12th Battalion Royal Artillery

[Andi R]

Hi folks

Anyone got any information on the 12th Btn RA, from WWII, according to my deceased father he fought in North Africa, Scilly and Italy and has the medals and pics but I want some history.

I have the basic stuff but want to more about my dad the "D-Day doger" exploits

I think he was attached to the Americans in Italy, it maybe John Wayne single handed that won the war but my dad showed him what to do

andrew

[liverpool annie]

Hi Andrew !

Do you have any other information? I'm not an expert but 12th Battalion RA doesn't seem enough!! see if you can give a bit more of what you know and I'm sure the guys here will be able to help you!!

Also try the Great War Forum - plenty of people there to help too!!

Good Luck!!

Annie

http://www.army.mod.uk/royalartillery/

[Andi R]

Hi Annie

I will try to get more information I will need to speak to my sister

Serleno seems to ring a bell with me listening to some of his few tales

What I do know is he was at one time in the Lake Como area of Italy, I'll have a look for a photo with some detail on it, I think I have one from Egypt, made from an Egyption pound note, as it was pounds they used then

Andrew

[manmack]

andrew,two books that will keep you amused for a while are-
world at arms by readers digest
chronicle of ww2 by longmans
both are pretty good,order them through your library,you wont find your dads particular unit in them but theres plenty of reference to the easy time your dad had.
salerno,bloodbath
sicily a nightmare
italy a graveyard
albeit your pop would have preferred D.day,my old man was in north africa and he got shipped to burma,your dad was in those who went to italy,so he must have been 8th army,your dad and mine had a hard time of it,let nobody tell you different,mack

[liverpool annie]

Hi Mack

My father in law was in the Durham Light Infantry - had a h*** of a time - didn't talk too much about it - he was one of the very few to come back!! just told stories about Monty - not too nice ones either -  as I recall

That's not part of the RA though is it??

Annie

[Andi R]

My dads stories were always the lighter side ones never or rarely did he go into detail just the odd thing would slip out, little pieces of advice when he saw us as kids playing wargames and other childish games, that politicians play now.

my 304/100 battery he was in

see pic if it works it is from Jan 1942

[Mike Jackson]

At the time this photo was taken he was in the Royal Artillery, with the rank of Gunner.  The flash on his battledress sleeve is that of 12 Anti-Aircraft Division (a double six domino of red diamond).  12 AA Div was stationed in southern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
304/100 is a reference to his unit - 304 Battery of 100 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA.  This unit was formed at Motherwell, Lanarkshire on 1 April 1939 and placed in suspended animation on 18 August 1944 (as the threat of Luftwaffe massed attacks on Britain had diminished).
I hope this helps.
Mike