War Diaries

[khdavies]

I am currently waiting for my father's WWII service record but I have recently heard that it will not give me any details about where he fought etc.  Can anyone tell me how to obtain the war diaries of his regiment once I know his regiment?  I currently only know that he was on a British Mine Sweeper Tank in Europe and that he was still in Germany in 1946.

[alanmack]

Hi,
   In this case the War Diaries might not be of much help. Minesweeping by Flail Tanks (Sherman Crabs) was the responsibility of the 79th Armoured Division in NW Europe. Individual Troops (3 or 4 Crabs) would be employed in front of any armoured assault as and when required and the details may not have been recorded in the way you are looking for.

If it is of any help I've been able to identify three named regiments that operated Sherman Crab flails in 79th Arm'd Div. These were 22nd Dragoons, 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry and the Westminster Dragoons which formed 30 Arm'd Brigade. You should be able to find a fair bit of the information you want using these regiment, brigade and division titles.

Good hunting

Alan

[khdavies]

Thank you for this, Alan. 

I am actually looking for information that would corroborate a story told by my father. 

As an exceptional sharpshooter, he was chosen with 12 to 15 other men to locate and fight against some German officers who were in retreat in Germany and trying to resist British, American and Russian soldiers.  These men of which my father was one, took the building where the German officers were hiding and succeeded to stop them.

I am hoping that this sort of thing might be included as part of the service record but am not holding much hope. Is it something that I might be able to obain?

Thanks

Karen