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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: kebholes on Friday 29 January 10 15:49 GMT (UK)
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My Grandfather was PTE [private?] ? 6015080 64th A.A Reg as found on my mothers birth cert. I belive he was a phisical traing instructor at some point during the war and that he was posted in Italy at some point?
I have no idea if i can obtain any records of his service, so any help would be most appriciated, thank you
Mick
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what was his name and year of birth ?? ;)
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Hi Mick
As he has a 7-digit army number it means he was serving after 1920 and the records for these men are still with the MOD. It costs £30 and takes several months. You also need a copy of his death certificate. If your mother is alive then she should apply.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/
Ken
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Grandads name was Richard Henry O'Donoghue born 20th feb 1917. My mother is still alive... but sadly is not very well... who i do i apply to and what info do i need to send? I have his death Cert as well and im able to fill in the forms on my mothers behalf.
Thanks
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km 1971 just checking the link you have provided... thanks for this!
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Sounds like 9th Battalion, The Essex Regiment.
This was a war raised Battalion, which converted to RA duties during the war.
There were two pre-war Terrier Battalions converted to AA duties before the war broke out - for some reason i've got in mind that they were home-duty only, hence my gues of the 9th.
Pete.
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Here you go:
http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sl/page44.html
The 1/6th were a pre-war Territorial Bn., converted to RA as the war approached.
This doesnt mean he was a terrier before the war necessarily, after conscription started these units were made up with draftees.
Good luck with his records (long wait at the moment) - let us know the eventual answer.
Regards
Pete
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Pete many thanks although if im honest i do not understand the abbriviations! I am just going to view the link so that may explain things. I know my grandad was conscripted and also he went to italy and once the war was over he never realy said anything about it.
Thanks again
Mick
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Pete, this is definatly the right area, my family were from west ham. I did not realise the TA was previously known as the RA.... What does RA stand for?
Im going to trawl the net and see if i can find out anything about his regiment
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Royal artillery... im such a fool!
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Hi,
Sorry, it my fault, I should have realised you are not yet familiar with the terminology.
This isnt gospel, but my understanding is that the Essex Regiment originally had 4 Battalions (Bn.) of Territorial Soldiers (TA)....during the first world war there were many more but some were amalgamated whilst others were disbanded, hence the title 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6.....also helped to differentiate from the 1st Bn., which was a Regular Army formation.
As war loomed, many TA units were retrained as Anti-aircraft units (normally HAA - Heavy Anti Aircraft, or LAA - Light Anti Aircraft).
This involved their command changing from their parent Regt. (Essex in this case) to the Royal Artillery (RA), although they could then stay with their parent Regt.!!
Upon war being declared the TA were amongst the first called up, being trained already.
Pre-war though, the TA were pretty underfunded and generally ill-equipped (sound familiar, guess nothings changed!!), so their numbers were not up to the size of a normal Battalion.
As a result, men who were conscripted / drafted after war broke out, could be posted to a unit that appeared to be a TA unit.
As you say he was conscripted he doesnt sound like a pre-war TA.
The Essex had a further Bn. (9th) converted to Royal Artillery, but I think he was probably 1/6th Bn.
His anti-aircraft Regt. would have consisted of 3 Batteries of guns, each battery having 3 AA guns, so probably 9 guns in total.
If you contact the Essex Regt. museum, they may be able to give you more help. If you are lucky, they will have copies of the war diary for the 1/6th, this will tell you exactly where they were and when, using this you can plot his movements fairly reliably.
You could also obtain his service history from the army, which gives you his postings etc. it is interesting, but there is a looooong wait for them.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any more questions if you need to.
Regards
Pete
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Having re-read the link I posted, the 64th were a Searchlight regt. I dont know anything about their make-up, they are still formed into Batteries, but of lights instead of guns.
If you're anywhere near Duxford Ithink there are some on display there.
Pete
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Pete, many thanks for that... i know know a bit more! Going to look up the museum and see if theres anything on-line and also where it is.
Again many thanks for your help with this.
Mick