Wireless Operators

Looking for some advice please. I’m trying to track down my grandfather’s service information. Unfortunately his original medals and any info were lost so I only have vague bits to go on.

I know he was shot and injured, and that he served in North Africa and probably Italy so I’m going through the Casualty Lists on FMP to try and track potentials down. 419 of them! I can discount KIA and other theatres but still leaves a few. I know he probably joined up with the Border Regiment but know that he is likely to have been transferred from there. I am told he was a Wireless Operator - would that mean he was Signals or did each Batallion have their own?

The real answer to this is to apply for his service record but without his service number I’m unsure if this will be successful and my Mum isn’t too keen. I’m hoping to find enough to spark her interest.

Thanks in advance

 

Link to service record forms - Request records of deceased service personnel

You can do it yourself

Re Signals - he could be a member of the Royal Corps of Signals or have been assigned through his infantry training to be a signaller (as my father was, he was Royal Warwicks)

TD

 

Thanks both, I’d assumed only immediate next of kin could apply.

Re Signals I suspect from the photos etc I have obtained he was assigned rather than being in Signals so appreciate the clarification.

 

Anyone can apply - the difference in next of kin is the amount of detail you may receive - it would also depend on what the file contains.

His service records will comfirm a lot of what you are asking

TD

 

Hi CumbrianLass

Welcome aboard !

Just to confirm TrickyDicky's point, I was a Driver/Op by trade ( "Op" standing for Wireless Operator ), firstly in Light Ack Ack and then in the RAC.

In the 4th Hussars (my final unit) every tank had someone like me aboard and the only chap seconded from the Royal Signals would have been someone at HQ who would have overall responsibility for all the wireless sets in the squadron.

Ron