Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by DavidP, Aug 14, 2008.

  1. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    I have just received my Fathers records he was 1 PLKR one entry says Disembarked Entered theatre of war 27 May 1943, next entry is Embarked for unknown destination 24 Jul 1943
     
  2. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Oldsatlydog.

    1 PLKR were the Machine Gun Battalion for 78 Infantry Division so wherever that Division went then so did your father. For part of the war, the Battalion was known as a Div Support Battalion and it had a Company of 20mm Oelikon Anti-Aircraft Guns, a Company of 4.2 inch mortars and a Company of Vickers Medium Machine Guns.

    Do you know which weapon he was allocated to?

    78 Inf Div were at the Third and Fourth Battles of Cassino - Mar-May 44.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  3. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    Thanks for that, managed to uncover a bit seems he was promoted in the April Sgt for Tech stores Before embarkation in 43 I remember him telling me they lost loads of men when there gliders were released to early and the drowned in the sea, I will scan all the info they have given me and any help in working out what is there will be very helpful
     
  4. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    4D5B9D46-09DA-4D46-8D73-21DAC4AACC9D.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

  5. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    He was wounded after VE Day I believe maybe a mine, he did say when he arrived at the Hospital very few staff left 1Doctor I think he said and a few nurses that was at Arezzo they were all packing up
     
  6. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    oldsaltydog.

    He may have been telling tall stories about the date of mine incident.

    upload_2021-5-10_14-50-28.png

    He was in 2 Gen Hosp from 19 Mar-4 Apr 45 when the war was still on. He was then discharged from 2 Gen Hosp and taken on strength 1 ATD before being posted to the Foundation College on 17 Jul 45.

    VE Day was 8 May 45 when he was at 1 ATD and there is no entry for a visit to hospital between then and going to Foundation College on 14 Jul 45.

    He may have been injured at the Foundation College because he goes to three different hospitals after 29 Jul 45.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  7. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    The mine or being blown up was the last 3 hospitals he told us about getting taken to the hospital and there was only 1 doctor and a few nurses as it was in the process of closing down and that the doctor had saved his life it was at arezzo 100 Gen Hos, then 104 Rome 92 Naples then enplaned out ended up in Farnborough Hospital and was dicharged on the 31.01.46 pemanately unfit, plus now you have pointed it out I can see the hospital admission did not know about that was never mentioned.
     
  8. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Sorry, that should be Formation College rather than Foundation College. Not heard of the College before.

    F
     
  9. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    It was set up in perugia and opened up in the August of 45 there is a painting showing instructor and students, my father was posted in the July there, I talked to my sister and she seemed to think from my father that he was a part of the administration or to be, she said he intended to stay in and had been approached, however fate had other ideas
     
  10. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    The College gets a mention in Hansard.

    Major Haughton

    asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and N.C.Os. are at present employed as instructors in civil engineering at Formation College, CM., Perugia, C.M.F.; and how many pupils have received instruction in civil engineering since the college opened in August, 1944.

    Mr. Lawson

    I am informed that this college opened in August, 1945. Three officers and one other rank are employed as instructors in civil engineering and 49 students have received instructions in civil engineering and related subjects including those on the present course.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  11. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    Yes thanks for that, I looked at 78 Div and saw 1 PLKR were attached as Div Support, but cannot see where they landed in Sicily was in with the gliders or the amphibious landing, I know approx 250 odd were lost to drowning, gliders loosed to soon, have you any info or can steer me in the right direction maybe war diary for the unit
     
  12. oldsaaltydog

    oldsaaltydog Member

    Picked up a copy of '' Front of the line '' and ''Battleaxe div From Africa to italy with the 78th Div 1942-45 so I understand a bit more now understand a wee bit more now
     
  13. Martin Steen

    Martin Steen New Member

    My father was in the RAMC, Captain Terence Steen. He was volunteered off a boat in Scicily to join the American forces going up through Italy. He finished up at the Wörthersee near Klagenfurt. He was able to join a conference for European graduates at Pertisau by the Aachensee where he met my Austrian mother. I recall him telling stories about his time there “when peace was braking out everywhere”. Particularly how suspected malingerers were prescribed a massage from the violent Corporal Theakston. Please let me know if you are aware of any overlap.
     

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