i am trying to find out where Patrick Mannix Phillips did his training for Arnhem. He received his Wings on 18.2.44. Many thanks Barb
Surprised Barb never got an answer to this query as the airborne chaps on here are usually pretty good . Service records on this thread. Help with deciphering service record | WW2Talk
I'm not an expert with service records, but as no airborne expert has attempted to decipher these records, I thought I would try. At least my work provides a platform for future discussion, correction and expansion of the details. Firstly, I converted the PDF files to jpg for ease of access and enlarged them, but quality is poor. Note that Army B200 page 1 and Army B200 page 2, are the same document. So vital evidence may be missing. 6462931 Private Patrick Mannix Phillips Royal Fusiliers, T.A. Emergency cook course. 17.12.1940. Transferred to A.C.C. 04.04.1942. Permanently attending 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, T.A. 04.04.1942. Attended (what appears to be ??) kitchen management course 09.05.1942 - 23.05.1942. According to Wikipedia, the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers remained in the U.K. on home defence duties during WW2. So Pte. P. M. Phillips did not travel to North Africa with the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, T.A. Technically speaking, Pte. P. M. Phillips arrived in North Africa as Army Catering Corps. To whom he was attached is not specified. No date of embarkation is given. Sailing time was about 11 days. So we can assume he sailed from U.K. on 19.10.1942. North Africa 30.10.1942 - 01.04.1944. His date of arrival in North Africa 30.10.1942. 3rd Parachute Battalion arrived by air 11.11.1942. 1st and 2nd Parachute Battalions arrived by sea 12.11.1942. So he didn't arrive in North Africa with 2nd Parachute Battalion. He wasn't parachute trained, so it seems doubtful he was fighting with a Parachute Battalion in North Africa or Sicily. 2nd Echelon I see no mention of his time from 30.10.1942 to 02.09.1943. There may be a very blurry reference to possibly 2nd Parachute Battalion 03.09.1943. Followed by - To X II (List ??). 15.09.1943. Followed by - 5th Bn G.R.T.D. 18.09.1943. Followed by - Unreadable line. Possibly 1st Airborne ???. Followed by - Disembarked U.K. 2nd Parachute Battalion 04.01.1944. 1st Airborne Division returned to the U.K. in November, 1943. Believe 1st Airborne Division maintained a presence in North Africa whilst it was fighting in Italy. Wounded troops being evacuated to North Africa for treatment. Pte. P. M. Phillips may have returned to the U.K. from North Africa, not Italy. Possibly explaining his later return to the U.K. Pte. P. M. Phillips was awarded the North Africa Star with 1st Army clasp (B2065). Cannot see or read any mention of other medals. He should have received the France and Germany Star for Arnhem. Pte. P. M. Phillips received his Wings on 18.02.44. So it is most likely that he completed his parachute training at R.A.F., Ringway, on course number 102, which ran from 07.02.1944 to 18.02.1944. 2nd Echelon 21AG 2nd Parachute Battalion. A.W.O.L. 28.05.1944 to 01.06.1944 2nd Echelon 21AG To X II List. 27.06.1944. X List 21AG 30 Reinforcement Holding Unit. A.W.O.L. 28.07.1944 to 31.07.1944 2nd Echelon 21AG 30 Reinforcement Holding Unit. 14.08.1944. 2nd Echelon 21AG Attending 1st Airborne Division Reported missing P.O.W. 25.09.1944. An answer for Barb20 Unlike the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy (Pegasus Bridge and Merville Battery). I don't think there was any special training for Arnhem. Parachute Battalions were constantly in training and on exercises.
Hi David, As they say, better late than never!! Thank you so much for your input. I long ago completed my research on Patrick and whilst I can remember quite a bit about his movements etc. but without looking out old records I am unable to match them exactly with your findings but I am pretty sure they will match near enough. I can report that Patrick served and trained further with the 2nd Parachute Battalion on their return from North Africa and was based with them at Stoke Rochford as their Chief Cook serving Officers including John Frost. He jumped into Arnhem on the 17th September 1944 with 2nd Battalion and followed John Frost and it is believed that he was captured at The Bridge on 25th September 1944 and then spent the rest of his time as a POW. Many thanks once again. Barb
Yes I did, but I was also very lucky to meet a veteran who remembered him during their time in Stoke Rochford.
