Hello All I have been a member of the forum for a couple of years, but this is the first posting I have made, so I hope it works ok. I have been putting together the story of my father’s war service to attach to the family tree and have been mostly dependent on his war record, and a copy of RHWS Hasting’s book, which I purchased on ebay. My Dad served in The Rifle Brigade during ww2. He joined the TA at Bow on 29 April 1939 and was embodied on 2 Sept 1939. He was assigned to the 10th Battalion and disembarked at Bone on 10th December 1942. I believe he contracted Malaria during the Italian Campaign and he spent two periods in hospital, the first between the 10th and 24th June 1944 and the second began in 31 General Hospital in Arezzo on the 6th September ’44 , I’m having some trouble de-cyphering the next couple of entries, any help would be much appreciated. I’ve not come across too many war time photos of the 10th Battalion or the 61st Brigade, so thought you might be interested in this one. (Haversham should be Faversham).
* Hello Rog, It looks to me like: Dis 2 Gen Hosp to BT/Con/ X(4) - CMF - 5/10/44, or Dischgarged 2 General Hospital to a Convalescent Camp [which I can't identify]. Tos 10RB from X4 - CMF - 17/12/44, or Taken On Strength 10th Bn Rifle Brigade from Convalescent Camp.
Thanks for the reply Steve I had read it: B +/Camp x(y) Any idea what BT or B+ might have been, would it have been an identifier for the convalescent camp? I'm also a bit puzzled by x(y)? Rog
Hello Rog, As Steve above says this is x(4), very bad writing! In the list Owen links to it is written as x(iv) and refer to New Zealand. Same thing in UK though. Carl
Hi Rog My Dad was also 10RB, B coy, his record is almost identical your Fathers, I have also been researching Dads service records and went to Kew last week and copied 10RB's war diary, do you know which company her was in? Regards Craig
Hi Rog The newspaper cutting that you posted caught my eye as there was a Rfm Murray in 6 platoon B Coy when they were in Tunisia 1943. Also in the picture it looks as if your Dad is wearing a snow suit so along with place name it would put them in the Mountains on the Gothic line late 44 early 45, interestingly this was about the same time my Dad was wounded by motar fire. Also you dads records are about as well written as dads were but thanks to the great people on this forum i have managed to decipher 90% of it Regards Craig
Information on the reverse side of the clipping enabled me to date it February 1945. On the reverse of the original photograph is stamped "OFFICIAL WAR PHOTOGRAPH 21949" and below in pencil is written 'C' Coy Cdr 10RB. Could very well have been the same Rfn Murray. I did try to trace him and Rfn Walker on Ancestry using the addresses, but no luck. Roger
Another question while I'm here, would anyone know by any chance where exactly in Scotland the 10th Battalion embarked from on 26 November 1942. Rog
Dad left Greenock on the Clyde aboard TSS Cameronia (which was torpedoed in the med on the way) on 9th dec 1942. One of my main questions that I have is the rest of B Coy left Greenock in October as patr of Bladeforce and I cant find out why Dad was'nt with them!
Roger there is also book called "Unusual Undertakings" by Jim wilson who at the time was a Lt commanding 6 platoon in B Coy during some of the time they were in Scotland through to the end of the war, I think he is also mentioned quite a bit in Hastings book (I got mine from the local library and scanned all the 10RB stuff). I think he ended up as CO of D Coy if memory serves, Craig
6/9/44. Admitted to 1 Field Ambulance, and put on X(2) list which comprises all ranks evacuated on medical grounds beyond RAP [Regimental Aid Post]. Then transferred to 31 General Hospital. (Arezzo). 5/10/44 Discharged from no 2 GH (Caserta nr Naples) to B T /Camp. (Base Transit Camp) and put on X(4) list which comprises all unposted reinforcements, incoming reinforcement and others fit for duty, until posted to a unit, when they are struck off X (iv) Which happened on 17/12/44 when he was Taken on strength of 10 Rifle brigade.
Thanks Craig and RCG for the info'. Dad was stationed in Stewarton in 1942 so I suppose it's likely he also embarked from Greenock.
