Captain Ernest Thomas COLE, 52nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

Hello,

I am currently researching my Great-grandfather, Ernest Thomas Cole's military record.
Unfortunately this man has been lost to our family, due to his untimely death in 1947.

Recently I discovered a letter and a photo of him. The letter is from September 1937, written as the unit is involved in war games in East Anglia.
He lists his unit as the 52nd Field Regiment, RA.
In the picture we discovered he's wearing what looks like a Captains uniform.
I am currently awaiting his military service record, which I have requested.
In the meantime, I wonder if anyone with a connection to the unit, or who have extracts from the war diary from 1940-1945 could tell me if Captain Cole comes up at all in the diaries or in anyone's research.
I am not sure if he stayed in the 52nd up to 1940, but family rumour was that he was injured at Dunkirk, so I'd love to find out if this is true.

He may have moved units, and as I said we don't have much information on him, but due to his rank and service before the war, we hope his name is mentioned in the diaries, if not that he wrote it himself.

Lastly, in his letter to his wife from 1937, he mentions that:
"I move off in the morning with the 2nd in Command (The Dammed Old Fool) and knowing this Division, am not looking forward to the scheme one little bit"
I loved this bit of personality in the letter, but I wonder if anyone can help me discover who this 2nd in command was that he is referring too, would just be fascinated to know who this man was.

Unfortunately, until I get his military record back, I have little information to go off of, but the family is very excited to finally discover he was in the RA.

Thank you for all your help and for reading this.

I look forward to any help in this amazing forum.


Thanks,

Mike Cole

 

52nd Field Regiment was a TA Regiment from Manchester. Division 52nd (Manchester) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikipedia
The Regiment was split to form a second regiment 110 Field Regiment in 1939 and half of the original officers and men went to 110.

52nd Field were initially part of 42nd East Lancashire Division in France and Home defence, then posted to the middle east and formed part of the divisional artillery for the 8th Indian Division in Italy at the battlesof the river Moro and fourth battle of Cassino.

I was the battlefield historian with 103 (V) Regiment's battlefield study to Italy in 2016. This unit has inherited the heritage of 52nd Field Regiment. One of the photos on my blog post shows the BC and somememmbers of 209 battery (Manchester Gunners) at the grave of one of their soldiers. Wartime Wanderers Revisited | The Observation Post

The duplicate regiment 110 served in the UK, initially with 66th then 59ht Divisions and then Normandy and North West Europe

 

Welcome aboard Mike. You might even without the delays in accessing his Service Record, at the MoD or TNA (Kew) be on a long journey. The record is the definitive record, nowhere else has that detail.

That caveat aside here is a little to read if he was to serve in 52nd Field in WW2.

There is a short thread here, note one member Mr Bradbury had a limited portion of their post-war War Diary (from June 1945 till September 1945). See: 52nd (Manchester) Field Regiment RA TA

A photo of Q Battery, 52 Field and some text: Q Battery 52nd Field Regiment Highland Monarch 1942 | WW2Talk

Note is this exchange Colin states:

Then there are four threads tagged 52 Field: 52 field regiment ra | WW2Talk

A succinct history: 52 (Manchester) Field Regiment RA (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

From Sam Paske's of obituary, who served for a time with the 52nd in North Africa:

Link (may be behind a pay wall): Major Sam Paske, gunner officer – obituary and is available in full on: PASK, PASKE One-Name Study Narratives - Person Page

They served with the 8th Indian Division in Italy. See book extract via: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edit...2+Field+Regiment"&pg=PT16&printsec=frontcover

This may be a duplicate text: Chapter 2 – Eighth Division Advances

A 52nd veteran passage about Dunkirk: Veteran soldiers' last march

 

Hello,

Thank you for all the advice, I’m following your leads and will return with any info!

 

Mike

A bit late, but I have only just seen this post regarding 52nd (Manchester) Field Regt R A (TA), my grandfather served in the Regiment, from 1924 - 1941, and left that year due to ill health. I have the War Diary of 52 (205, 206 & 437 Bty's), and the duplicated 110 Fd Regt (207, 208 & 474 Bty's). I also have a diary that has many photographs (all individually named) with photos in the UK on Exercise BUMPER, and onboard the HMT Highland Monarch on the way to Egypt, with full names of the officers, WOs, Sgts and each Troop, and an original printed Nominal Role. There are many photos during their time in Syria and Iraq, on Exercise STEADY prior to operations there. Again the photos are all named, which is invaluable.

I will have a look through them and post anything that I find.

Kind Regards

Liam

 

Liam,

Just sent Mike Cole a PM, he has not logged in since October 2023, hopefully he will read it.

 

Hello Liam,
I would love to review the documents you have and look for any mention of my relative.
I’ll send you a direct message.


Also thanks David for the message and alerting me!

Cheers!