7011930 Louis 'Jerry/Gerry' RICE, 2nd Royal Ulster Rifles

Hi there and hope anyone can help me in my search for my paternal Grandfathers records.

Have tracked down some information already and seen that there is a medal entry for a Palestine medal 1936-39 but cant find anymore information.

Unfortunately we were estranged and so have very little information:
Given name: Louis Rice born approx 1909
Nickname: Gerry or Jerry
Service number: 7011930
Served: 2nd BN RUR
Rank: Can only find reference to A/Sgt in 1939 records.

Only real memory of him is him describing D-Day in quite some detail, and he had quite a bit of memorabilia in his flat in Gravesend.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, have looked extensively through the RUR site and can find little to now reference in the usual locations.

 

There is really only one way to go and that is to apply for his official service records, only available by one method:
Get a copy of military records of service

 

I was just about to say they were posted to Gravesend in the 1930’s, they went to Catterick in October 1936, replaced by the Beds and Herts. This is how I’m from Gravesend! Sounds like you are too?

 

From Gravesend a long time ago.

 

The 'tag' facility does not work well IMHO. It relies on the 1st post author using it.

See: Palastine and the Royal Ulster Rifles Note the link in Post 11 does not work

I used this search: Palestine + royal ulster regiment site:ww2talk.com which returned - being a wide search - many threads. You take a peek, on a rough count at least ten refer to 2 RUR in Palestine.

The insurgency in Palestine is well-recorded in books etc. From memory it was often an Arab rebellion.

Yes, until you get the MoD / TNA to provide his service record this could be a "rabbit hole".

 

Hi

I assume you have seen 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles in WW2 which has comprehensive details about 2 RUR in NW Europe and you've probably found the same details as below online:

Full Name Rice, L
Incident Date 25 Jul 1940
Rank Name Acting Sergeant
Servicenumber 7011930
Authority Army Order 247 of 1939
Clasps Awarded Palestine
Served During Qualifying Period 2nd Battalion, Corporal
Service British Army
Primary Unit Royal Ulster Rifles
Archive Reference WO100/507

2nd Battalion RUR were in Palestine in 1937-38 and he was presumably there based on the clasp he was awarded.

I have searched "The Ulster Rifles " by Charles Graves, the 2 RUR official history for the North West Campaign and "Quis Separabit - The Magazine of The Royal Ulster Rifles - Volume XI November 1944" and there are numerous Serjeants mentioned but I can't find any trace of anyone called "Rice" other than Rfn WJ Rice 7011646 who was killed on 9th June 1944 at Cambes Wood.

It's not impossible that like many others he transferred to 1 RUR (Airborne) - if he landed by glider on D-Day then he was potentially 1 RUR, 2 RUR landed on landing craft on Sword Queen White around midday on D-Day.

A photo was taken of 2 RUR NCOs just before D-Day but I can't see his name listed, nor is it listed in the Officers photo, but not impossible that he may be in one of the other photos at 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles in WW2: 2 RUR Gallery

Unfortunately it is mostly the Officers, NCOs and/or casualties that get mentioned by name in regimental documents and so, as above, may be best to Get a copy of military records of service to establish exactly where he was and when...

Cheers.

Quis Separabit

 

Hi there I knew him as Uncle Jerry, he was my mothers uncle, we lived in Gravesend (Northfleet) he lived in Victoria Road i seem to remember.
I have been working on our family tree on Ancestry, would be good to make contact with you to compare notes

 

My Grandad was in the 2nd RUR in Palestine before the war and then after evacuation at Dunkirk was transferred to the 2nd London Irish Rifles.

Here are a couple of pictures from Palestine. The first picture is my granddad and in the second I think he is the third from the right.





The RUR adopted the 'Bush Hat' as practical headgear for the climate and the uniform with the side cap seems to be the canvas overalls described here in a passage about columns formed to intercept 'bandits'.

"Each column consisted of one hundred men organised into Headquarters, Mortar Detachment and two platoons each of three sections, together with two mortar sections independent. Pack donkeys were provided for the carriage of the mortar and its ammunition, the wireless set, certain light automatics 'and reserve S.A.A. Hard tack rations were carried on the man, who was dressed in canvas overalls, with cardigan and waterproof sheet for use in cold or wet weather."

The gun is probably one of those described in this passage. Interestingly the gun barrels were very short, ending just beyond the edge of the picture.

"The work of patrolling the frontier was made very much easier by the timely arrival of "A" Squadron, 11th Hussars, and the Royal Navy in the form of three 3.7in. Howitzers, manned by personnel of H.M.S. "Repulse", H.M.S. "Malaya", and for a very short while by H.M.S. "Penelope"."

Thanks.

Carl