306th/77th (Highland) Field Reg (Artillery) - Movements/Battles in the BEF & North Africa.

Hi.

I'm sorry if I'm butting in to someone's research, but my father was in the 306th/77th (Highland) and I was wondering if anyone might have in-depth info on their BEF & North Africa movements/battles.

Thomas McCarron (Cathcart, Glasgow)
Army No. 907653
Started as "Gunner" and left as P/BQMS (P/S/Sgt)

He joined at Cathcart in 3 May 1939 and saw action with the BEF in France & Belgium from 3 Feb 1940 to 31 May 1940 (last lot to be evacuated from Dunkirk).

He was also involved in the North Africa campaign from 23 Mar 1943.

I hear that the 9th Corps was disbanded after the Tunisia campaign and wonder if anyone might also know what happened to the 306th.

My father's last postings were to 368 POW camp in Fayid (Mar 1945) and "R" POW camp (Nov 1945).

Once again, apologies for butting in, but it would be great to find as much info as possible.

Regards,
Denise


edit, dbf
posts moved to make new thread

 

Hi Denise,

You would be better off starting a new topic - if you don't return quickly to read this message hopefully a moderator may be kind enough to move your post to its own topic.

Good Luck

Steve Y

 

Hi Denise

I would follow Tullybrones suggestion as above but also suggest you apply for his service records as they are the principal starting point for finding out what he did, where he went etc - link here - https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records

Following this you can then, with forum members help, obtain the War Diaries of the unit(s) he was in etc

TD

 

Thanks Tully & tricky. I'll attempt to open a new topic.

 

Hi, everyone.

My father was in the 306th/77th (Highland) and I was wondering if anyone might have information on its movements/battles in the BEF & North Africa .

Thomas McCarron (Cathcart, Glasgow)
Army No. 907653
Started as "Gunner" and left as P/BQMS (P/S/Sgt)

He joined at Cathcart in 3 May 1939 and saw action with the BEF in France & Belgium from 3 Feb 1940 to 31 May 1940 (last lot to be evacuated from Dunkirk).

He was also involved in the North Africa campaign from 23 Mar 1943.

I hear that the 9th Corps was disbanded after the Tunisia campaign and wonder if anyone might also know what happened to the 306th.

My father's last postings were to 368 POW camp in Fayid (Mar 1945) and "R" POW camp (Nov 1945).

I have his service records, but would love more in-depth information on the 306th's movements/battles.

Regards,
Denise

 

Here is a general outline of the unit's moves:

77th (Highland) Field Regiment, R.A. (T.A.)
HQ, 305th, 306th (Renfrew) Btys: Greenock

The regiment served under command of 51st (Highland) Infantry Division from 3 September 1939 until 19 February 1940, leaving the United Kingdom for France on 23 January 1940. It then transferred to 4th Infantry Division of the Regular Army and served with this division until the end of the war. On joining the division it was located at Croix near Roubaix. It moved into Belgium with the division in mid-May and was engaged in the area of Assche and Merchtem on 17-18 May. After it began its move to Dunkirk and on arrival it moved into the eastern sector of the line. The regiment left Dunkirk on 1 June and returned to England.
455th Battery was fromed in late 1940 as ‘X’ Battery, but was numbered by February 1941. The regiment left the United Kingdom on 11 March 1943 and arrived in North Africa by sea on 23 March. It remained there until 16 December 1943, when it left by sea for Egypt. It arrived in Egypt on 22 December and arrived by sea in Italy on 15 February 1944. It left Italy for Greece on 12 December 1944, where it remained until the end of the war.

 

I can confirm he was a Bombardier with 306 Battery, 77 Field Regiment when he went to France in 1940

 

The war diary has the Regiment leaving for France from Southampton on the 3rd February 1940 and evacuated from La Panne by wading out to rowing boats who transferred the troops to HMS Basilisk on the 31st May 1940 at 0300hrs. They landed at Dover on the same day at 1000hrs.

That said the war diary does state the regiment was widely scattered during the evacuation.

 

According to BEF Ships by Winser HMS Basilisk transported 338 men on that trip so definitely not all of the regiment but maybe a large portion of them.

 

Thanks for the information, guys. Really appreciated.

It's great to finally begin to paint a picture of his movements.

By the way; does anyone understand what this means?

"Admitted to 12 Fd. amb. & posted to X(ii) (NBC)"

 

There is a thread that covers many of the service record abbreviations here - http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/57233-abbreviations-in-service-records-uk-army-wwii-for-ref/?hl=%2Bservice+%2Babbreviations - although it does not cover (NBC), but does cover X(ii)

TD

 

Info here on x lists
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/15663-x-lists-service-records/

I think NBC is non-battle casualty

Lesley

 

Densay

X(ii) only means sick list - and TOS field Ambulance means he was just that - SICK of something not serious to be TOS General

Hospital- probably "Gyppy Tummy" - "Malaria" etc non battle stuff…

Cheers

 

Thanks again, guys.

Sorry to keep popping in with these questions; but does anyone have any idea what type of responsibilities a person with his rank (BMQS) might have had in a POW camp (368 in Fayed, & "R" POW Camp)?

 

Denshay

That would be BQMS - Battery Quarter Master Sergeant - checking to see that everyone was having some food and organizing the

Food Parcels - to see equal shares etc…

Cheers

PS - you might be better getting the war diaries of 4th DIV as my Tank Bde was with them in North Africa

which didn't work too well and we became independent after th fighting ceased - 4th Div stayed at Bone for a

while reinforcing Sicily - then Egypt- back to Italy for the last battle into the Liri valley- then the Gothic

Line and Greece to the finish - a good history

Cheers

 

Thanks Tom.

 

Hi again, guys.

I've been reading through the war diary for the 77th (Highland) Field Regiment (kindly provided by Claudette) while it was in North Africa and came across several instances of "coding" for specific map areas.

for example: "...regiment advanced to area 4444..." and "...were seriously wounded in area 468486..."

Are these maps & references available?

Denise.

 

Hi.
My father, Thomas McCarron, is at the back on the right.
I think these were some men from the 306th/307th Battery.
Anyone recognise the others. Some names would be terrific.

Thanking you.

 

Hi my name is Chris and I was working along with a 77th Dunkirk Veteran called Harry Osbourne to write his story. Sadly Harry passed away in January aged 100 but I am still in touch with his Daughter. So Harry story will still be going into the book as he was alive for the 2019/2020 80th Anniversary of the BEF/Dunkirk. during my research I found this site but I have also found another site Wartime Memories that has quite a lot of information. This is a paid for member ship for 12 months but well worth the £25. In my opinion anyway. I would like permission to use what is posted here obviously giving credit where due.
I am waiting to view Harrys photo album from his time in the Regiment, so maybe I will be allowed to post some here. I will keep looking in.