1536444 Gerard Joseph Lynham 1 Recce Regt RAC

Hi all,

First time poster so please do bear with me.

I’ve started researching my Grandad, who was called Gerard Joseph Lynham (often misspelled ‘Gerrard’ and ‘Lynam’ in some documents) who served as a Trooper.

As mentioned in the thread title his number was 1536414. I’ve found a few bits and pieces online which has been great. See attached, including 1 of the 2 medal application cards I could track down.

My dad, who is still alive, tells me Gerard never spoke about the war upon his return so our knowledge is limited. Also my Gran gave away his medals/stars and documentation! So we’re starting from scratch really.

We always knew about Italy and Africa but we now know about Anzio, too. He did survive the war, although a dreadful workplace accident at a factory in Oldham caused life changing injuries. He passed away in 1969.

I know it’s a long shot, but any insights or advice on next steps would be very gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Chris

 

Hi,

Your way forward is to apply to U.K. MOD for his service records via this link -

Get a copy of military records of service

If MOD have already sent his papers to U.K. National Archives they will signpost you there. It can be a long process - sometime a takes a year to get copy records so the sooner you start the better.

Once you have his service record you will have firm foundations on which to research his service as while his Medal Application form shows 1 Recce it doesn’t show how long he served with the Regiment. He probably served in other units.

Here are some mentions of 1 Recce on the forum. There are many others on the internet if you use this search term -

1 reconnaissance regiment + "ww2talk" site:ww2talk.com

Reconnaissance and Armoured Car regiments

5050828 Sergeant Harry SALT, MID, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment: 30/04/1943

Hopefully Recce_Mitch will be able to assist you further.

He posted links to the War Diaries in this post -

1 Recce War Diary

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Thank you so much for the advice and the links you’ve provided. My family and I are ever so grateful.

I’ll follow your suggested course of action, and look forward to checking out the links.

Thanks again,

Chris

 

There appears to be an issue with the service number ? 1536414 on your Grandfathers card is the number of a CWGC casualty currently at rest in Tobruk ?

Gunner ALFRED GEORGE WILSON
Service Number: 1536414
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Artillery
153 Bty., 51 H.A.A. Regt.
Date of Death Died 05 June 1941
Age 27 years old
Buried or commemorated at TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY 5. N. 7.
Libya

Its not a CWGC typo either as there are casualty listings for the same man and a RA Card ?





Kyle

 

Hi Kyle,

That’s bizarre?! Thank you for flagging it though - not sure where I go from here?

I’ve just submitted the MOD request so maybe they can clear it up?

Cheers,

Chris

 

Bit puzzled by the service number duplication flagged by Mr Jinks above.

I’ve just been on the Forces War Records website - see attached, which reiterates the service number attributed to my Grandfather on the other docs I’ve shared.

Were duplicates common, or is this unusual? I’m a complete novice at this as you can probably tell, so any thoughts are gratefully received!

Thanks again,

Chris

 

In fact a search shows 3 men had that number, my Grandad included! See attached.

 

1 of them is RAF so different numbering system.

Maybe your Grandad got a digit in the wrong place when writing his out.
FWR will then duplicate any error .

The chap on CWGC records number can be double checked against the RA Enlistment books.
Maybe some members with access to those websites can look him up & maybe your Grandad's name to see what result that gives.

 

Thanks Owen, really appreciate your reply and all makes sense. I assumed FWR was gospel, but as you rightly say if Grandad wrote an incorrect digit then FWR would replicate the mistake.

Re: the enlistment books, if anyone does have access and does have an opportunity to look I’d be ever so grateful. No worries at all if not.

Many thanks,

Chris

 

Chris.

I have stuff on certain periods of 1 Recce Regt's time at Anzio if that helps.

Get me me through the enquiries page of my website www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk if that is of any interest to you.

Regards

Frank

 

Hi Frank,
That’s fantastic - thank you very much. I’ll be in touch to discuss.
Cheers,
Chris

 

As per Kyle's post #4, the number 1536414 is shown for Alfred George Wilson on the CWGC, the casualty lists and the RA casualty cards. There is a 1940 RA attestation for a Gerard Lineham but with a completely different No. 1619974.

The number quoted, 1536414, indicates that he enlisted with the Royal Artillery but I can find no trace in the registers, in fact nothing at all for a number starting 1536 (not even Wilson!). The registers cover up to 1942, perhaps there are some missing?

Believe that your grandfather was born 1920 and with an 'age & service group' of 29 that indicated that he joined up in Jan/Feb 1940. Afraid the other issue you need to bear in mind is that 1 Recce is likely his final regiment and he could have served elsewhere as transfers were not unknown.

Have you any photos of him in uniform that could provide some clues?

 

Hi Tony,

Many thanks for taking the time to look into this. I appreciate it. Very strange.

He was born on 27 December 1919. From what I can see births were registered in quarters back then, hence Jan 1920 being mentioned as it will have fallen into the Dec-Jan-Feb quarter.

My Dad thinks there might be one photo knocking about somewhere of Gerard in uniform. I’m on the case and will post on here if it’s found.

Thanks again.

Chris

 

If you follow the link to the diaries courtesy of Recce_Mitch I wonder if this is your grandfather?

P2480354.jpg | WW2Talk

 

Oh wow! Yes that must be him, Tony. He was a Trooper, and the number there is only one digit off the one we thought. Which means he wrote his Service Number incorrectly himself on the medal card! Put a 1 instead of a 4!

What an amazing find. Can’t thank you enough. I’ll see if I can edit the thread title to reflect the amended Service Number.

Funny how it looks like C Lynham, presumably meant to be a G!

 

You are correct about the initial but with such a close number, I agree it is likely to be him. 'Other ranks', i.e. non officers, are seldom mentioned in diaries except, as with this, in the appendices. Unfortunately there is no other way other than to trawl through the diaries to see if he gets other mentions which may indicate when he joined them.

 

Hi,

Cracking bit of detective work for you by Tony56

I hadn’t looked at the WD myself but the list of personnel on the document Tony has discovered look to be a post war leave party as I can see LIAP written at the top.

Under a scheme introduced in late 43/early 44, called Phython, men who had been overseas for a number of years (originally 4+ years but reduced gradually to 3 years by the end of the war) were entitled to period of home leave followed by a home posting for at least 6 months before being liable for another overseas posting.

For example men still serving with 2nd Scots Guards who had been in Egypt on the outbreak of war returned to UK from Italy in early 1944. Many of them returned to active service in North West Europe in February 1945.

With the end of the war in Europe the opportunity for men to be released for home leave increased greatly. A scheme was introduced to allow men a month’s home leave to commence on arrival in UK.

The scheme did not impact on a mans eligibility to a longer spell in UK under Phython scheme hence the acronym LIAP - Leave In Addition to Phython.

Men in northern Italy would leave Milan by train and travel home through Austria and Germany into Belgium or France to a channel port for a ferry to UK. The trip would take 3 days. At the end of the leave they would return to Italy by the reverse route.

Steve

 

Steve, thanks for adding that.

 

Done it for you. Edited number to 1536444.
Good work Tony56

 

Fantastic - many thanks, Owen