Author Topic: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Addressed to W. HOLLAND - Help Appreciated  (Read 1354 times)

Offline Devon_bloke

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #9 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 19:33 GMT (UK) »
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).

Offline trystan

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 19:47 GMT (UK) »
Thart's a great image - you uploaded it fine without hitch.  :)

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Offline Devon_bloke

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #11 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:00 GMT (UK) »
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 :)

Offline Gone

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #12 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:04 GMT (UK) »
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.


Offline Devon_bloke

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #13 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:09 GMT (UK) »
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.

Offline medpat

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #14 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:18 GMT (UK) »
I would query a rank of Gunner in an officers mess.
GEDmatch M157477

Offline Gone

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #15 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:21 GMT (UK) »
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.

Offline Devon_bloke

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #16 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:25 GMT (UK) »
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.


Offline Devon_bloke

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Re: WW2 1942 Addressed Envelopes Found - Help Appreciated
« Reply #17 on: Wednesday 06 January 21 20:26 GMT (UK) »
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.