42nd Royal Tank Regiment

[coults12]

Thanks, C
Do you know what type of tank the 42nd were operating in June '42?
Regards
AC

[cpercival]

They were all using the Matilda Infantry tank up to 1943 when they took over some Grants.  Matilda was good in its day but became outgunned as the desert war progressed.  They have one at Bovington in desert livery.

C

[ScouseBoy]

42 RTR embarked in SS Aronda in April 1941 and travelled round the Cape in convoy WS8A.  The story of this and other such convoys is told in a fascinating book ' The Winston Specials, Troopships via the Cape 1940-1943'  by Archie Munro.  Published in 2006 by Maritime Books of Liskeard, Cornwall, oddly my copy has no ISBN number but it can be obtained from a well known on-line bookseller.
Among my father's effects is a handy booklet instructing soldiers how to behave when ashore in Durban!
C

My father was on a later WS convoy,  departing Halifax, Nova Scotia in early November 1941.   Interestingly, the troopships were United States Navy ships,  and the Naval escort was provided  by US Navy warships.        I seem to remember  reading those  Instructions to  those visiting South Africa  cities and ports.

[coults12]

Thanks, C
All the best
AC

[seaweed]

42 RTR embarked in SS Aronda in April 1941 and travelled round the Cape in convoy WS8A.  The story of this and other such convoys is told in a fascinating book ' The Winston Specials, Troopships via the Cape 1940-1943'  by Archie Munro.  Published in 2006 by Maritime Books of Liskeard, Cornwall, oddly my copy has no ISBN number but it can be obtained from a well known on-line bookseller.
Among my father's effects is a handy booklet instructing soldiers how to behave when ashore in Durban!
C

My father was on a later WS convoy,  departing Halifax, Nova Scotia in early November 1941.   Interestingly, the troopships were United States Navy ships,  and the Naval escort was provided  by US Navy warships.        I seem to remember  reading those  Instructions to  those visiting South Africa  cities and ports.

ISBN1-904459-20-X

WS convoys only sailed from UK Ports to the Middle East and beyond via the Cape. The US never entered the war until 7/DEC/1941

[ScouseBoy]

42 RTR embarked in SS Aronda in April 1941 and travelled round the Cape in convoy WS8A.  The story of this and other such convoys is told in a fascinating book ' The Winston Specials, Troopships via the Cape 1940-1943'  by Archie Munro.  Published in 2006 by Maritime Books of Liskeard, Cornwall, oddly my copy has no ISBN number but it can be obtained from a well known on-line bookseller.
Among my father's effects is a handy booklet instructing soldiers how to behave when ashore in Durban!
C

My father was on a later WS convoy,  departing Halifax, Nova Scotia in early November 1941.   Interestingly, the troopships were United States Navy ships,  and the Naval escort was provided  by US Navy warships.        I seem to remember  reading those  Instructions to  those visiting South Africa  cities and ports.

ISBN1-904459-20-X

WS convoys only sailed from UK Ports to the Middle East and beyond via the Cape. The US never entered the war until 7/DEC/1941

Have a look at  USS  Westpoint,  and where she was between 7th November 1941 and 7th December 1941.

The 18th British Division were embarked in United States Navy troop transports  at Halifax Nova Scotia  on or about 7th November 1941.  They were escorted by US Navy war ships.

[ScouseBoy]

WS12X  including Wakefield  and WestPoint  departed Halifax, Nova Scotia in early November 1941.   10th November 1941.

It could be argued that the United States  had entered the war  by the fact it was transporting British Troops to the Middle East.  It would seem to breach Neutrality?

[Regorian]

18th Division, they were en route for Malaya/Singapore weren't they? Presumably, it was transferred to British Transports in South Africa.

[ScouseBoy]

18th Division, they were en route for Malaya/Singapore weren't they? Presumably, it was transferred to British Transports in South Africa.

I believe that there initial intended destination was Basra. But while they were on their long journey, the Singapore situation  and Pearl Harbour  arose.   At first,  when they were near to Capetown, on or about the 7th December 1941,  it was thought that the US navy  may have wanted to recall their own ships immediately, but in the event  they decided to allow them to continue with the British troops embarked,  and eventually USS  Westpoint arrived at Singapore.