NX53178 Terrence John FOSTER, 3 anti tank regiment - Tobruk

Wondering if anyone can help please.
I’ve found my uncle’s records and deciphered what I can and can see that he was in the 3 ATR at the right time . I don’t know which battery and I can’t see him listed in the rats of Tobruk list. It was always part of our old family chat that he was a Rat of Tobruk so I’m wondering what my next steps are. I’ve had a look at the unit diaries but don’t really know where to start with those. All advice welcome
Thank you

 

If you have his official forms, scanning/photographing those and posting those here may enable other people here to give you more specific pointers.

 

Uncle Terry,

I expect your uncle served in the Australian Army, with the 2/3rd AT Regt. and at a quick look they were @ Tobruk. There are a few threads here for them: 2/3rd Australian Anti Tank Regiment , My Dad: Colin Booth - 2/3rd anti-tank, El Alamein captured, POW Italy and Non-standard, substitute standard, and captured weapons in British and Commonwealth service

At a glance not all the unit's batteries were in Tobruk, just to complicate research.

Please add his full NAME and his Service Number is:. His DoB and DoD can help too.

I expect you have done online research and discovered us!

If you have Service records etc create a document with a table for the dates and events in chronological order first and where the information came from. This will enable you to identify the more important entries first (dates of wounding, promotions, embarkations and disembarkations). You will learn more if you do most of the research yourself, but don't be afraid to ask questions about service record entries and things you come across on this forum. Adapted from Post 4 in: Help researching relative - Ivo William (Bill) SMITH, 42nd Battalion AIF

Some research tips next via PM and good luck.

 

Thanks so much - I will post details FOSTER TERRENCE JOHN : Service Number - NX53178 : Date of birth - 23 Aug 1918 : Place of birth - TEMORA NSW : Place of enlistment - PADDINGTON NSW : Next of Kin - FOSTER GEORGE
I’ve trawled through his service records and can see he was definitely in 3ATR.Are there records of names/members for each Regiment and Battery?

 

Uncle Terry,

I suggest you look for an official history of the regiment and any post-war regimental journals - for a successor unit.

Wiki has some pointers and a history: 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment (Australia) - Wikipedia

Somehow there could be a list of each battery and the regiment. Probably not in their War Diary (WD). I don't know how you can access the WD for an Australian Army unit. We do have a few members who may know.

There is a short list on: 2nd/3rd Anti Tank / Tank Attack Regiment: 9th Division, 2nd AIF and quite a few web sites to check out.

We always recommend applying for the subject's full service record from your MoD / Army Records etc. They are the definitive record for an individual.

 

David,

There is usually no need to apply to Defence Dept for Australian service records as the vast majority are available online via Australian Archives site - including OP relative file.

https://www.naa.gov.au/

View digital copy

I’ve had a quick look at his file. He did serve with 3/1 ATR during the siege but his B103 shows several periods of sickness and absences fir breaches of discipline (AWOL) during the period of the siege in 1941.

Steve

 

Th

Thanks so much for that. I had already been through the service records and yes had duly noted the AWOL and sickness. There are still substantial amounts of time in the relevant time period but are you saying there is a minimum time period? I was trying to find which battery he belonged to for more information but if you saying that he cannot be listed I will probably change tact.
It looks like he was first with 2/1 Pioneer Battalion and then ATR but he was with ATR at Warwick Farm. I’m only looking because my daughter who is in the navy has finally become interested in any family members with military service. I’ve told her about the great uncle who died at Gallipoli and my father who served in PNG during WW2. Uncle Terry was next on my list.

In

 

Did you check their war diaries?

AWM52 4/4/3 - 3 Anti-Tank Regiment

Interestingly they seem to have used '3 Australian Anti-Tank' and not '2/3' at the time. See e.g. here.

All the best

Andreas

 

Hi,

It’s clear from his B103 thst he served with the unit during the Siege of Tobruk. It matters not that he was not present with his unit all the time for various reasons. The family ought to be proud to call him a Rat of Tobruk.

You’ll get more helpful information about his experiences if you read the unit War Diaries helpfully linked by Andreas above.

Steve

 

Thanks very much to all who helped me here. I found my Uncle Terry's name on the updated list on the Descendants of Rats of Tobruk website so am now satisfied! I only found this today after spending hours last night reading through the war diaries.I l learnt a lot about the bombardment of Tobruk and the day to day life for the Regiment - Absolutely fascinating and horrifying at the same time. I told my daughter about my uncle, the AWOL, illness and him turning down a promotion to Bombadier. She said he sounds like a legend. My mum always said he was never the same after he came back. She loved her big brother a lot and he was always nice to me, particularly when i refilled his whiskey. We are proud of him and all those in our family who served. I'm particularly proud of my daughter and hope she will never go through anything like these soldiers did.
Many thanks

 

Tobruk was a real testcase for how to deal with battle exhaustion and informed the Crown Forces' approach to it for the rest of the war.

‘Shell Shock’ ‘Bomb Happy’ and the Tobruk Garrison

As there was no concept of PTSD, and it was not 25 years earlier that soldiers who couldn't cope were shot at dawn, it is an amazingly humane approach by a very tough garrison CO.

All the best

Andreas