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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: trollfeet on Sunday 14 October 12 17:44 BST (UK)
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Hi,can anyone please tell me how I find out what Regiment someone was in?
My cousins dad was a POW.I believe he was a Gunner, no. 949444 and his date of capture was 15/02/1942. Thanks :)
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http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk
They have a free pow search if ya have no luck post a name someone may be able to help you.
Helen
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Gunner was the lowest rank in the Royal Artillery.
Singapore surrendered on that date.
Ken
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His name was Leonard Marson and I found a record on cofepow site, but it only gave his name, service number and that he was in the Army and he was captured on the 15/02/1942. I am guessing that he was in Singapore because of the date of capture. He worked on the Burma railway.
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You may find this link useful: looks like most records are not yet digitised:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/prisoners-war-1939-1953.htm
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As you have his army number your cousin can apply to the MOD for his service record. It costs £30 and takes 6-9 months, and they have to provide a copy of his death certificate. It is free if his spouse applies.
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html
Ken
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Thanks for all your replys. I have found out that between 1920 and 1942 that Army numbers were allotted to Regiments,Corps etc in blocks. Leonards army number comes under the block for the Royal Artillery-Field Branch,Coast Defense and Anti Aircraft Branch.
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Hi All,
I've been trying to get the service number of my Dad - he died a couple of years ago - I know he was a Commando with (I think) 46 and served in Yugoslavia...I've tried the suggestions above but haven't got anywhere yet - any ideas anyone?
Thanks
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You could try writing to SSAFFA, my dad found his dads service number through them a few years back.
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Hi Trollfeet,
I have been searching the service number 949444 for a while now and a google search brought me to this post and I only just registered with this forum so I could make contact with you, and I will tell you why. I'm in Australia and my Grandfather (who died in 1969) was a prisoner of war after being captured in Singapore. Its possible he was imprisoned with your cousin's father as he returned with an item that had a service number on it with no name and it wasn't an Australian service number listed on the nominal roll. My grandmother for years has wondered who it belonged to and I said I would do my best to find out.
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Hi Lumac, the service number belongs to my 3rd cousins dad. Leonard Marson. I went to the National Archives at Kew and found out he was captured in Singapore in 1942 and spent the rest of the war imprisoned in Thai Camp and worked on the Burma Railway. I have a card with his details on but its written in Japanese. He came home after the War a changed man. He made his wife promise to never claim his medals. I can guess why poor man! His wife has since died and his children wanted to find out more, which I have done for them. I believe they have now applied for a copy of his service record which could take months to come.
Im curious now as to what it was your grandfather had. Feel free to private message me, I would love to know :)
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Hi Trollfeet,
Will private message you to let you know more. Wow I'm a bit overwhelmed how emotional I became when I read your post. I'm sure my grandmother will be as well. The mystery item is a mess kit pannikin. We always guessed that maybe its owner never returned this is mostly from the fact that a date of 1942 was engraved on the side and an end date of 19_ _ so we had assumed that maybe he like many others didn't make it home. However I guess from what you say about his instruction to his wife about his medals, he may not have wanted any reminder of his time, thus leaving it behind. My grandfather from all accounts was a bit of a scrounger and very resourceful so would have found a use for it, or swapped with him? It is profoundly sad the effects that POW life had on the men and women captured during that conflict and their families then and til this day. Wow again, I feel like a mystery has been solved. I'm very new to this forum so once I work out pm I will message you. Cheers :) :D