5th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Rob1793, Mar 23, 2014.

  1. Rob1793

    Rob1793 New Member

    I'm looking for details of the above regiment for 1939 to 1945. My maternal grandfather was a sergeant in this regiment during the second war and the information I have is that he served with the BEF in France, was evacuated on HMS Worcester on 28th May 1940, was stationed in Kent until 1942, then went to North Africa as part of Operation Torch: fighting through to the fall of Tunis (including at Medjez el Bab). He then landed at Salerno, fought at Monte Camino and Monte Cassini before transferring to the Military Police to help guard the many prisoners pouring in.

    I'm trying to put much more meat on these bones, including which guns this regiment used at various dates and more precise information on their involvement in key actions and their movements.

    His name was Ernest Christie and I have his service book. I'd love to know more.
     
  2. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

    Hi

    Here is an overview- http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/med/page5.html

    Medium guns listed here - http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gunsidx/index.html

    War diaries will give better picture, but not online-


    Reference: WO 166/1919

    Description:ROYAL ARTILLERY: MEDIUM REGIMENTS: 5 Medium Regiment. Date: 1940 June- 1941 Dec.



    Reference: WO 166/7229
    Description: ROYAL ARTILLERY: MEDIUM REGIMENTS: 5 Regiment.
    Date: 1942 Jan.- Nov.



    Reference: WO 167/538
    Description: 5 Medium Regiment Royal Artillery
    Date: 1939 Sept.-Dec. 1940 Feb.-May


    Reference: WO 170/998
    Description: Medium Regiments: 5 Med. Regt
    Date: 1944 Oct.- Dec.


    and all on this page - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res/3?_aq=5%20medium%20regiment&_cr1=wo&_sd=1940&_ed=1946&_ps=15&_ro=any&_advtxt=5%20AND%20medium%20AND%20regiment

    regards

    Robert
     
  3. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

  4. 3mileSnipper

    3mileSnipper Member

    Hi Rob,
    My Dad was with the BEF and in 2 Med Regt RA 8/12 Bty. The Guns were I believe 60lb with a detachment of 10 men. The gun was drawn by a Scammell 6 x 4 Tractor. There are photographs on this site of both, I have attached two here of the guns the first 60 pounder on Salisbury plains c1933 and marked as 4 Bty. by Dad I assume of 2 Med. Regt. but not sure. The second is a group of 60 pounders in the maintenance area c1938 marked as 2 Med. Regt. Dad is not in either picture. Hope this is of interest.
    Neil
     
  5. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    5th Medium Regiment, RA
    Station: Edinburgh
    Batteries: 15th/17th, 20th/21st

    The regiment was mobilized in Edinburgh and crossed to France at St. Nazaire on 29 September 1939 as part of I Corps. It was engaged on the Dyle at Tombeck before withdrawing to R. Senne under 5th Infantry Division. Later it was engaged on the Dendre at Froidment on 20 May. 20th/21st Battery was engaged at a range of 1200 yards without infantry support. It then withdrew to the Lys Canal on 23 May. It fought at Messines before evacuating at Bray Dunes. It came under command of Eastern Command in the autumn of 1940. It was based at Sevenoaks in late 1941-early 1942. It became part of 1st Army Group RA on its formation on 24 August 1942 in Hamilton, Port Glasgow, Scotland. The regiment moved to North Africa with V Corps in November 1942 and fought there as part of 1st AGRA until the end of the campaign in May 1943. It landed at Salerno on 9 September 1943 and fought in the Italian Campaign until the end of the war. It formed part of 2nd Army Group RA in Italy.
     
  6. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Hi Rob & welcome.
    dryan67 has given you the history of the regt above.

    After their evacuation from the BEF where thier 60pdrs were left behind, they were re-equiped in England with old 6inch howitsers in late 1940, before gaining the new BL 4.5 & 5.5 guns in late 1942. most Med regts had one battery of 4.5s & one of 5.5s at this time, but later regts changed to two 5.5 btys authough some did retain their 4.5s for the longer range.
    Their major actions were in Italy with 2AGRA as you know, along with 2AGRA's 69th, 74th & 102nd Medium Regts.

    Again to do justise you need the war-diaries & I suggest the higher formation's 1AGRA & 2AGRA diaries as well.
    Best
    Rob
     
    canuck likes this.
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hello and welcome to the foum

    Here's a complete list of the regiments war diaries covering all of WW2. I already have the BEF one for 39/40 so you can have that from free if you place an order for me to copy any of them.

    WO 167/5385 Medium Regiment Royal Artillery 1939 Sept.-Dec. 1940 Feb.-May
    WO 166/1919 ROYAL ARTILLERY: MEDIUM REGIMENTS: 5 Medium Regiment. 1940 June- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/7229 ROYAL ARTILLERY: MEDIUM REGIMENTS: 5 Regiment. 1942 Jan.- Nov.
    WO 175/3645 Regiment1942 Dec.- 1943 June
    WO 169/9583 5 Regiment 1943 July- Dec.
    WO 170/997 Medium Regiments: 5 Medium Regt 1944 Jan.- Sept.
    WO 170/998 Medium Regiments: 5 Medium Regt 1944 Oct.- Dec.
    WO 170/4797 Medium Regiments: 5 Regiment 1945 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 170/7939 Heavy and Medium Regiments: 5 Med Regt 1946 Jan.- June

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  8. mapshooter

    mapshooter Senior Member

    They arrived in Shoeburyness in Feb 1938, whether this was a temporary or permanent move is unclear, this may have been the date they returned from India. They seem to have been one of if not the first regular army medium brigade to reorganise into two batteries, both 6-in Hows. You have to be careful with bty numbering at this time because it was still by type, eg there was a 17 Heavy Bty and a15 ATk Bty.
     
  9. Rob1793

    Rob1793 New Member

    Andy, My apologies for the reply 20 months after your kind post! I'm certainly interested in copies of the regiment's war diaries. Could you possibly give me some idea of what this would cost (I'd prefer PayPal)? Do you have an email address I can contact you on directly?

    Thanks also everyone else for your kind replies!

    Rob
     
  10. Pegasus2075

    Pegasus2075 Active Member

    Hi, I am searching for a 3rd relative of mine with the use of this forum. I have had very good results to date and hope that I can have some more success this time.
    I am looking for information about Edward Rose, Army Number 1156456. He was with 20/21 Battery 5th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery. His letters we still have are sketchy but note that he was enlisted in Reading, Berks on 15th June 1942 and trained at Devises. He later writes that he is in Tunis on 16th May 1943 (saying that Tunis was taken on the 20th). Another letter has him in Italy on 2nd November. I am planning a trip to Kew mid November and would love to have some pointers before I go. Any help however small or vague will be most welcome.
    Thank you in advance.
     
  11. Andrew Heyes

    Andrew Heyes Member

    Hi, I am about to commence researching my grandad’s military service. Pegasus2075 you stated back in 2018 that you were researching;
    Edward Rose, Army Number 1156456. He was with 20/21 Battery 5th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery.
    My grandad Albert Edward Williams, Army Number 1108257, was also with 20/21 Battery. So far I’ve not been able to find him via online sites. I wondered how successful you have been and if there was any information or advice you could share to help me find about him and his battery. I have attached a photo of his gun, my grandad is the one with the cross above his head.


    DB13F696-36C4-448D-9DDA-6F2399157D24.jpeg
     
    ecalpald likes this.
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Andrew Heyes likes this.

Share This Page