11th Battalion Parachute regiment

Cheers Ramon - much appreciated.

 

Ramon,

Now that we have you here ... Were you the submitter of the Private Joseph Gray account on the Pegasus Archive? Can you see any resemblance between Gray, especially in the top picture, and the man on the right in Shell's bar photo. Or am I stretching it once again? Unfortunately the size is a bit small there.

 

Shell,

Well it looks like I'm well behind you as far as the Malta period goes as I just realized there's another set of photos on there by Private Edward Rathbone who was with the Carrier Platoon. Sergeant H. Shaw appears to have been with HQ which was stationed at Ta Salvatur. It makes you wonder if that is the complete collection of photos by those men or if there are more at the museum. I find them a bit small for adequate viewing.

The KORR Museum in Lancaster could yield further information on your Father with regard his company or platoon. From there you might get a general idea of his movements on the island from a WD if available and you want to dig deeper.

The 8th Battalion traveled to Malta in convoy WS 9C (part of Operation Substance) leaving from the Clyde on July 11, 41. Do you know if he was on the Manchester when it was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and had to limp back to Gibraltar? Later the troops were taken to Malta by several ships of which the HMS Manxman and HMS Arethusa are known to have carried 8th Battalion members.

Sorry, not much new there Shell, but here's another KORR thread on WW2Talk:

My father's records...........at last - WW2Talk
He did mention being on a ship that was torpedoed and having to limp back to Gibralta - the Manchester rings a bell. We think he was then transported on a ship called the Hermione. A little aside of a story about his time on Malta - he was still serving as a dispatch rider there and one day he and his friend were riding back from Valetta on their motor bikes when a bomb raid was launched and one bomb was so close it blew his friends clothes off! He was otherwise unharmed!

 

Ramon,

Now that we have you here ... Were you the submitter of the Private Joseph Gray account on the Pegasus Archive? Can you see any resemblance between Gray, especially in the top picture, and the man on the right in Shell's bar photo. Or am I stretching it once again? Unfortunately the size is a bit small there.

Yes, that's a part of the story written by Joseph to me in the time I was in contact with him. Sadly, he passed away before I met him.
The complete story of his career is on BBC war memoires.
I take a look at the photo's when I'm at home. On my iPhone I can't see it very good.

 

Hi guys, just reviewing the information some of you have given me - thanks again for that! Can I ask, what are nominal rolls and are they publicly available? Are emplaning documents, like that posted by horsapassenger also public record and if so are they likely to be found at National Archives? Seems like my Dads records are raising more questions than answers at the moment. Roll on my foray into the Duxford Airborne Archives in May - so much to do! Probably need a week at Kew too - just to find my way around!

 

Shell

There are few, if any, official nominal rolls for Arnhem available. Those that have been compiled have been prepared by researchers from a variety of sources, normally personal accounts, POW lists, the Hospital registers at Apeldoorn etc.
Similarly the manifest lists for the aircraft are few and far between and it is a matter of luck if you come across one.
I have spent many years going through the records at the National Archive and have found nothing more than a few items of this description relating to 11 Para. I have already posted on this thread the only document on which your Father's name appears and have sent you, by email, copies of the Weekly returns which show him in Leicester hospital in June/July. Sadly the returns for the weeks before and after this period are missing from the monthly reports.

John

 

Shell

I was going to have another look at your fathers record of service for you to see if I could work out any more about his service but it seems to have gone. Is it the usual computer glitch that I get or has it disappeared?

Arnhem

 

Ramon,

Now that we have you here ... Were you the submitter of the Private Joseph Gray account on the Pegasus Archive? Can you see any resemblance between Gray, especially in the top picture, and the man on the right in Shell's bar photo. Or am I stretching it once again? Unfortunately the size is a bit small there.

I look at the pictures. A long time It's difficult. I can't say it's the same person but also not sure it isn't. If we can see bigger photo's maybe we can see it better. And maybe somebody else can give his opinion.

Regards
Ramon

 

Shell

I was going to have another look at your fathers record of service for you to see if I could work out any more about his service but it seems to have gone. Is it the usual computer glitch that I get or has it disappeared?

Arnhem

I wrote her to say I thought they were a bit small for viewing and offered some suggestions on size. Hopefully that didn't discourage her. I do have the originals, but I'm feeling guilty now ...

Thank you Ramon. I suppose if it doesn't jump out as a possible match then it's not likely to be the case.

 

Shell

There are few, if any, official nominal rolls for Arnhem available. Those that have been compiled have been prepared by researchers from a variety of sources, normally personal accounts, POW lists, the Hospital registers at Apeldoorn etc.
Similarly the manifest lists for the aircraft are few and far between and it is a matter of luck if you come across one.
I have spent many years going through the records at the National Archive and have found nothing more than a few items of this description relating to 11 Para. I have already posted on this thread the only document on which your Father's name appears and have sent you, by email, copies of the Weekly returns which show him in Leicester hospital in June/July. Sadly the returns for the weeks before and after this period are missing from the monthly reports.

John
Thanks for that John. I noticed that the records are on a week ending basis - so could apply to any part of that week up to the 10th. As there is nothing prior to week ending 10 June, I shall have to see what the Leicester County Records Office send me to illuminate further!

 

Shell

I was going to have another look at your fathers record of service for you to see if I could work out any more about his service but it seems to have gone. Is it the usual computer glitch that I get or has it disappeared?

Arnhem
Hi Arnhem 2280,

The 'glitch' is mine, so will be missing for a while I'm afraid! Thanks for the offer though. Shell

 

Cee

407944 Sgt A Shortland was on para course 69 at Ramat David which started on 28/9/43 so the dating of that photo in October 1943 is spot on. Para course 64 started on 1/9/43 and there were 13 of the 11th battalion on this course as well as members of other units.

Cheers

Arnhem

 

Latest news:
Back on track after adding more additional findings to the manuscript (all the related cabinet files).
Some vital evidence has come forward concerning the 11th Parachute Battalion during the 18th & 19th Of September which will be very interesting indeed.
More news will follow close to September of this year.

Regards,
Dre

 

Latest news:
Back on track after adding more additional findings to the manuscript (all the related cabinet files).
Some vital evidence has come forward concerning the 11th Parachute Battalion during the 18th & 19th Of September which will be very interesting indeed.
More news will follow close to September of this year.

Regards,
Dre


oooh you tease

 

Keep going Dre, nice cover wonder who done it

 

Dre,

Is the file from the National Archives you refer to CAB106/1133?

 

Yes that's the one lancebombardier.

 

Keep going Dre, nice cover wonder who done it
Yeah me too mate ;p

 

oooh you tease
Not teasing you m8, wouldn't dear do that

 

Latest news:
Back on track after adding more additional findings to the manuscript (all the related cabinet files).
Some vital evidence has come forward concerning the 11th Parachute Battalion during the 18th & 19th Of September which will be very interesting indeed.
More news will follow close to September of this year.

Regards,
Dre




Hi Dre,

Is the date of publication in september, this year?

Regards
Ramon