I have posted this elsewhere, but have been advised to start it as a new topic to get more views. My father, who died in 1991, was a Shoe Repairer during WW2. the attached are his B-103? service record. There are two parts of his military history I'm interested in. The first is a story he told me that at the end of the war he was taken ill and treated at Belsen hospital where he saw some awful sights. The second is a story of his best friend, Lawrence, having an affair with his wife and then my father absconding with a rifle to shoot this friend. He was arrested before he did this apparently. As always, any help is appreciated, especially with deciphering some of the acronyms Paul
Paul Apart from gambling and going AWOL (!) I'll just post the info relating to his overseas service and the units so other members can help . Lots of time in hospital too. Posted to 4/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers at Stirling 31/3/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Embarked UK for BLA (British Liberation Army) 12/10/44 Admitted 156 Field Ambulance to X (ii) List 15/5/45 54 RHU (reinforcement holding unit)- discharged 101 (British) General Hospital and TOS (taken on strength) of this unit from X (ii) to X (iv)A list 10/6/45 4/5 RSF-TOS from 47 RHU from X (iv)A list 23/6/45 4/5 RSF Admitted 2 Canadian General Hospital and SOS (struck off strength-of the unit) to Xii BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) 9/8/45 4/5 RSF Discharged 2 Canadian gen hosp and TOS from x(ii) list 15/8/45 4/5 RSF Admitted 156 Field Ambulance to x(ii) list 30/8/45 Xii list -SOS BAOR x(ii) list on evacuation to hospital in UK 24/9/45 Y List-Disembarked and admitted St Margarets Hospital, Swindon 26/9/45 Details here about x lists http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/15663-x-lists-service-records/ As far as I can see if you want war diaries for overseas service , its 4/5 RSF Oct 44 to May 45 (when he became sick) Lesley
Hi Lesley, Thank you for your speedy reply. I spoke to my mother and she told me that my father had Hepatisis at the end of the war which resulted in jaundice so this is probably the multiple stays in the medical areas. I've looked at the liberation of Belsen and it was in April 1945 and they were still trying to treat the rescued prisoners there in June 1945 so there is a slim possibility of my father being treated at the hospital there? I don't think you could consider my father as a fighting soldier, all the records i've seen show him to be a shoe repairer. I think he felt obliged to join up because his older brother, Arthur, died in WW1. I do know that sights he saw troubled him all his life, as i guess it did for all the other soldiers too. Thank you again ever so much for your kind help Paul
Here's the units war diary refs at Kew WO 171/1363 4/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers 1944 Jan.- Dec. WO 171/5262 4/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers 1945 Jan.-Oct.
Hi Paul It doesn't matter what your father did; whether he fought or repaired shoes. He still played a vital part in the war. Lesley
