1st Hampshires September 44

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Sarah Laine, Feb 7, 2020.

  1. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    I really want to find out where my great grandad was and what he was doing when he was injured in the knee by shrapnel on 27th September 44 and the days running up to that.

    so far I’ve found out they were in the 50th Division helping airborne and armored regiments open and keep open the corridor / hell’s highway so the parachutists at Arnhem and Nijmegen could be rescued. I believe they might’ve been near Eerde or Boekel but can’t find out anything happening that day!

    any information anyone could share about the 1st Hampshire during September 44 would be most helpful. Also if anyone can say what might’ve happened to him next, I know he was written off by 10 October and sent back to England for surgery on his knee as a ligament had been ripped by the shrapnel...
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Try & get your hands on a copy of this.
    Royal Hampshire Regiment 1918-1954 by David Scott Daniell.
    I have a copy on my shelf & it'll tell you what they were doing.
     
    Sarah Laine, Buteman and Tricky Dicky like this.
  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Maybe a copy of 1 Hampshire Regiment | The National Archives would help - might be more detailed for the day in question than the Divisions WD

    Reference: WO 171/1305
    Description:
    1 Hampshire Regiment
    Date: 1944 Jan.- Apr., June- Dec.
    Held by: The National Archives, Kew
    Legal status: Public Record(s)
    Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

    TD
     
  4. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    thanks! Just ordered a copy on eBay so it’ll reveal some information!
     
  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    We do have members on here who adore The National Archives at Kew so much they make it their lifelong work to delve into its files and copy them for others at a very moderate cost - if you need

    TD
     
    Sarah Laine likes this.
  6. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Ooh, I’ll see how I get on with the book then come back if I’m still wondering! I’m in Guernsey so Kew would be a big trip for me

     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Drew5233 & PsyWar.Org are the main 2 to ask.
    They may already have it on file.
    They don't charge too much.
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Just remember that generally the War Diaries are written on the day or very close to it - the books written after the event (which indeed they must be) are often written with the help of the War Diaries.

    The WD mentioned above if the Regimental one, which is the lowest/most detailed you can go where their is a chance of someone generally being mentioned by name - often Officers will be named, far less often are NCO's actually mentioned.

    TD
     
  9. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Sarah,

    These are the details in the war diary of the 1st Hampshire Regiment around the 27th Sept (WO171/1305):

    25 September BOEKEL
    0315
    The village was heavily shelled from 0315 – 0700 hrs. Patrols during the night had nothing to
    0800 report. Civilians stated that the enemy had withdrawn in an Easterly direction and patrols sent out to villages known to be occupied yesterday found them free from enemy. Appx C31.
    Bn HQ moved from the school in the village to a field at 569361. A school in the village had been heavily shelled during the night, and information may have reached the enemy we were occupying a school. If this had been the case it was exceptionally accurate shooting. Appx C32.

    26 September BOEKEL
    Bn remained in same positions. Appx C33. Appx E Op Instr No 49.

    27 September ST HUBERT
    0640
    Bn moved in TCVs to ST. HUBERT, and established defensive position. Local patrols were sent out during the night but had NTR. APPX C34/35

    28 September ST HUBERT
    0945-1230
    B Coy were ordered to move to HAPS 7045 and were in position at 1230 hrs, contacting Sqn of 61 Recce Regt already there. APPX C36 The remainder of the Bn were ordered to occupy HAPS and moved off at 1530 hrs. TCVs were sent back to ST HUBERT where A Ech remained. APPX E OP INSTR No 50 Dated 28 Sept. Two large patrols were sent out during the night to ST AGATHA 7347 and OEFFELT 7545. See Patrol report Appx ‘J’. Both villages had been occupied by a tp of 61 Recce Regt. Local patrols had NTR.

    I'm afraid I didn't copy any of the appendices (school boy error, I know!), so I would recommend asking one of the researchers mentioned by Owen to get you the war diary. Had he been serving with them for long?

    Regards

    Tom
     
    Tricky Dicky and Owen like this.
  10. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    He left for France on 7 June and was with 1st Hampshires by 9/6 he came to them from DCLI reserves I believe...


     
  11. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Excuse my ignorance, but can anyone advise what HAPS and A Ech?

     
  12. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    I've attached two pieces of his military service record which mention his injury... Maybe if he was transferred to the casualty list on the 27th he was injured a day or two before?! On the second sheet there's something in the 'wounded' section... maybe a casualty number or something?!
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Sarah Laine likes this.
  14. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Thank you Tom, I was reading HAPS as initials H, A, P and S silly me!

     
    Tom OBrien likes this.
  15. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Owen likes this.
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've got the 1st Hamps Diary covering 1944. If you get a copy from me I'll donate all the money to my sons charity just giving page.
     
  17. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Ah, interesting! How much would you like for a copy?

     
  18. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Do either of the pictures I posted above indicate where my great grandpa was treated for his injury?
     
  19. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    No they dont would need to see his full service record to see that - its a problem in that members often scan and post parts of the records and its impossible sometimes to sort out whats what, its always easier to read it all and in context

    TD
     
  20. Sarah Laine

    Sarah Laine Member

    Here’s photos of everything I had in his military service record from the MOD people!
     

    Attached Files:

Share This Page