172/4933 2 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)1944 Jan. - Dec. WO 172/4936 8 York and Lancaster Regiment 1944 Jan. - Dec. WO 172/7682 8 York and Lancaster Regiment 1945 Jan.-Oct. WO 172/7680 2 York and Lancaster Regiment 1945 Jan.-Dec. Cheers Andy
Elsie Best advice you can have at this time is to stop worrying - as the people on this forum will do handstands to get you the RIGHT information - in time for your trip.....so now that Drew has found the war diaries all you have to do now is to trace his movements - then make up a timeline onto a spreadsheet..an' away you go.....there is ONLY five battalions of two regiments to look at - which is NOTTA lot as some would say BUT - if you need help -- YELL.. Cheers
Tom you are my inspiration Thank you for your input and support I have to say I get on your links and hours have passed and what enjoyable reading I am halfway through your topics Take care Elsie
Just an update have dads army journey from enlistment 1942 to medical discharge 1951 and what a journey I am now making my own file of dads journey to be kept and passed on over the generations. Thanks to Sol sending the maps of area in Burma. I am going to get a map blown up large put dad and comrades route on it frame it and hang it on the wall. What I have learnt is the lads did a lot of walking and marching in hostile conditions then had to fight spats and big battles . I am in AWE OF HOW THEY ACHIEVED THIS AND WENT ON TO WIN THEIR WAR IN BURMA.
Elsie As has been said, we all want to help and inspire you. What you have said, in those few words, really sums up how many felt and why they called themselves the "Forgotten Army". The conditions, climate and terrain were tough enough without the added misery of insects, illness, vegetation and animals all conspiring against them. To cap it all was the knowledge that they were up an enemy who didn't fight to the same rules as them, who would be merciless to wounded or prisoners, and never knowing what would happen in the next second. They didn't have much in the way of transport, so virtually everything was carried themselves So you can be rightly proud of his (and his mates) achievements. Was it Michael Palin who recently traced his father War in Burma? Might be a few tips if you can find the episode. Just to be a worry wart, do please take note of any Foreign Office advice, do's and don'ts etc for a safe journey next year. Wishing you all the best!
Hi Kevin thanks for your post I am hooked on all you lads and lasses posts on here.Your posts are so informative and l have learnt so much from this site and sometimes hours past while i read through the conversations on here. I have been reading books of the men that were there told in their way which gave me a greater insight into what they went through but I believe that unless I was there I can never imagine truly what it was like and now I really do feel in AWE and l feel so HUMBLE . And they then came home and got on with their lives No fuss No big scene That is an amazing feat in itself. I will be finding out All the do and dont's before I go and I have put myself in touch with the museum in Imphal who are holding A big Remembrance service On the anniversary of the battle for Imphal and lots of tours are being arrange . All this will take place over 6weeks and I want to stay for the whole length of the tour and as I have never been abroad before so this for me is going to be something of a journey of emotion and discovery but l need to do this and I will. at the moment they have been doing lots of field studies in the areas of the war. There is a large group going over from UK and I am hoping to be part of that. My daughter gets married on 10th August this year and when that is over Planning for Operation OurBill will commence.
Elsie Well done - what a good idea of enlarging the Map and hanging it somewhere the family can never forget what he did in those far off days and as Kevin rightly says - " you can be rightly proud of what he achieved' in spite of all the drawbacks.. and no doubt all in typical British humour.....have safe trip..and keep us in touch Cheers
Thanks Tom but you Chaps and ladies are stuck with me as I love following all of your posts/blogs and conversations they are so interesting . Elsie
