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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Devon_bloke on Wednesday 06 January 21 11:50 GMT (UK)
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Good morning all. New here and just getting used to things 😊 Now retired, I have a bit more time for my hobbies, one of which is learning genealogy. Thing is, a couple of old addressed envelopes from June 1942 have recently been found locally. One of them is in a reasonable condition but the others haven't survived so well. And I have photographs of these envelopes. I'd like to know if it's okay to post these images, as they contain soldiers' names and units. I wouldn't want to break any rules.
If I am allowed to post the photos, then I will do so (if I can find out how to post images). This may be a nice little way to pass the time, so if anyone wants to help or comment, then please do so.
On the subject: I have a soldier's name (rank unclear), and the address on the envelope is 383 Field Battery RA, Officers Mess, The Royal Clarence Hotel in Ilfracombe. Postmarked 03 June 1942. The person may still be living but I wonder what could be made out of that little lot.
Thanks in advance, for any comments or help, which will be much appreciated.
Cheers
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Can't help you but this is interesting, will see how it works out
LM
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Hi Louisa. I was just wondering whether I should post one of the envelope images, showing the soldier's name. Plenty of time, no rush. And yes I agree 😊 if this developed it could be interesting.
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Welcome to Rootschat.
I would think the soldier would be pushing a hundred by now, so it safe should be safe to name him. If there is enough information from the name, you could always check for a death in the GRO Index, the deaths now go up to 2019.
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No one ever throws anything away in Devon 🙄
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Hi Devon Bloke and welcome to Rootschat, I agree with Jebber. I think the risk is very small and the benefits would outweigh the risk.
Griff...I wish I lived in Devon ::) ;D ;D
Carol
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Hi Devon Bloke and welcome to Rootschat, I agree with Jebber. I think the risk is very small and the benefits would outweigh the risk.
Griff...I wish I lived in Devon ::) ;D ;D
Carol
Carol, it's a very dull day, not as cold as it has been, extremely quiet where I am, a view to die for........ Yup! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else
Griff
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DB
I don't know anything about imaged online here, someone else most certainly will , good luck
LM
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Thankyou all for the kind and encouraging replies. I'll be back on as 7.30 pm with more info.
Cheers all 😃
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I promised to post again, and this is the person: W. Holland (the number 142 appears on the envelope). They were apparently staying at the Royal Clarence Hotel, Ilfracombe, on 03/06/42. I've attached the image of the addressed envelope which was found in Ilfracombe recently.
If the image can't be seen, or it's gone wrong, that will be my fault for bodging.
I have absolutely no idea who this person is/was, but they seem to have been a member of the 86th (HAC) HAA Regiment RA (Honourable Artillery Company, Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment TA).
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Thart's a great image - you uploaded it fine without hitch. :)
Trystan
RootsChat Co-founder
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Thankyou Trystan :) The file was too large at the first attempt, so I shrunk the file size with GIMP and had another go. I can't make out the person's title on the envelope, but this is what I found so far:
Most Ilfracombe hotels were occupied by the military and civil servants, during WW2.
It's quite reasonable to assume that the addressee/service person was resident at the Royal Clarence Hotel in 1942, either as an officer or as a member of staff.
I have found a National Archives reference to 383 Field Battery RFA (WW2)
Reference: NA WO 166/1612.
The Honourable Artillery website and other sources came up with this:
383 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Bty (HAA) joined 86th (HAC) in February 1941.
383 may have a been a RA Searchlight Battery and this was the year of the Baedeker Raids.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-were-the-baedeker-raids.
86th (Honourable Artillery Company) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA consisted of 273, 274 and 275 Batteries ; 383 Battery was added in February 1941.
ROYAL ARTILLERY: SEARCHLIGHT BATTERIES: 383 Battery.
UKNA Reference WO 166/7854.
86th (Honourable Artillery Company) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA apparently provided officer training, and supplied officers to the British Army.
On 1 December 1942, 86th (HAC) HAA Rgt was formally transferred from AA Command to Home Forces, and moved to Mushroom Farm Camp, Wethersfield, Essex. Until February its batteries were loaned out to AA Command Gun Defence Areas (GDAs) at Norwich, Lincoln and York.
That's all I have :)
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Excellent image Devon_bloke, I'd imagine there'll be a few people looking into this and see who he was.
What a shame there's nothing inside it.
Griff.
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Thanks Griff-2 ; thankyou for your reply. It would be great if an actual person could be linked to this old envelope found after nearly 80 years. What a turn-up that would be :) And yes it's a pity there was nothing in it.
And the more look at it, I suspect the rank is Gnr (Gunner), written on the envelope.
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I would query a rank of Gunner in an officers mess.
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Thanks Griff-2 ; thankyou for your reply. It would be great if an actual person could be linked to this old envelope found after nearly 80 years. What a turn-up that would be :) And yes it's a pity there was nothing in it.
And the more look at it, I suspect the rank is Gnr (Gunner), written on the envelope.
I've a letter dated 1888 written to my 2x gt grandfather and recently found family of the person who sent it, they are in the USA. but they didn't seem very interested unfortunately, can't win em all I guess.
But I'm sure yours will be of interest to someone.
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I would query a rank of Gunner in an officers mess.
Me too @medpat, and I appreciate your reply :) Then I thought what if the person was a living-in member of staff? Or they were visiting the Hotel. The British Army has or used to have (Officers and Sgts) Mess staff. And from memories of the 1970s to 1980s, the staff included serving soldiers.
Thankyou.
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Thanks Griff-2 ; thankyou for your reply. It would be great if an actual person could be linked to this old envelope found after nearly 80 years. What a turn-up that would be :) And yes it's a pity there was nothing in it.
And the more look at it, I suspect the rank is Gnr (Gunner), written on the envelope.
I've a letter dated 1888 written to my 2x gt grandfather and recently found family of the person who sent it, they are in the USA. but they didn't seem very interested unfortunately, can't win em all I guess.
But I'm sure yours will be of interest to someone.
Can't win them all.
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Might I suggest that you include the serviceman's name in the title of the post, if anyone is researching this Family it will be picked by a Google search which will bring them here. You do this by using the "Modify" button.
Good Luck!
Carol
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Might I suggest that you include the serviceman's name in the title of the post, if anyone is researching this Family it will be picked by a Google search which will bring them here. You do this by using the "Modify" button.
Good Luck!
Carol
Thanks @Treetotal. I wasn't sure whether I should include the name, but I'll have a crack at changing the title to include [Gunner?] W. Holland (if I've read that right).
It could be that this person's last three numbers is 142. Tne Army traditionally uses a soldier's last three in references. So maybe this was 142 Gunner W. Holland, of The Honourable Artillery Company (or not). Pure speculation and I'm not sure where to go from here.
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I think this chap was in 142nd (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA
"At the outbreak of the war, 142nd Field Regiment was also part of 45th Division. Initially commanding two batteries – 383 from Torrington and 384 from South Molton "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Devon_Yeomanry
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I think this chap was in 142nd (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA
"At the outbreak of the war, 142nd Field Regiment was also part of 45th Division. Initially commanding two batteries – 383 from Torrington and 384 from South Molton "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Devon_Yeomanry
Wow that is brilliant, thankyou very much for your very kind help.
DB