Pleased for you Tom and even if a bit thin at least it opens a door or two-if only slightly for you. I'm getting my Dad to sign NOK form next week for my four WW2 relatives. Regards Andy
Tcs- That is indeed a smart move to include some of the abbreviations in the service records - this is long overdue - if you need further clarification - give me a yell... Cheers
This is my first time on this site so if I've posted it in the wrong place....appologies. I am trying to find info on my maternal uncle Bernard Meddick. He was born in 1908 Salford. I have nobody left to ask any questions and so I thought maybe there is somebody who could help. I have a copy of a photo of him and on the back it reads: V E Day Italy 1945. I will try & see if I can attach the pics! I know his elder brother George Albert Meddick served in the Royal Artillary, but I don't know about Bernard. Is there any way I can get hold of their service details. I haven't a clue about going about getting info but am extremely interested. Any help would be appriciated. Best wishes
Pleased for you Tom hopefuly mine should arrive soon, fingers, toes and hairs crossed . Cheers Kieron
It arrived in this mornings post, just going through it now I think I need to draw on the knowledge of our inhouse translater (drum role please) ...Tom Canning. So if I post up some images Tom will you be able to help me? Cheers Kieron
Kieron - You can scan the lot to me if you like - PM me for my address- post them as well as some people may have more knowledge -(says he modestly ) Cheers
Kieron - This relative of yours - Pte. Cyril John Jackman is the sort of man whom we would stand to attention - and salute - and certainly buy him a few beers for what he did for his country without too many ups and downs, bitches or moans about how he is being treated - a far cry from what we see around us too often to-day. Joining up in January 1940 - probably a bit too late to join the 1/6th Queens in France where they took a beating at St Omer before returning home via Dunkirk. Then the long spell guarding the coast with 131st brigade of 44th Home Countires Division finally embarking for the long trip around the Cape to Durban and Port Tewfik in Egypt just in time to strengthen Monty's defences at Alum al Halfa and give Rommel his first defeat ! Then on to El Alamein where is sustained his first wound and had a spel in hospital - where he had also been in the August - probably with "Gyppy Tummy" which was always popular with new arrivals. On being discharged his 44th Division had been broken up and so the 131st were changed into lorried Infantry and supported 22nd Armoured all through the chase of Rommel all the way to Medenine - after which Rommel was fired and went home ! The Mareth Line was next up alongside 50th TT division af the XXX corps on to Efidaville and finishing in Tunis. Next chore was at Salerno having moved over to Xth corps alongside 46th and 56th Divisions until the capture of Naples when they reverted to XXX Corps and came home for D.Day Then the big one at Normandy and thr battle of Villiers- Bocage where he was wounded once more and was transported to the U.K. where he unfortunately died of his wounds, and is buried at Chobham. One of the many unsung heroes who did so much for so many...and we must never forget them. It has been a great pleasure to write this in memory of one of the best and his family can only be proud of him ! Cheers
Kieron- the service of your relative can be broken up into basically three phases - 1)- arrival in the desert and the battles of Alum al Halfa and El Alamein with 44th Division and the push through to Tripoli with 7th Armoured Divsion 2) - the battles of Medenine - Mareth - Enfidaville and Tunis and 3)- Italy and back home to D.Day and beyond . I would therefore recommend two books to cover all three phases and that would be "the Crucible of War Volume 3 " - Barrie Pitt -ISBN - 0 - 304 - 35952 - 1 and " Montgomery The Masterof the Batlefield Vol 2 -Nigel Hmilton ISBN 0- 241 - 11104 -8 These will give you the full histoy of the actions in which the Queens Brigade were involved and will give you a sense of what he went through in that conflict. Cheers
Kieron, Glad to hear that you received the records promptly and Tom has cast his eye over them for you. Like Tom has said, you can be rightly proud. Regards Tom
Tom I would just like to say a thank you, your write up brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. I can not put into words how proud I am of my Grandad . Also thanks for the book recommendations I will surely be making a B line for the book shop. Below is an extract taken from the book "Queens in the Middle East and North Africa 1939-1943" and is the casualties that the Queens Regiment took after the battle of Alamein and where he would have been wounded in action the first time. Once again the casualties had been severe. 1/5th Queens lost one officer killed, four officers wounded, three officers missing, with other rank casualties of 10 killed, 47 wounded and 53 missing. 1/6th Queens had three officers killed, four wounded and threee missing (known to have been taken prisoner) with five men killed, 42 wounded and 142 missing. Many of the missing eventually proved to have been killed or wounded.
Kieron, Glad to hear that you received the records promptly and Tom has cast his eye over them for you. Like Tom has said, you can be rightly proud. Regards Tom Cheers Tom did not take long for mine to come after yours, after my chat with the lady at the Disclosures office I had my mind set at not getting them until May - June time, so very pleased. Cheers Kieron
Kieron, After hearing how badly written some records were, I was pleasently surprised that all was legible on my copies received. I have scanned the records into my computer and tidied them up. Regards Tom
Kieron, After hearing how badly written some records were, I was pleasently surprised that all was legible on my copies received. I have scanned the records into my computer and tidied them up. Regards Tom Tom I was surprised how legible they were and I guess a little bit disappointed in the contents, I guess I was expecting a little more, a bit like my other Grandads service record who served in the Royal Marines, his records show his training etc... The picture below on the right is of my Grandad taken a few days before he was discharged from the hospital after he was wounded at Alamein. On the right is a picture of his gravestone at St Lawrence Cemetry Chobham there are around 4 Queens men buried in the cemetry.
Kieron - I wouldn't be too disappointed in the contents of his records - his training was as was ALL training - boring mainly - and PT by the gallon - route marches - shooting - stripping Bren Guns - loading magazines - priming and throwing grenades - Mortar firing - route marches - more PT - schemes - excercises - sleeping in bog holes soaking wet - The usual stuff...... main thing you should concentrate on is his journey from Alam al Halfa - El Alamein - Tobruk - Derna - Benghasi - El Agheila -Buerat - Homs - Tripoli - Medenine - Mareth - Enfidaville - Tunis - Salerno - Naples - Normandy - Villiers Bocage - as that is where his training kept him fit to fight and make his family very proud. Cheers
I guess what I was trying to say Tom is that I was expecting to see where they were station etc... but I guess I'll get that sort of information from the regimental diaries. Tom I could not be more proud and also sad at the same time. I never got to see my Grandad, but what gets me more is that my Mum never got to see her Dad and experience his love and compassion, when I read what he wrote on the back of photos I can not help but feel sad for her. Below is what is written on the reverse of the photo above. To my dearest wife Joan who shared so many precious years with and has scarificed all to give me happeness. Love and god bless you. I had this taken a few days before I left the home and the other chappie in the picture is an arab boy who works in the canteen there. On my way now Joan so pray for me every day. I love you with all my heart and will never stop doing so. God bless dear one and never loose heart I am with you night and day. Yours always and forever John XXXXXXX God bless you David and Graham Daddy is thinking of you to and loves you very much XXXX My Grandad had some well earned leave when he got back from Italy before going to Norfolk to get ready for D-Day and this is when my Mum was made as such if you know what I mean. A few months later he was wounded in action and died of his wounds nearly a month later in a Hospital in Bath Somerset. My Mum even thou she did not get to meet this wonderful man, her Dad, worshiped the ground he walked on, laid flowers on his grave and without fail would be there every remembrance Sunday to put a cross on the village memorial, she kept his 8th Army pin, 7th Armoured badge and medals in her top draw and it was such a treat when she would allow us to touch them. Well I have these now as my mum passed away suddenly a fews years back and they now have pride and place in my draw and I tell my kids all about their Nan and the brave man who was their Great Gandfather.
Keiron, This is all excellent. Thanks for sharing. Time to get 1/6th Queen's War Diaries from TNA now then.
Kieron, I know exactly where you are coming from regarding the records as I too felt the same way. I was confused when I looked at my fathers records and Tom Canning has been kind enough to look them over for me, but again thinks they are hard to piece together. I will recontact the records office as possibly a page has been left out between 16.7.44 and 17.5.45. Regards Tom
Kieron - I am just pleased that I was of some help in sorting out his hstory but you should keep in mind that after El Alamein it was all go and seldom was anyone "stationed" anywhere except for few days rest here and there - 7th Armoured were usually in the sharp end and kept going - all the way to Tunis - where some of them had a break until Salerno - then again when they went home in the January of '44 - it was a long haul Cheers
