337 HAA Battery, Royal Artillery

Having the war dairy for 75th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (WO 171/4887) have some dates for Major ERG Heath MBE as second-in command of 86th (Honourable Artillery Company) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery from 9 Nov 45

75th Anti-Aircraft Brigade

Hope this helps

 

My late Grandfather was in RA 107 HAA Regiment from 1943 onward having being transferred firstly from the Royal Engineers in 1939 then in to a LAA Regiment then finally in to 107 HAA Regiment. He did not talk about the war very much at all and switched off the war films when they came on TV saying it was nothing like real life, rubbish. I can remember him telling me about being strafed in Holland and saying soldiers scattered under the trucks with the civilians holding on to little white crosses at the road side left in the open. He said when the shells and bombs came over there was none of the nonsense you saw on the movies. I believe he was at one point in Belsen camp as he told my mother what he saw, people strung up. He was based at Brayton Barf at Selby for a period once being sent on a dispatch motorbike to Leeds, it broke down in the pouring rain. He arrived in France in July 1944 there to after the war finally ended. He told me he saw many towns absolutely flattened in Germany and strangely sometimes all that was left to see was the church stood up alone. From memory he mentioned Ted Heath as being an officer. I have his service record and a couple of photos and a good photo of him with no: 2 dress. He was a Bombardier with a fitters trade insignia hammer and pincers badge British 2nd Army. He was wounded in the leg but I do not know what battery he was in. He told me the Germans were really hard nuts to crack, proper professional soldiers but was not so complementary about others. He told me the best General was Montgomery and said my mob was the Royal Artillery. As an old man my mother took him to the local British Legion, they had a concert party show on with all the old military songs. He thought it was great, the best night he had for years he said. When ill and on morphine he refused to go to hospital saying the Germans nearly got me once, they are not getting me now. He died in 1991 and had the Union Jack on his coffin. I have his medals with his officers report, It said conduct good, he is really useful employed with his technical and mechanical theoretical knowledge especially when applied.
It would be good to know of any further information if anyone can advise.

 

Hello Annie. My name is Keith Burkinshaw and my late father, James Burkinshaw, was with Edward Heath during this time and maintained correspondence with him for many years after ww2, also meeting up with him when Mr Heath came up to Bradford/Leeds on his trips. My father was RSM to Edward and in the photo at the top of this forum (the 3ft long one I have here at home plus the smaller one) my father is 2nd row up (seated) 4th from the left.My father also told me about the time they guarded the German guards from one of the concentration camps. Albert Pierrepoint, the UK executioner, came over to hang about 20/25 of them over 2 days after they had had some sort of a trial. My father says he once told Edward that he should be in politics as he was such a good organiser and orator! I think my father has a mention in Edward's Autobiography "The course of my life" Page 100 1st paragraph! I have a couple of photos of my father whilst in Antwerp and in fact whilst there he, and other colleagues, were befriended by a local family the husband and wife eventually became my godparents! Dad didn't talk too much about the war (I gather that was quite common) but just 1 or 2 snippets kept coming out, some of which even I have forgotton. I do have some of the (brief) correspondence sent to my father from Edward, mainly thanking Dad for some letter he wrote to him. Would be lovely to hear from you. Regards Keith

 

Hello bigbe,
My father, James Burkinshaw, is also in this photo! He was RSM to Edward Heath, who was his Adjutant. Yes they did guard German prisoners at one point who, I believe, were top brass and guards from one of the camps they came across in Germany. My dad told me that after the trial (as if they needed one!) Albert Pierrepoint came over from the UK and hung the Germans over a 2 day period. My dad mentioned that the worst of the bunch was a female, (can't remember her name), a real sour faced b.....ch, not one drop of remorse in her. Went to the gallows without a wimper! Dad is 2nd row up. seated, 4th in from the left.
Cheers
Keith

 

Hello Keith
welcome to the forum
I have sent both members you mentioned a private message they have not been on the forum for a while so hopefully they will log back on.



regards
Clive

 

Thank you Clive !
Best Annie

 

Hello Keith, thank you very much for this. I would love to see a copy of the letters . It would be fabulous to write this up to include this in our exhibition if we can. I cant enlarge the photo...is it just the battery ?It would be great to see a photo of your Dad in uniform. I have just reread the paragraph -your father was responsible for roast pork!!! My work email is annie@arundells.org if you are happy to share what you remember from your father and with photos. I would obviously let you see anything I write for approval. Personal touches like this really help people to engage.
Thank you !

 

Hello Keith
the 3ft photo- is that of the whole regiment ? If so would love to see it / see if we could obtain a copy with many thanks Annie

 

Thank you for sharing this ! It is so important to keep and share these memories. I am a 3rd generation proud army brat and as well as serving myself was married to someone in the military too. I would love to see the photo of him!

 

His record states:
2100545 War Substantive Bombardier Ernest Suddes Royal Artillery.
Deemed to have enlisted in the Territorial Army Royal Engineers and posed to 398/49th Anti - Aircraft Battalion 29.08.39
Embodied 02.09.39
Posted to 217 Searchlight Training Regiment 07.11.39
Posted to 49th Anti - Aircraft Battalion 17.02.40
Passed Trade Test and qualified as a Fitter 01.03.40
Transferred to Royal Artillery 49th Anti - Aircraft Battalion re-designated 49th Searchlight Regiment 01.08.40
Promoted acting Bombardier 02.09.40
Granted the rank of war substantive Bombardier 02.12.40
Posted to 389/111 Regiment 16.10.42
Posted to 107 Heavy Anti - Aircraft Regiment 26.03.43
Released to reserve 16.12.45
Discharged 10.02.54 attained age of 45 no further liability for recall.

Overseas service North West Europe 03.07.44 - 04.10.45

Testimonial
A capable technician, he has always shown skill in carrying out his job and during battery's engagements in North West Europe over a period of ten months, used his technical ability to good effect. He is most useful when technically employed and has practical skill in vehicle maintenance and repair work is linked to a sound basia of theoretical knowledge. Military conduct good.

 

Hello again Annie,
Yes I believe the "long" photo is of the whole regiment, at least there are plenty of men on it! I have now "found" 2 other photos in this series each one with less men on them than the one shown in this forum! The last one only has 12 men on it, my Dad included. I'll do my best to copy all of these and email the photos to you at your email address. Any other photos will also be forwarded and any other information I can find I will gladly share.
Best Wishes
Keith

 

Hi All. This is my first post here. I am researching information about my late grandfather. I have a copy of the long photograph and it is in pretty good condition. My grandfather was BQMS John Henry McInnies. He is seated in the second row third from the left ... apparently sitting next to Keith Burkinshaw's father! I also have a 'Certificate in token of my appreciation of the outstandingly good service which you have rendered.', signed by General Bernard Paget - CIC 21st Army Group dated 1/1/1944. I have had the photo scanned and am fixing up some blemishes and damage to the surface; then will frame it along with his medals. It would be interesting to identify as many of the personnel as possible and mark annotate the picture, accordingly. If anyone would like a scanned copy of the picture just message me ... happy to share.

 

Hello, Annie from Arundells again! Sir Edward Heath.
We have updated our soldier exhibition in the house and it looks fab! I am putting together an album entitled "They Also Served" and it will form a part of the exhibition. So far I have photos and a story about RSM Burkinshaw and Bombadier Ernest Suddes. If anyone else stumbles across this thread and their father or grandfather served with Edward Heath and you would like to share their story please do get in touch annie@arundells.org
I hope to add to the album !

 

I have a smaller picture but it does not say who they are. I am thinking of applying for his service records, is this easy to do?

 

Your late father may well have known my father. Like Edward Heath, he was posted to 86 HAA Reg (HAC) in late 1944.He was Lt FA Harrington.

 

I contacted the MOD for dads army records and they said they have been transfered to the National Archives. Sadly it does not say how to request them from there. Anyone know how to do this?

 

This is the other photo I have but it has nothing written on it

 

Go here Get a copy of military records of service I received my father's records yesterday. It took around 3 months.

 

I have that photograph and it has my father on it. It is a battery photograph.He is on the right of the officer in glasses as you look at it.I also have another that shows him with all the drivers of the battery. I will upload it later.

 

That is where I applied and told to go to the national archives. It just did not say how to get them from there