Hi I am trying to track down my father's army history, from what I remember from 40 years back. He was born in Worcester, enlisted into a local regiment which he said was 'lancers' who almost immediately become mechanised with some tanks. He told a funny story about the first tank running away just after the top brass has welcomed it, he was either the driver or in the crew. I know he was in Dudley around 1940, where he met my mother, at which point he was driving bren gun carriers. He went to Iceland, and then Gravesend. My research suggests that he was in the 12th Worcestershire Battalion at that point, but they were infantry, not mechanised calvary so which was the first outfit he was in? His regiment went into Europe but at that point he wasn't with them, but the next thing I know was he crossed India by train. I have found a photo on this site of bren gun carriers in Burma, possibly the 7th Worcestershire? The 12th didn't seem to get out East, they were in Germany. So if anyone could suggest any clues please where I can look, I don't have any service record number. Did people move between regiments? He made sargeant twice but got busted down again, probably for excessive drinking. His name was John or Jack Orme, everyone called him Jack. He would have been 22 in 1940
Try the link here: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records Name and DOB together with Regiment should be enough for the search. It will cost £30 and take some time to get the record but it should be well worth it. Good luck, keep us informed of progress. Mike
