REME - Service in North Africa

[KScott24809]

Good evening,

Over the next few weeks I will be getting my Great Grandfather William Ernest Sanderson's Second World War Medals framed. I am told by his daughter, my grandmother, that he spent 7 years in the Armed Forces and signed up right at the start of the war, (Although I cannot know for sure, this was after all before she was born), and that he was in the REME from it's inception; a fact my Grandmother is quite proud of.

He was awarded the North Africa Star for his operational service on that front, and I know from a letter he wrote at the end of the war that he served in the Persia and Iraq Forces and was attached in an L.A.D to 4 GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom). He spoke to my grandmother of his time in Egypt, and he was in possession and we still are of a pamphlet titled "Beirut to Baghdad" which was to inform the troops of what they were likely to come across when traversing through this land.

Unfortunately on his North Africa star there is no specific bar or clasp. I was wondering if people would be aware if he was entitled to a North Africa clasp, a 1st Army Clasp, or an 8th Army Clasp, or how I might be best going about finding out this information?   The medals aren't in A1 condition so I'm not sure if there is a clasp missing or not.

Any REME Experts can assist in telling me what clasps he may have been entitled to based on the fact he spent his entire war in North Africa and was in the REME and later moved up into PAI Forces. Apologies I have no further information.

Many thanks,
Keiren

(I have pictures of him over in North Africa during the war, just for your interest.)

https://i.imgur.com/vJ6oNC9.jpg
(in Tommy helmet)

https://i.imgur.com/bXv7ErU.jpg
(front centre)

https://i.imgur.com/CaHj0P4.jpg
(Fixing a vehicle)

https://i.imgur.com/Nic4Nf4.jpg
(Driving a heavy vehicle)

https://i.imgur.com/SPKkz8E.jpg
(eating watermelon)

https://i.imgur.com/EDL7H9q.jpg
(with a comrade)

[KGarrad]

The North Africa Star was awarded for a minimum of one day's service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The operational area includes the whole of the area between the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, the Sudan, both Somalilands and Eritrea. Areas not bordering on the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star between 10 June 1940 and 27 November 1941 inclusive.

The North Africa 1942–43 Clasp was awarded for service with the 18th Army Group Headquarters between 15 February 1942 and 12 February 1943 inclusive,.

The 8th Army Clasp was awarded for service with the Eighth Army between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943 inclusive. .

The 1st Army Clasp was awarded for service with the First Army between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943 inclusive.

[MaxD]

(The star is called the Africa Star)  K Garrad has covered the detail so you can see that the clasp depends on when he arrived in N Africa and then which REME unit he was serving in.  Do you have actual dates for his arrival and, more importantly, in which REME unit(s) he was serving?  Prior to Oct 1942 when REME was founded he would have been in one of the founding Corps.

It sounds, if he was there by the early 1942, that it would have been the North Africa 1942-43 clasp (it was the first qualified for that would be worn) but the absolute sure way to find out is to apply for his service record which does take a bit of time:

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

MaxD

[KScott24809]

Thanks all I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

[Brewins girl]

If you get his Records, the REME museum may well be able to help further. The historian there (who has since retired, so don't know about this predecessor) was extremely helpful in deciphering my uncle's records (but so also was MaxD from RootsChat). Good luck

[Brewins girl]

If you get his Records, the REME museum may well be able to help further. The historian there (who has since retired, so don't know about this predecessor) was extremely helpful in deciphering my uncle's records (but so also was MaxD from RootsChat). Good luck

[MaxD]

Always at your service  - (caveat - other interpreters are available!)

MaxD