You can also obtain his army service records quoting his service number. Get a copy of military service records
Marcus, I've since found some buttons,which were my father's, but here's an interesting thing. They look exactly like 25th Dragoons, but are on very close scrutiny, 20th Lancers, an Indian tank regiment, which he never served in! I think it likely that they were also used unnoticed, as much finer quality and better shiny gilt in preference to the Indian manufactured 25D ones, by him and fellow officers.
In addition, from the Tank Museum, Bovington, you can apply for your grandfathers RAC Tracer Card, too. The Tank Museum | Enquiry Charges and Available Services If you pop in the search function ‘Tracer Card’ on this Forum, it will reveal what you receive for your money - I unfortunately don’t have immediate access to an example on my phone. I would thoroughly recommend attaining his TC. Best, Marcus
Hi Richard, Capt. Burton, was wounded in action on February 15th, 1944, whilst his location known as “Ammunition Hill” was engaged by Japanese artillery fire during the Battle of the Admin Box. If I’m not mistaken his injuries were sustained when a shell directly exploded a munitions pile. In fact, I’m fairly certain there’s a mention of this account in Tom Grounds book. Then it would seem - date unknown - after this incident he was posted to 146 Regiment, RAC, (Duke of Wellington Regiment). I really need to look into this properly, but I suspect he was perhaps recuperating cum performing light duties at Pashau Camp in Poona. Possibly his duties involved a training role, as 146, Rgt, ‘B’ Sqd, were converting to Lee tanks at this time. Thereafter he served with the Royal Tank Regiment until retiring as a Major in 1952, succinctly put in the London Gazette: “retires on retired pay on account of disability.” • Note ‘from’ DWR and the subtitle RTR, I assume from this he’s now formally RTR on or around this date in 1944. • Retirement notice
Richard, Would that be a C.W.D.W. Alexander? No, regrettably I don’t know which individual he could be in the photograph. Again, I don’t recognise any of the other officers either. It’s seldom I’ve come across any officer pictures to the 25D. I reckon with a bit of research and with the assistance of portrait and other photos, we could eventually establish a few names. You know, it’s very likely each individual in the photo had a copy, and you can bet someone named each man for posterity; I’ve seen it on other group photographs.
It particulars like this that truly make my day - thank you. I concur with your assessment and deem this more than feasible, now to find a 20L officers gilt button for the collection. Out of interest what’s the diameter of the largest button you have, and is there a makers mark on the reverse?
Before I forget, these are the Indian made slip-on shoulder titles. The top two pairs are officers slips devoid of the border. The khaki drill, jungle green and edged examples are other ranks patterns worn on the appropriate dress. This pair of officer slips were stitched directly on the rank epaulettes, hence, a little tatty around the edges from their removal (not by me) and a moth has had a little nibble, too.
Hi Marcus, yes it's C.W.D.W. Alexander. He retired as Major Alexander, 3rd Dragoon Guards in 1958. It would be most interesting to fill in the gaps of those officers in the group.
Here’s a 25D brass Bed/Duty-Plate to Tpr. J. Emerson of ‘A’ Squadron. I do intend to attain his Tracer Card - I’ve several other WRC projects on the go at the moment that take my time. The central disc badge design, I thought likely to be a template of the large Indian made button to the 25D. However, I was incorrect, the largest button is smaller than the centre motif device.
That's amazing. What an incredibly rare item. Talking of beds,you've jogged my memory. My father often recalled a particular night when his tanks were out of harbour. A Jap attack to destroy the tanks was foiled as they were out, by complete coincidence, on a night patrol. One of the troopers left behind in the tank harbour was asleep in his bed, which was draped in a mosquito net. Someone prodded him when he was in a deep sleep. "B***er off, it's not my turn for guard duty!"he said, and then another prod. He turned and saw the ghostly figure of a Jap through the mosquito net, pointing a revolver at him. He screamed thinking at first it was a nightmare and sprang up, adrenaline racing, in an instant and the Jap fired, just creasing his temple, but he managed to get away and hide in the jungle until the tanks returned.As far as I know this isn't in any book and this is the first time I've related it.My father often yelled in his sleep years after the war and I wondered if it was this incident that remained ingrained in his subconscious memory. Could this bed tag be a souvenir of this incident? Probably not but we'll never know!
Major (temp) C.W.D.W Alexander is listed as Mentioned in Despatches in the 25th Dragoons Medal Awards.
An amazing account, Richard. And, that’s what you would literally call a scrape with death - thank you for sharing this. That also reminds me, there’s a similar scenario written in ‘Some Letters from Burma’ on pages 105 & 106. Although, I suspect perhaps an unrelated incident to yours and without doubt one of many such probing attacks by the enemy. This is a picture of Cpl. Charles “Charlie” Fairweather, ‘A’ Squadron, mentioned in the documented encounter of a Japanese night attack on his location at around 0200 during the night of 5/6th February, 1944 - a L/Cpl at the time of this picture being taken. On his right arm, situated upon the single rank chevron you can just see his 25D NCOs arm badge. Below, is Charlie’s actual metal (Indian made) NCO badge seen in the photo, now residing with distinction in my collection - it’s an utter privilege to be the custodian of such an item. Plus, a few more examples of the 25D NCO arm badge variations, including Charlie’s on the top row, far right.
Marcus, what an amazing collection. I've seen the odd 25D item on ebay, though some of it is modern. Somewhere I've got my father's cloth badge, but it has suffered from moth. I wonder if there was any Regimental silver, which would probably have been acquired in India. Thanks also for the pics of your various NCO arm badges and the one that was Charlie Fairweather's. Great that you have a photo of him wearing it.
Marcus, I've found reference to the incident on page 140 of John Leyin's book, "Tell Them Of Us". The man awoken by the Jap, was Trooper Collins, my father's batman.
Here she is... a 9 month restoration of the m3 Lee. T25989 (which we know went to Burma and then Malaysia [for the uprising] then exported to Australia) Everything works as it should. It is our (and bovington) opinion that she was most likely attached to the 25th Dragoons for these deployments.
Hi Marcus and Richard The Group photo of Oct 1943 at Ranchi that belonged to Eric Miles does have at least one NCO on there. My Father Sgt James Nicholson Sqd A. He is strangely enough stood next to Eric Miles on Erics right.