12th Parachute Regiment ( Royal Navy interest)

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by nemesis, Jul 14, 2020.

  1. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Can any Airborne experts please have a look at this in the hope they can add to my research into the following person, he was transferred from the Royal Navy into the AAC. Looking for a photo or a Jump course record or anything anyone can add. Heres my write up so far:

    1939/45 Star,France and Germany Star,1939/45 War Medal and General Service Medal Clasp Malaya awarded to 14985135 Cpl LG Ludwell Army Air Corps and Royal Army Dental Corps, formerly Royal Navy.

    Leslie Graham Ludwell was Born in Pontypridd, Wales on the 26th January 1924. According to existing records he was transferred from the Royal Navy ( DJX721575 ) to the Army Air Corps on the 12th September 1944. Being allocated the Army service number 14985135. After training he subsequently joined the AAC on the 4th of January 1945 . He later appeared on a casualty list as serving with the 12th Parachute Regiment ,his date of injury was not recorded and the letters DNR annotated next to his name but most of the reports on the casualty list show the dates of 24/25th March 1945 which was Operation Varsity ,The Airborne assault during the crossing of the Rhine.
    On the book transferring him from the Royal Navy to the Army several other Royal Navy men were moved at the same time to the Army Air Corps.
    He remained in service after World War Two serving in the Royal Army Dental Corps as 2226636 Cpl in which he was awarded the GSM for Malaya. He died in Taunton Somerset on the 30th December 1977.

    thanks for reading this. Just for info there might be star or stars missing from his RN Service. I have applied the usual way for his documents but how long that will take Is anyones guess.
    Max
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2020
  2. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi. yes DNR would be Date Not Recorded.
    some leap that, Navy to Para to Dental
    Corps?!
    Others will probably the best thing to do is post whatever documents you have on here and we can all look.

    Alex.
     
  3. Richard Lewis

    Richard Lewis Member

    Hello Max,

    According to Army Service Numbers 1920 - 1942

    The Army Order 338 of 1920 allocated 1842001 to 2303000 to the Royal Engineers. 2226636 was a within this range (The Army Dental Corps was allocated 7536001 to 7539000).

    14885135 was allocated to the General Service Corps. This is where recruits went before it was decided to which branch of the army they would be posted.​

    I would have thought that he would keep his original number, 14885135, throughout his army service.

    Richard

    p.s. Findmypast shows service number as 14985135.
     
  4. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

  5. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    You are correct about his number. A typo from me
     
  6. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    The book showing transfers ,some to the AAC. A4564561-77A9-4247-9583-ECEADA215397.jpeg
     
  7. arnhem2280

    arnhem2280 Member

    Hi

    Pte Ludwell was on course B150 at Ringway. The course ran from 22/1/45 to 9/2/45. He was shown as serving with 7th Parachute Battalion when he was on his course.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers

    Arnhem
     
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  8. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Arnhem. Many thanks for your input. Very valuable addition to my research.
    Max
     
  9. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Arnhem I have been trying to find a para course for
    5183086 Henry Anthony McKenzie , he is shown as having joined the Army Air Corps and serving with the 6th Airborne Division , 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment. And serving in North West Europe . I have his service record confirming that he jumped during Op Varsity. No info has been found re his para course from other members who have helped me tremendously in the research. I have asked Paradata ,again nil found.

    McKenzie won the MM in Korea after rejoining the Army.
     
  10. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Do you have the previous and follow on sheets for this?

    Alex.
     
  11. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi.
    ive got some info and a picture of him. May I ask your interest in this chap? Anything 7th Battalion related is always on my radar!
    Alex.
     
  12. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Alex,

    There is a previous thread on Henry Anthony McKenzie at link below that might be of interest.

    MID HA McKenzie Commando / Para

    Regards ...
     
  13. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Max,

    I asked Michael Pine-Coffin if he knew anything more on Cpl. LG Ludwell and unfortunately he didn't. However, his reply was quite informative in other regards so might be of interest to post here.

    "Do not think I can add more to the research on Ludwell, other than course B150 contained a large number of men from both the Navy and the R.A.F. Most are listed as being with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, which was news to Snowy Elliott, who informed me he switched from the Navy to the army. So believe they probably wore the General Service Cap badge, did their basic training and then moved on.

    On the B150 list is Sid Hobbins, he is not listed with the R. Welch Fusiliers but was ex R.A.F. Also a professional football player and became the battalion goal keeper. I know of one other ex Navy man from 7 Para who did his training with the Royal Warwicks Regiment. So it would appear that they were just sent in batches to do basic training with different Infantry training camps.

    I believe a large number of course B150 went to 12 Para, it is odd that the list allocates men to 7 and 13 Para but not 12 Para, so might be either a typing error, or they went to 7 Para, then posted shortly afterwards to 12 Para. The 5th Parachute Brigade was deployed in the Ardennes, when these men were posted from training, so might well have just gone to 7 Para Bn R Company, until the Brigade came back from North West Europe. Then a draft was sent over to 12 Para as replacements.

    It is worth looking at the course list, as I can account for most of the men in alphabetic order being with 7 Para for Op Varsity, then it suddenly stops with the exception of one or two men, which might go down to certain skills, (what battalion is going to give up a professional football player, or more professionally a trained mortar, MMG, signal soldier, if they are short of these skills)

    It is worth noting the hand written number on the casualty list. I believe this might be the reference to the original list sent to casualty bureau. I am in the process of recording these details, to see if it can establish any information on dates and groups of known men killed or wounded.

    This is still in process but it might suggest that Ludwell was wounded on 24/03/1945, as one of the 45 men listed as wounded from 12 Para on Op Varsity (from my memory, source is the 12th Bn book on Germany, so needs double checking as it might be 43).

    The only other point is many of the men claiming the South East Asia and the Palestine bars, do so with new regimental numbers from different units. Not certain what the regulations state, maybe number changed after rejoining the army, instead of transferring whilst still serving."


    Many thanks to Michael for taking the time to respond.

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2020
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  14. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Alex. My interest in HA McKenzie is Gallantry research. And it was only until I got His service papers that I found out what a battler he was. I would be interested in what info you have on him. I have two photos of him.
    max
     
  15. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Hopefully I will have Ludwells papers from the Army Personnel Centre. Will share any info I might have on him. His RN service might also be interesting.
    Yes many thanks to Michael Pine-Coffin for his valuable input. Will study And log the above info.
     
  16. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi. Send me a PM with your email address, easier that way I think!
     
  17. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Sent pm
     
  18. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    3D00E58E-9372-4B68-922A-2C6ED38DD7F6.jpeg 5222BD75-84F7-4A53-B0B9-3097DB92FC77.jpeg
     
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  19. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Some of LG Ludwells documents showing his movements now received from the APC
     
  20. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    Update to you welcome assistance . The documents added show Ludwell was described as Fus in the RWF after his move from the RN to the Army as mentioned by Michael Pine-Coffin . The casualty date now being confirmed on the attached documents
    Max

     

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