My dad - Terence Spooner (14566679) enlisted in March 1943. (age 19) His war records give him as joining the Dorsets before being transferred to Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in Dec 1943 (I believe in Berwick on Tweed, although this is not clear) and then disembarking in Bombay on 15 Aug 1944 where he was posted to (what looks like) ToS No2 Wing GHQWBBRG. On 9th Sept 1944 he was posted to 12th Sherwood Forresters X(18)B in India (what looks like Gomilla) before being transferred to the Lincolnshire regiments !st batallion on 30 Oct 1944. Then May 1945 it says "left concession area" and on 11th Oct 1945 disembarked in Sumatra. He returned to England on 2nd May 1946. I would appreciate any help with understanding what this all means exactly and where and what he is likely to have done during his time with the various regiments. I do have his full war record but it has many abbreviations and some poor hand writing. Can anyone make this a bit clearer please? Thanks Chris Spooner
Welcome Chris. As dryan67 says, it would be best to post a copy of the records up onto the forum. Then members can make a more definite interpretation. TOS is Taken on strength, as in joining a unit. GHQ is General Head Quarters BBRG, if the G is actually a C, then this would be British Base Reinforcement Centre Gomilla is almost certainly, Comilla. This city had a very large British Army cantonment and was located in what was East Bengal, now Bangladesh.
Hi guys, Sorry it's taken a while to get these up but hopefully you can open them and help me with understanding them. There are 2 zip files. No 1 has 4 files covering his enlistment in 1943 to June 1947 and No 2 has up to Oct 1947, his notice of pending release and the Army B200 form. Thanks in advance.
Hello Chris I have the war diary for 1st Lincoln somewhere since the Dutch East Indies in which Sumatra was a part has my interest.
Just checked the diary 1st Lincoln arrived in Emmahaven (harbor of Padang) on 10th October 1945. After boarding HMS Prins Albert on the 4th October.
