421330 Cpl J.A Morland, East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry

Hi Guys,
I'm trying to research the following for a mate of mine, it's his grandad:
421330 Cpl John Alexander Morland East RidingYorkshire Yeomanry.
He served in WW2 from 1939 - 1946, I have court mounted his medal and he has the following:
1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Victory Medal, and Territorial Efficiency.
I am really struggling to find anything on him at all, its almost as if his Regt number is not registered or known, pretty strange one.
Any help, assistance or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks

 

Apply for his service records.You will not find his service records anywhere on the internet.
The official government link below.Date of birth and death certificate is required.
Get a copy of military service records




Army Number to check:
The army number: 421330 indicates that the soldier's original unit or date joined was:


"Dragoons"

http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/tools/armynumber?query=421330

 

Hi

1st Battalion Info here - 1 The East Riding Yeomanry

2nd Battalion Info here - 2 The East Riding Yeomanry

Nothing coming up when searching 1939-145 casualty database on FMP which suggests he wasn't killed, wounded or taken POW.

Brief history here: http://www.museums.eastriding.gov.uk/EasySiteWeb/GatewayLink.aspx?alId=431093

And if you can afford £45 much more info here: FORRARD THE STORY OF THE EAST RIDING YEOMANRY written by Mace, Paul, STOCK CODE: 1708894 : Stella & Rose's Books

But you cant be absolutely certain this is the right stuff until you have his Service Records

Hope this helps

Gus

 

The East Riding Yeomanry was part of the 33rd Armoured Brigade (Sherman tanks). In January 1945 - after being committed in the Ardennes or "Battle of the Bulge" as the Americans called it - the regiment converted to 'Buffaloes' for the Rhine Crossing operation in March 1945.


British Shermans in the Ardennes - Jan 45; in this case tanks of the 144 RAC, 33rd Armoured Bde.

For the buffaloos also see: Public Tanks and RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')

 

Thanks for all your comments and advice guys - appreciated

 

His number is in a group that suggests he joined the 26th (East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry) Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps, in around May 1938. That became the East Riding Yeomanry in 1939 when it was expanded to full regimental strength (and doubled, creating the 1st and 2nd ERY).

Many of that group appear to have gone to France in 1940 with the 1st ERY as a large number ended up as PoWs (4 KIA) so it is possible that Corporal Moreland did as well; if so then he was one of the lucky ones to have escaped via Dunkirk. The award of the Defence Medal confirms he was at home in the UK in the period after Dunkirk and the Efficiency Medal confirms he was a pre-war member of the TA (awarded for 12 years efficient service with war service counting double).

Alternatively, it is also possible that he remained at home in 1940 with the 2nd ERY (several of this group did). The severely depleted 1st ERY was brought back up to strength after Dunkirk by drafts from the 2nd ERY the rump of which then formed the cadre for the 10th (East Riding Yeomanry) Battalion, Green Howards. Again, if this scenario is correct for Cpl Moreland, he would have been one of the drafts from the 2nd ERY to the 1st assuming the Efficiency Medal lists his regiment as the ERY.

Cheers,

Neil

 

I would be interested to get in contact with you, I'm currently writing a memoirs books for a serving member of 1 East Riding Yeomanry. Would be interested to hear more on Cpl Morland and I can probably provide information as well. Im trying to reach out to family members of the men from 1ERY.

 

Hi, I have just seen your post, my grandad was BEF 1st ERYY, one of the few to make it back through dunkirk 30/31 may after getting wounded...

 

Hi, who was your grandad?

Regards,

Neil

 

Trooper L Buck...7884377....if you do a post search for him on this group I have posted a lot of his docs...

 

Ah yes, I have seen the thread

 

Hi,

Following on from nfh 249 offering, if you have a photo, there’s a chance that he could be in this image:



This is from another thread I’m following up on. No 3 Tp were apparently known as ‘the Butterboys’. The only individual I can currently name is the Tp Sgt, HV Suggit, 3rd from left in the middle row.
Afternote (2023): A manuscript No 3 Troop nominal roll, giving names attending the camp where the image was taken, includes 2Lt VC Ellison, LSgt Suggit, LCpl JF Walker, Tprs V Bayston, JM Cowe, Dukes, G Johnson, AR Moore, A Todd and F Walker. Ellison and Suggit are readily identifiable, with probably LCpl JF Walker seated second from left, with the others probably those still wearing their Tank Corps berets; the notes indicate the Troop would be taking on five recruits, likely those seated on the ground wearing sidecaps, with LCpl Wilson (see picture below) seated middle, third from right?

An image from their 26 Armoured Car Company days is:



in Hull; Suggit is in the lead car.

Another group is:



again sadly not annotated with names.
(Afternote: The JNCO wearing his beret is LCpl Wilson, with probably Tpr Mahoney on the far right.)

This one was:



showing B Sqn NCOs on 5 Dec 39, having mustered on Hull Fairground. LCpl Yorke is washing his plate, to the left. QMS Pion is at the head of the table, with LCpl Swales standing behind him. Left of table are Sgts Robson and Clayton rear and centre, with Cpl Beautement front. Right of table are Cpl Eldon, Sgt Suggit and Cpl Gaze front. The meal is probably breakfast, because that evening, Suggit and a few others arrived in Southampton for a trooping ferry to Cherbourg, on their secondment to 5 RIDG.

 

Some lovely pics there, I keep trying to find pics like this always hoping to spot my grandad, trooper buck.

 

Not quite sure of best place for this; presumed ERY at Hull Fairground:



annotated ‘B Squadron Light Tank’. Someone will hopefully add more detail.

 

The 2 cpls at the front of the pic, I can make out RTC on the shoulder of the one with the glasses, but what is the title on the shoulder of the other?

 

Not sure the picture of the Light Tank (Vickers Mk.IV) is necessarily taken in Hull, the same tank (reg. no. BMM124) is shown in 'Yeomanry of the East Riding' by Sumner and Wilson at annual camp, Stockbridge 1939 so it depends on whether they took any vehicles with them

 

My grandad was on that 39 camp according to his records....

 

Hello nfh249,

Thanks for your reply. Following on, from the annotated photo in YotER, it also looks as if the chap with the beret in the centre of the group of five photo from my post of 3 November above was LCpl Wilson and the man on the right may be Tpr Mahoney.

 

After a check on the original photo of the Vickers tank above, “Fairground” is penned on the reverse, so that must be it.

Stay well.

 

Hi Ben, please feel free to PM me, KR