4th Battalion Coldstream Guards, 6th Guards Tank Brigade - tank ID

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by Antony Thole, Jan 14, 2021.

  1. Antony Thole

    Antony Thole Member

    7BF288E1-6049-433D-ABE0-E1C2B58D0EC5.jpeg Hi All

    Very new to this forum....as in last night

    I’m researching my grandfathers role in WW2. He was with the 4th Batt. Coldstream Guards and gunner in one of the tanks. We are 99% sure it was the Regimental HQ, commanding officer tank called “Eagle” but not too sure - how do we find this out?

    We have a handful of photos graphs of Eagle (But my grandfather taking the photo!) and with my grandad in the lead tank but (see attached) can’t see the name of the tank - putting both together we think his tank is Eagle but would like to confirm

    thanks a lot for any info
     
    High Wood likes this.
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Welcome aboard. It would be best to amend the title to Coldstream; this is an option you have (or a Moderator).

    Add the name of your grandfather, preferably with DoB and Army Number. Others here can add their knowledge. What else do you know? That will stop duplication.

    There are a number of threads here. Use: "4 coldstream guards" site:ww2talk.com

    PM about to be sent on research.
     
  3. Antony Thole

    Antony Thole Member

    Thanks for the advice - much appreciated. I cannot for the life of me find out how to edit my original post however I see my post is showing if I do a 4 Coldstream search!
    Name: Vincent John Hawkins
    DoB: 24th Nov 1920
    Service Number: 2661559
     
  4. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

  5. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia just seen your message my father was in the 4th battalion coldstream guards the photo in question is one of quite a few my father brought home after the war, I've had this photo enlarged and colourized and I'm almost positive this is my father's face in the drivers port hole the tank at the rear is cuckoo the german panther tank which i believe was part of headquarter squadron the sgt major of that squadron was v c Duffield who i believe is on the right ontop of the lead tank, I've just sent away for my father's war records so I'm hoping to shine a bit more light on the subject my father was guardsman Frederick Frost he was a driver operator of a churchill tank and squadron sgt major Duffield was is tank commander would like to keep intouch as I may have some more info when I get my father's records cheers nick frost
     
  6. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum. Anthony Thole hasn’t been on the forum since late January so I have sent him a message to alert him to your post.

    Hopefully you have applied to U.K. MOD rather than RHQ CG for your fathers service records? CG service records - like all Foot Guards - were transferred to the care of MOD over a year ago. Pre ww2 Scots Guards service papers are also available on Findmypast (includes some men who served during ww2).

    Due to Covid there are delays in processing service record applications at MOD - currently taking more than a year to obtain copy papers.

    Steve
     
  7. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia thankyou for prompt reply, I was eventually told that I had to get my father's records if any from Glasgow so fingers crossed, it's frustrating the things I could ask my father now if he was still alive many thanks nick frost
     
  8. Antony Thole

    Antony Thole Member

    9FE2D01D-452A-4172-BC88-1AB418076EA7.jpeg Hi Nick,
    Thanks for the reply. I’ve now established that my Grandad was the hull gunner in Eagle, the Commanding Officer tank. Although - as they are in transit - he is pictured on the left in the turret of the photo you refer to where you thinks is your grandfather is the driver. We also have this photo....not sure if it’s the Eagle tank crew or HQ officers but on the back it says “The lads. Third from left is the ‘Comie’, he’s a Brummie’

    we assume Comie means tank commander yet he doesn’t look like the person next to my grandad in the turret of the previous photo I posted. All very confusing!

    I would gladly make contact......email?? I’ve dozens of photos and perhaps your grandfather would be in one??? (and lots of memorabilia)

    are you in the 6th guards FB page?

    cheers
    Antony
     
    Geraint Rowlands and Owen like this.
  9. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    You’re welcome.

    If you get a chance have a look at the SG service records from the mid 30’s (they served during WW2) and you will see how much more information is in some of them compared to the paltry dozen or less pages MOD will send you.

    If you look at men who served 3rd SG you will get an idea of the Guards Armoured training regime 1941/44.

    Steve
     
  10. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia Anthony this is all very exciting for me as my father Frederick Frost died in 1993, in the photo you have of the Eagle crew the gentleman 2nd from left I'm almost positive he is in a few photos I have I'm not that sure at the mo how to send photos on this most wonderful forum, so I'm hoping it's ok to send you my email address which is nickfrost1962(at)googlemail.com I can send you the photos I have so you can see for yourself if this is the chap in my photos many thanks nick frost
     
  11. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hi again don't know if the info I sent yesterday got through as I got a message saying I wasn't logged in but the photos I sent show the man sat on the tank troop box is the same man in yours and my picture the man on the left is squadron sgt major Duffield, will try put some more photos on cheers nick
     
  12. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Dear sirs I'm trying to piece together the name if any of the churchill tank my father Frederick Frost was a driver operator of, from the above ranking of the 4th battalion coldstream guards it shows under hq squadron, major a c Pilkington squadron commander,v c Duffield was squadron sargent major, now my father was with v c Duffield throughout the campaign i know he is at the bottom of the pile but just wondered if any light could be thrown at the matter.
    Yours faithfully nick frost son of Frederick Frost GDSM No 2661542
     
  13. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia Steve where do you get on the 6th guards F B page cheers nick
     
  14. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia Antony just to let you know my father was GDSM Frederick Frost
    DOB:- 8th Nov 1920
    Service Number 2661542 looking at the service numbers they may have been in training together cheers nick
     
  15. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    I doubt anyone - other than Diane - will pick up your message on this topic which is basically for information only and a signpost to further research in other sources.

    It’s always best to keep posts on one subject/person to the one thread where you started your enquiry as it saves confusion.

    In my experience you may find some information on senior NCO’s and officers in the Battalion War Diary and post war histories but they don’t usually name individual soldiers unless they perform an act of gallantry.

    You may be lucky and find a unit nominal roll or if the man was absent from the unit wounded or sick he may be shown in the weekly field return forms kept with the war diary. None of that will identify his tank but by extension and lateral thinking you can have an informed idea of what it was by association with any senior NCO or officer you know served with him.

    Forum member Drew5233 may have a copy of the war diary.

    You may not have looked for mention of 4th CG in the official Regimental History so here is a link to a downloadable copy.


    The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946, by Michael Howard and John Sparrow.

    I’ll ask a moderator to consider moving your post back to the original 4th CG topic.

    Steve
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  16. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Many thanks
     
  17. Antony Thole

    Antony Thole Member

    Hi Nick, sorry I have only just seen your reply. this is amazing - With regards to the photo you have posted with the crew in front of the tank....., second from right is my grandad. The tank is Eagle. It seems your father was driver, my grandad was hull gunner so they sat next to each other. This is incredible!

    I will send you an email
    Antony THOLE
     
  18. Antony Thole

    Antony Thole Member

    They did train together.....I posted a squadron picture on the 6th guards fb page and tagged you in. F Frost is shown as is V Hawkins (my grandad)
     
  19. Nick Frost

    Nick Frost Member

    Hia Antony that's great news, I'm still awaiting my fathers records from Glasgow ill try look on the 6th guards page thanks again talk soon, nick.
     
  20. Hello Antony,

    Do you have any photo showing EAGLE's front and/or left side?

    If so, could you post them here so we may compare them with the first photo you posted?
     

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