1st Heavy Regiment 28th Heavy Battery

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by JeanMic, Jul 10, 2016.

  1. JeanMic

    JeanMic Member

    HI,

    My Grandfather was in the Royal artillery (1st Heavy regiment, 28th Battery) and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. I would like to know more about his regiment and the battery he was assigned to. Any information about the period 1930-1945 is of interest to me.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Hi JeanMic + welcome
    This is a big ask really' as the 1st Heavy Regt RA. 3,5,16 & 28 Btys, was an extremely active regt throughout the whole of WW2.
    I have the full War-Diary from Sep 1939 till June 1946.This Diary runs to hundreds of pages.
    28Bty along with 3Bty were the regts two 7.2in gun Btys, 16 & 5Btys were the two 155mm gun Btys (8in 1940)
    After returning from France in June 1940, they were reformed in Dec1942, retrained & reguned untill Oct 1943 when they became part of the 2nd Canadian AGRA (Army Group Royal Artillery). They landed in Normandy on the 8th July 1944, with 2cdnAGRA and stayed in support of the 1st Canadian Army in all their battles untill the end, they also were attached to the 9th British AGRA at various times for different engagements as needed.
    Let me know if you need anything more specific.

    There a little bit on Phillips site here: http://www.royalartilleryunitsnetherlands1944-1945.com/1-heavy-regiment.html
    Best
    Rob
     
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  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Here's one picture I found on the IWM site. I'm pretty sure there is more:

    A Scammell Pioneer tows an 8-inch howitzer of 1st Heavy Regiment, near Calais, 12 January 1940.
    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Hi Rob

    Bluebell Minor and myself are researching post 8 May 46 and you may be interested to know the regiment continued after June 1946

    HQRA Guards Division
    8 Jul 46 – 1st Heavy Regiment RA from 3rd Army Group RA of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
    RHQ: Itzehoe relieving 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards in Eckenforde – to the BAOR School of Artillery
    3 Battery – 5 Battery – 16 Battery – 28 Battery
    31 Dec 46 – to Schleswig-Holstein Sub Area Hamburg District
    1 May 47 – redesignated 27th Heavy Regiment RA
    6 Battery – 23 Battery – 112 Battery – 137 Battery
    early 48 – to UK

    Source HQRA Guards Division and Hamburg District Historical Records from Kew
     
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  5. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Thanks Steve
    I know that they went over from Goor Holland to 3AGRA at Hamburg on 11th June 1945 when they left the Canadians, but your other late 1946-on info is very usefull, as their Diary ends June 46.
    much appreciated.
    Best
    Rob
     
  6. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    7.2in Howitzers of 3Bty, 1st Heavy Regt RA
    at Orchies, France, 12th Feb 1940
    Rob

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    hello have you applied for his service records


    https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/overview
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Is that a IWM Rob or one of your own?
     
  9. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Pinterest. com images.
    but i think it's IWM
    Rob
     
  10. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

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  11. JeanMic

    JeanMic Member

    Dear All,

    Sincere thanks for all of the replies and information. I will go through the different elements. If and when I get any further information, I will post it. However, you guys appear to be experts, so I am not sure I can offer you much in the way of new information.

    One thing though is that I am almost sure that my grandfather was garrisoned in Rawalpindhi in the 1930s and perhaps in Gibraltor. After Dunlirk, I know that he was stationed somewhere in the south of England and manned anti-aircraft guns.

    All the best.
     
  12. Bill F

    Bill F Member

    Have just been searching for info, having just read a letter written by my father,dated 4th Dec 44 ... 5th Heavy bty, 1st Heavy Regt...a month before he was part of the Walcheren Island stuff attached to 41 Commando, Caen before that...
     
  13. Bill F

    Bill F Member

    Hi Rob...the war diary for 1st heavy Regt Ra.... is it available at all ? My Father was posted to them December 1942, involved with 41 commando at Walcheren etc..then posted elsewhere August 1945...as I am compiling a complete timeline for his service time, that diary would be of great help...any chance of a copy at all ??
     
  14. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Hi Bill
    As I said in an earlier post, this is a big old diary, as I am a bit pushed for time at the moment, I would advise you to contact by PM, Drew 5233 on this forum to get you a copy from Kew at very reasonable cost. He is very efficient and you would have your own copy to keep.
    Best of luck with your research.
    Rob
     
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  15. Bill F

    Bill F Member

    OK thanks Rob...
     
  16. Andrew391968

    Andrew391968 Junior Member

    the 7.2in Howitzers were not issued to troops until 1942, so the caption is incorrect. If the date and location is correct then they are more likely to be 8in Howitzers.
     
  17. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    The barrels look a bit long for the 8 in Howitzer; they might be 6 inch GUNS (Mk 19).
    Chris
     
  18. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    As you can see by the number top left this is a published IWM image & caption.
    On closer inspection you are correct.
    The new 7.2 How was not approved until Nov 1940,
    The 1st Hvy Regt RA crossed the Chanel with 12 - 8” and four 6” guns fitted with pneumatic tyres, all of which they left behind on evacuation in June 1940.
    Thank you for pointing out this discrepancy.
    I will look up which Bty had what at the time in the war-diary when I get time.
    Best
    Rob
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2018
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  19. long fellow

    long fellow New Member

    Hi JeanMic my dad served in 28th battery in the BEF I have some pictures of him with some mates but I struggle to put on line
     
  20. Anthony Cottrell

    Anthony Cottrell New Member

    This is a crazy coincidence. My father joined the R.A.F. in 1938 and completed a 6 month wireless operator course at, I believe, Farnborough. All those on the course in the same group were sent to France and attached to the Royal Artillery. In my dad's case, the 1st Heavy Regiment. He passed away some years ago but for a variety of reasons connected with the theft in 1979 of a crate when my mum and dad were moving house. That crate contained all of my dad's photos from his time with the R.A. up to Dunkirk and through the war until 1955 when he left 201 squadron, Coastal command. He was no longer air crew. Anyway. Last night I decided to see if there was any information on the 1st Heavy Regimnt R.A. so I googled and ended up on this website reading your thread. I had forgotten the battery my father told me about when I was a nipper, so, when I went to bed I checked his log book which starts after Dunkirk when e becam aircrew (coastal command). The next bit was spooky. I am attaching a scan of the very last two pages of his log book. The relevant bit is in the bottom right hand corner. he was 18 when he was evacuated but he told me that he was looked after by the old sweats in the battery and they called him Pompey (where he was from).
     

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