2019742 J A Buttery, 103 Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Paul Whitehouse, May 6, 2020.

  1. Apologies for the rookie post - I hope it's in the correct place.. 'Jack/ John Andrew Buttery was my much loved grandfather. I wish I had pushed him for more information when he was alive. I have his 'release book' and very little else. My mum has applied for the service record - nothing as yet which I suppose is understandable in the current climate. I've been googling like mad, can't even find anything about 103 Army Troops Royal Engineers. Pretty sure training was in Scotland I know he was possibly doing bomb disposal in Hackney at some point, went to North Africa (Tunisia). Sicily/Italy (was at Vesuvius the day before it erupted) and when the war ended was sent to Athens where I believe he worked on The Union Jack newspaper in some capacity. There was a mention in Dispatches (we didn't find out until he died). Sorry to be so vague but this is more or less all I have to go on at the moment. He didn't talk about the war other than to mention the places he'd been. He buried his medals under the garden path way before I came along. I'm not asking anyone to do my research for me but any information would be greatly received.

    Best wishes - Paul. 20200506_202717[1].jpg
     
  2. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    This is from a RE Order of Battle document I found online a long time ago.

    103rd (Glasgow) Army Tps Coy RE SR (Scottish Command); 3 Sep 1939: Maryhill, Glasgow (GHQ). Embodied 3 Sep 1939. Served with LofC Troops, BEF 1940. Under Scottish Command in May 1940 and Northern Command in Sep 1940. Under WO Reserve in Dec 1941. Served with First Army 1942-43. With 15th Army Group in Italy 1943-45. Disbanded Sep 1945+.

    103 ArmyTps Coy were in Greece (maybe just a detachment) from early 1945. The report says they were unlikely to finish their work and return to Italy if needed before July 1945.

    His boss at the time was 188665 Major Gordon Edwin Coburn Royal Engineers.

    I have a report from Feb 45 stating they were at ELEVSIS Airfield doing the usual LofC stuff. That would be roads, bridges, etc.

    Hope this helps

    Gus
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2020
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  3. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. Your research has started in the right direction by applying for his service records, that is the only way to go as there is very little around online. You definitely need the records for your next step which is to look for the war diaries for the particular units he served with. It is important to note from his release papers that 103 company was the last unit he served with, it is possible he served with others, so may not be too wise to leap into researching 103's WW2 history before knowing the actual dates.

    Unfortunately there has always been a wait to receive them and the present situation has not helped. Be patient.

    Your grandfather received, as you say, a MID, if you haven't seen it this is the notice in the London Gazette, it was for services in North Africa:-
    Page 4224 | Supplement 36180, 21 September 1943 | L...

    One resource that is available online are casualty lists and some POW records - pleased to say he dosen't seem to appear.

    Good luck.
     
  4. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Just a word of caution re his unit and to expand on Tony’s above post. You really need to have sight of his service record before you do any in depth research as I have seen Release Leave Certificates showing a unit to which a man was attached for only a very short time at the end of their service.

    Steve
     
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  5. Thanks for the replies. Didn't realise that there would be such limited information. I'll sit tight for the service record, it's a story I'd love to trace.
     
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  6. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Paul,
    Welcome to the forum. Thought for a moment you may be a relative as my Gran was a Buttrey from East Ham, wrong spelling! Good luck on your search, you will find there a good number of folk on this site who have great knowledge and are only too happy to share it.
     
  7. Morning, it's been a while, yesterday mum received grandads service record. Looks to me as if he was with 103rd Company Glasgow for the duration of his war. I'm be happy to attach photos of the docs sent? Would anyone be able to tell me if war diaries are online? I'm planning to go to the National Archives when they reopen.

    Regards, Paul
     
  8. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Paul.

    Please post photos of his Service Record.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  9. Also, this
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi Paul

    Below are all the the WW2 diaries that come up if you search for 103 Company Royal Engineers. I have put them in date order

    Look carefully at his service before you go to Kew and establish a timeline of where he was at any time (eg Newark, UK - 17/06/40 to 05/03/41)

    Take a note of major events, promotions, any sickness etc. Note changes in Theatres he went to.

    Then order all the diaries below. Each time period will probably come in a box or bound with a ribbon. But only copy (photograph) all of the diaries you need from his first month at the unit to his last.

    Do not read the diaries at Kew. Take a photo of every page and then read them in slow time when you get home.

    103 Army Troops Company Royal Engineers
    War Office: British Expeditionary Force, France: War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL ENGINEERS. 103 Army Troops Company Royal Engineers.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 September 1939 - 30 June 1940
    Reference: WO 167/927
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Europe and Russia | Operations, battles and campaigns

    ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 103 Army Troops Company.

    War Office: Home Forces: War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL ENGINEERS. COMPANIES. ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 103 Army Troops Company.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 July 1940 - 31 December 1941
    Reference: WO 166/3603
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Operations, battles and campaigns

    ROYAL ENGINEERS: FIELD COMPANIES: 103 Company.
    War Office: Home Forces: War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL ENGINEERS. FIELD COMPANIES. ROYAL ENGINEERS: FIELD COMPANIES: 103 Company.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 January 1942 - 31 August 1942
    Reference: WO 166/8066
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Operations, battles and campaigns

    103 Coy.

    War Office: Allied Forces, North Africa (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL ENGINEERS. Companies. 103 Coy.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 November 1942 - 30 June 1943
    Reference: WO 175/623

    Royal Engineers: 103 Army Troops Company (RE)
    War Office: British Forces, Middle East: War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL ENGINEERS. COMPANIES. Royal Engineers: 103 Army Troops Company (RE).

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 July 1943 - 31 December 1943
    Reference: WO 169/10599
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Middle East | Operations, battles and campa

    Companies: 103 Coy.

    War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ITALY. ROYAL ENGINEERS. Companies: 103 Coy.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 1944
    Reference: WO 170/1623
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Europe and Russia | Operations, battles and campaigns

    Companies: 103 Coy.
    War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ITALY 1945. ROYAL ENGINEERS. Companies: 103 Coy.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 1945
    Reference: WO 170/5166
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Europe and Russia | Operations, battles and campaigns

    Companies: 103 Coy
    War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ITALY. ROYAL ENGINEERS. Companies: 103 Coy.

    Held by: The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
    Date: 01 January 1946 - 30 June 1946
    Reference: WO 170/8080
    Subjects: Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Diaries | Europe and Russia | Operations, battles and campaigns

    RE From what I have RE war diaries do tend to be very detailed about what they have been up to (eg road reports, mine fields etc)

    If you do get the diaries, could I have a copy from October 1944 to February 1945.

    Hope this helps

    Gus
     
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  11. This looks so helpful, thanks Gus. Of course I will get said diaries for you. This is going to be such an interesting journey. Cheers again
     
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  12. johnnie

    johnnie Junior Member

    Hi. Really interesting to see this post as I've been researching a chap who was with 103 AT Coy from 1939 to February 1942 when he was commissioned.

    I'd be interested to see what you find, especially if you get around to looking at the early 1940 period.

    Johnnie
     

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