RAC Repatriation

My father was repatriated from India as a trooper in the RAC in 1945. His service record states he embarked for the UK in Bombay on 20th June 1945. There is no arrival port listed for the UK just a date of 11th July. I am attempting to find out the name of the ship he (likely) returned upon. If anyone could help I'd be very appreciative.

 

If you shared his name and any other details forum members will try to help further

 

Carl,

VJ day (Victory over Japan) was declared on 15/8/1945, so his return to the UK started before the war's end. That would suggest he was repatriated under the Python scheme for soldiers who had served the longest abroad. The scale of the operation was immense, mainly by sea, usually in troopships, liners and eventually larger warships.

Tullybrone found this general explanation on FB :

From Post 7:ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/returning-home-from-middle-east-at-end-of-war.93330/

Plus this thread: Leave - Python and Lilop

 

Thank you CL1 ... His name was Cyril Chapman Trp 4756796 150th Regmt RAC. 'A Sqad' - as stated he embarked at Bombay for repatriation on 20th June 1945 and arrived back in UK on or around 11th July. It's the name of the ship I'm after if at all possible.

 

**That's a fantastic swathe of information - and would fit well with his service - many thanks indeed. Apologise my further post overlapped with your posting.**

 

Carl,

No worries, enjoy the reading - more to come - and the journey you are on.

Below is a standard intro I now use.

I usually check whether a subject’s name or number have appeared here before. Your subject does not appear here before your thread.

We always recommend applying for the subject's full service record. Yes, it may take a year to arrive - either from the MoD or National Archives (TNA). It is not available online and is the definitive record. There is nothing you can do about the wait.

Searching the National Archives for the subject or unit(s) can identify those who were awarded honours / medals and the existence of War Diaries – which rarely mention individuals soldiers. They do give context and details of activity.

Some research tips next via PM and good luck.(Ends)

I just tried an online search with: "150 Regiment" + "RAC" site:ww2talk.com that found a few threads here, not looked at. There are more threads when using: "150th Regiment" + "RAC" site:ww2talk.com

His regiment was converted from infantry to armour / tanks and served in India / Burma. He originally the York & Lancaster Regiment.

From Wiki:

 

Slightly different just found the IWM has a PR film and the summary states:

From: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060011134 Alas not shown online

Scroll down to the last soldier, not your subject, but a soldier from his regiment and the details show:

 

Once again really useful information. Thank you. I have all the service record and war diaries covering my dad's time in the RAC as well as his time in the Pioneer unit on his return to the UK and his time in the Y&L prior to going to India/Burma. It's his return ship info I'm struggling with - any help with that would be greatly appreciated. However, I must say the info regarding the promo film although not Cyril is very interesting and I've seen the guys name crop up in the War Diaries from time to time. Thank you for pointing me to this. I think I may have to visit to see the film itself.
I guess you've guessed I'm writing a book on Cyril and the exploits of his brothers during the war and I'm now just trying to fill in a few blank areas. When I think about what these 20 year olds had to go through, ripped from a sleepy backwater in South Yorkshire to be faced with intense training, a month at sea, dysentery, malaria, heat and humidity, being mortared and sniped by the Japanese, all the foreign customs and people it must have been horrendous for them. Apparently the first wave of Lee Grant Tanks were riveted together (later versions were welded) and the rivets popped and shot around the inside of the tank like bullets if it was hit by an enemy shell. Can you imagine that. All that and these brave lads NEVER talked about it when they came home. Sometimes reading the war diaries I could weep at what he and others had to endure. I feel guilty that I never realised this while he was alive.

 

Carl,

Earlier I found a reference to the journey home from Italy took ten days by sea and I know from earlier browsing some returned via Milan and used trains.

I would suspect that any ship leaving India, most likely from Bombay (now Mumbai), after VE-Day travelled via the Mediterranean and docked at Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow - which had been used for outgoing convoys earlier in the war. If you know the day why contact the Harbourmaster at each and ask? First you will need to identify their port owners and see if they have an archivist.

Logic would suggest for a Y&L unit it would be Liverpool, that is not always present though.

Use your local public library, most have an account withe British Newspaper Archive - which can only be used in a library.

 

Some damn good ideas there thank you again. When I get the opportunity I will follow those up with some enquiries and research.