Soldier research - anti-fascist crusader - Charlie Hutchison

Dear WW2 Talk,
I need expert help uncovering the life of a truly fascinating Black-British soldier who spent 10 years fighting against fascists across several continents.
I've managed to trace most of his life. However, I need advice and opinions on a couple of small issues. Any help or advice you could give would be a blessing for which I will be extremely grateful for. All details below.

Important note: Stick to primary sources only. Everything written about him online is full of mistakes because it was published before any proper research on him had been conducted.

His identifying details:
Name: Charlie Hutchison (often misspelled Hutchinson).
Birth name: Charles William Duncan Hutchison (I accidentally wrote "Francis" earlier)
Born: 10 May 1918, Eynsham, Oxfordshire.
Service number: T/144673
Branch: Spent most of WWII in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), particularly the RASC 512 Company. Brief time in REME.
Rank: Driver.
Years in Army: 1940-1946 (territorial army during 1930s)
Proven locations: During WW2 spent time in England, Scotland, sailed around Africa (brief stops in Sierra Leone and South Africa), India, Iraq, Iran (Persia), Egypt, France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany (including Belsen concentration camp).

His entire service record is far too large to upload so I've uploaded a copy on filebin: Filebin | vkin9rewkgpwnjho

Other miscellaneous details:
He was present at The Battle of Cable Street. Starting at age 18 he fought in the Spanish Civil War for the International Brigades, serving between 1936-1939. He spent most of his life as an active trade unionist and member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. He passed away in 1993. His family says he never shared the details of his military service.

What I've done so far:
I have his UK military service record and war diaries for almost all units he served in. I have newspapers from his trial and imprisonment in 1941. I live in England and can travel to visit archives in South England.

Issues I need help with:
While I have successfully mapped most of his life, there are a few things I need help with.

1. How can I prove/disprove that he was in Dunkirk during the evacuation? When he died a Dunkirk Medal was found among his belongings. His service record says that in April 1940 he was in Kent (English channel) serving in an RASC attachment to 56th (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (56TH LAA). Confusingly this unit seems to have split apart, with some going to Norway. Later the RASC attachment was fighting in France only a few days AFTER the Dunkirk Evacuation. Aside from war diaries, is there any way to prove that he earned the Dunkirk Medal? Is there a list of people given the award?
2. Did he fight in the Italian Campaign? When he died, an Italian Campaign medal was found among his belongings. However, his service record doesn't list this as a medal he earned. His service record shows he ceased to be attached (CTBA) to a REME unit on the 1 June 1943, shortly before the invasion of Sicily, but I can't understand what the text below that says or means. I have a feeling it says something about special proficiency pay. I have attached the relevant page from his service record below.

Aside from his service record and his unit's war diaries, where else should I be looking for information on the WW2 activities of this individual?

 

Looks like a late application for his medals, possibly why the address has been redacted:

Sadly, looks like no Italy Star was issued.

 

A couple of screenshots for a Signalman who was a Dunkirk evacuee. Anything similiar in Charles' Army record?

Regards,
John

 

He appears to be of mixed race, yet you refer to him as black; is there any particular reason for that?
I must assume that you have checked his SCW credentials, for otherwise to describe a bloke that drove a lorry for six years as an 'anti-fascist crusader' seems a bit over the top.

 

A few steps undertaken:

1) His name and service number have not appeared here before your post
2) The "go to" RA site has very little and nowt on going to France: 56 (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45 and 56th (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikipedia Though it implies some guns were evacuated up to and until 6th June 1940.
3) Others who focus on May 1940 will - hopefully - know the criteria for the issuing of the Dunkirk medal. Wiki states the evacuation was 26 May 1940 – 4 Jun 1940
4) After the Dunkirk evacuation ended there remained tens of thousands of British soldiers plus in France, who were mainly evacuated from the Brittany ports
5) I wonder when the 56th LAA returned from Norway? Did they return with their guns? My recollection is the evacuation was chaotic
6) Drew 5233 whose focus is May 1940 lists the 56th LAA were in France, alas nowt else. See: https://ww2talk.com/index.php?threa...gimental-history-books-1939-1945.41955/page-1 It may be worth asking him (after x5 posts you get access to the Private Message option) if he has any War Diaries
7) There are no relevant threads for the 56th LAA here - updated in Post 8
8) The service record shows he left the UK January 1943, disembarked 11/4/1943 to join PAIFORCE (Iraq & Persia) and Struck Off Strength (OS) 28/4/1944. He was never in Italy.

Good luck

 

Hi,

No evidence in the file of service at either Dunkirk 1940 or Italy 1943/45.

In his pre discharge medical the only overseas active service he claims is Iraq (Paiforce) and BAOR (British Liberation Army) which is accurately reflected in his record.

He did spend a few weeks on the strength of Middle East Force in early 1944 - likely as he waited for a troop ship on his return journey from Iraq to UK.


Steve

 

Be a little wary of medals found as evidence.

My grandfather left his GSM, clasps and paperwork with his mother-in-law for safe keeping while staying with her in the late-50s.

She put them all together with her husband's Great War medals and her son's Second World War-era medals (because of course they'd know which were theirs when they needed them), but none of them never got around to collecting them, so when she died, another daughter took possession of them and promptly forgot they existed.

Finally, when her son found them in her belongings after her death, it took a considerable effort for us all to figure out what belonged to who.

And when my grandfather couldn't find his GSM, the MoD issued a replacement, which only added to the confusion!

 

Thread here
56th Light A.A Regiment R.A (T.A)

Up load the service records here it makes it easier for forum members to help you.

 

He fought on the streets against the BUF in the 1930's and then fought against Franco's fascists during the Spanish Civil War. I'd say that qualifies him as an " anti fascist crusader".
No Pasaran !

 

The "Dunkirk Medal" was not an official award. Many veterans of the 1940 campaign felt that they were unfairly denied one. The Dunkirk Medal was a French commemorative medal issued by the town, initially for French servicemen and later expanded to allies. I have an idea that eligibility was ascertained via the Dunkirk Veterans Association who liaised with the French.

 

Absolutely!

For you Red Jim, and others, should they be interested.



Starts;

"Dear Comrade I am informed that Comrade HUTCHINSON Charles Williams is currently serving as an ambulance driver in the XV Corps of the Army."

And goes on to give a précis of Charlie's time fighting facism in Spain during the Civil War.

From looking through his service record, no Dunkirk, No Sicily (or Italy), and his time overseas corresponds with his service in Iraq, Middle East, and North West Europe - as Steve (forum member Tullybrone) has said in his post #6. This falls in with the medals issued as per Medal Card in JohnG505 post at #2.

And while Charlie was no angel during his time in the army, he certainly did his bit.

Always remember, never forget,

Jim.

Note: "Hutchinson" is corrected to "Hutchison" on more than one occasion in his service record.

P.S. What it should always be about; Working together, serving together, striving to make things better.

 

Or was he just a pro-communist insurgent, the ISIS of his day, to whom everyone else is an unbeliever/fascist?
You don't have to be a fascist to be anti-communist. They're two cheeks of the same unpleasant, undemocratic arse and it's quite possible to want to give them both a good slap.
When it comes to the SCW, its history seems to have been very successfully written by the 'victims'. The little bits I've seen are always very one-sided. What would the narrative have been if Adolf hadn't happened?

 

Yep, like him being a lifelong advocate for Communism......

 

Well that's democracy for you.

Long may it continue.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Just a small point, is that correct? Both birth and death register give name as Charles William D Hutchison, also:
Charles William Duncan “Charlie” Hutchison (1918-1993) - Find a Grave Memorial

 

No "Francis" in Charlie's given birth name as you rightly say Tony56.

Whether he worked it in himself in his lifetime, or parties unknown have added in afterwards, who knows.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

"What would the narrative have been if Adolf hadn't happened?"

No coup by Franco?

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

This is perfect, this is exactly the kind of material I need.
Where exactly did you find it? I want to know what to cite in my footnotes.

 

This is interesting but I'm afraid it is not Charlie Hutchison.

 

Just in case you missed it