Arthur Lloyd Brace WW2/Battle of Arnhem

[millofski]

Hi,

I'm trying to find out more on my biological grandfather & if he fought at the Battle of Arnhem.  His niece (my first cousin once removed) said he had but am struggling to see anything mentioned in his war records though quite a few bits I'm struggling to read due to the handwriting.  Would this be something that would have been mentioned in his records?  Are there any ways of finding out if he fought at the Battle of Arnhem?

Oli

[MaxD]

Participation in a particular battle is not specifically mentioned on a man's record although if he won a gallantry award that might be identifiable to a  partuicular action.  Have you been able to identify which unit he was servng with at the time?  However, even if, for example, his unit was 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment who did great things at the beginning of the battle, all that could be said would be that he was likely to have been there (unless his record shows he was away at hospital or something similar). 

You might like to post his Statement of Services and his posting record as a starter so we can help with your difficulty with the writing.

MaxD

[millofski]

Thanks for the reply.  On one of the forms,  there's a stamp saying 320th Field Battery & then later on, it says, 131st Field Regiment R.A.  Have also got a listing of him being a glider pilot.

Where would I see his Statement of Services & his posting record?

[MaxD]

The Royal Artillery Attestations register records that he joined the Royal Artillery in 1939, perhaps in 131 Field Regiment but that he transferred on 3 September 1942 to the Army Air Corps, part of which was the Glider Pilot Regiment.  As such he was quite likely to have flown a glider in Op Market Garden (Arnhem).

320 Battery was one of the 3 batteries of 131 Field (City of Glasgow) Regiment Royal Artillery which was not engaged in Europe until 1944 when he had long left.

I have assumed you have his service record which will have (or should have) his Statement of Services, it actually states that at the top of the form.  There may also be a Service and Casualty Form which records postings and other info and another form AFB 102 also has postings and promotions.

If you need help interpreting records you have, a sight of the originals is the best approach.

MaxD

[millofski]

Yes,  I have a copy of his records at home.  Will it be ok if I send a copy over?

[MaxD]

I'll send you my direct email by PM.

MaxD