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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Rainham boy on Tuesday 05 September 17 10:23 BST (UK)
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HI all,
I hope someone can help, a few years ago I started to research my father's war service.
He inlisted in the Royal Marines in 1941, I have his service record and hope someone can help explain what the divisions are, so here goes.
HBL R.M. Division 30/9/41 to 10/9/43
No1 RM Group MNBDO 11/9/43 to 16/6/44
HBL RMTG 17/6/44 to 6/8/44
Then transfered to army 6/8/44
I have some of his medals but my mother seemed to think that he should have some more like a Italy star.
Any help appreciated, thanks in advance
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Answers here http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/sites/default/files/RM%20Unit%20Histories%201919-1997.pdf
and here
http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/sites/default/files/common%20abbreviations%20found%20in%20service%20documents%20%281%29.pdf
At first sight his dates and the histories don't seem to bring Italy/Sicily into the equation, do you have his army service?
Presumably his record has more detail elsewhere, for example, an MNBDO had a number of component units.
MaxD
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Hi Max,
Thanks for your quick response, I do have some of his army service record, I will check the links above.
Thanks
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I have taken a picture of his marine record, this is all that is on it, apart from two war service chevrons and the date he was transfered to the army 6/8/44
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I fear that those entries only tell us what the top level of each organisation was called. For example, as you can see form the histories, RMTG had four camps in Wales with different units in them and the RM Division was a large organisation with many sub units. The only thing that is clear is the UK (HBL) service periods and thus the overseas period.
His army service record will be with MOD still and will have to be applied (and paid) for if you wish to see any detail.
I see few RM records so am not sure whether that is all you get or whether some documents have gone walkabout. It may be worth contacting the RM Museum quoting the numbers/titles of the forms you have and asking should there be more
MaxD
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Thanks for you reply, I have done some research this morning and also found the attached letter from M.O. D.
Looks like he was wounded on 6/4/45 while serving with the 2nd Monmouthshire
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Presumably the wounding is on another record?
The UK only (HLB) service with the RM and the very short army service overseas suggests he may well have not been 100% fit all the time. The army service looks like him being pushed from pillar to post. There are war diaries for most of the army units but whether it is worth paying for them (unless you can get to Kew) you'd have to decide. He won't be mentioned by name and they will at best show where he was at the times that fit his service. His service record with MOD will provide more detail.
MaxD
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Rainham boy. Hi my father joined RM in july 1940. I believe most records for an ordinary marine at that time would be pretty bare .
As MaxD has said a record of a posting to particular RM division would mean a marine could end up anywhere as there were so many sub units .
The RMRD ( royal marine reserve depot ) probably exmouth (exton ). is where he would have done his 6 weeks basic training. May have been at the dalditch camp which is/was on the common a couple of miles away from lympstone camp.
When , as a young boy I asked my dad where he was based in the war ...when he said saundersfoot , I laughed,thought he was joking !! But as MaxD said there at least 4 RM bases in wales , at saundersfoot was the RM signals, at penally. RM sniper school. Etc.
After dunkirk the RM were about the only fully equiped. Autonomous unit ( own transport, signals ,artillery etc . Churchill and war cabinet were worried about german invasion from ireland and so moved RM to wales ,later 101st 102nd RM were on standby to invade canary islands if spain entered war .
My dad told me that when home on leave he caught a later train back to camp , his friend from same town ,in same co. Caught an earlier train. When my dad got back the camp was nearly deserted. Turned out units of MNBDO ( mobile naval base defence organiseation ) had been hurridly sent to Crete .his friend survived but spent some years in german prisnor of war camp.
My dad had chevrons for 101st ,102nd. And 103rd brigades. He was all over the place . He told me very little about his time in the marines. If he knew how much trouble, tme and effort I spent piecing together his service history !!!!!!!
One story he told me is that he and other marines. Were ordered to "babysit " a yacht back to uk from. Denmark/ germany that a senior RM officer had taken a likeing to and had" claimed " as spoils of war ........the mind boggles !!!!
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Rainham boy. you could look at. The drill history sheet on his record. That would give you an idea of what he trained on and where he was at the time .I know from my dads record that apart from various small arms courses , that in may 1944 he did a course on a Lanchester armoured car ( he never told me this ). Couple of years ago we found one ( and had photo taken with it) at bovington tank museum . Could have been the same one he trained on ?????????
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Thanks for your replys guys, gives me something to go on.
Looks like a bit more digging to do