I am deciphering a service record for a relative of mine and am struggling to decipher one particular page which is attached, particularly the entry two above ‘KILLED IN ACTION’. Any help would be much appreciated. I have managed to decipher the other documents in this Service Record. JPP
JPP loks like he was posted to 2nd Bn Ox & Bucks - holding Bn - then on to 2nd Bn prior to being killed ... Cheers
Many thanks for your replies 19 Inf H Coy Btn with effect from 27.1.45 is roughly how I see it but I am not sure that there was such a unit so it does not make any sense to me. re ex overseas, I do know that he was in the Ardennes with 2 Oxf & Bucks in early 1945 defending the line of the River Meuse at Givet. I am still in touch with a vet who was a member of his platoon. The ‘19 Inf H Coy Btn with effect from 27.1.45’ is puzzling me, as the vet I am in touch with remained in the same platoon as my relative from September 1944 until ‘Varsity’ when my relative was killed. JPP
Having given this a bit more thought, I am wondering if ’Posted 19 Inf H Coy Bn with effect from 27.1.45’ could mean that he was seconded to a US unit prior to returning to Oxf & Bucks in time to take part in Operation Varsity. I am wondering if there was an American unit known as ‘H Company 19th Infantry Regiment’ which would fit. JPP
I think Tom is correct. It's not H Coy Bn. It's 'Hldg Bn' - that is, holding battalion If you look closely at the writing, the letters are 'Hldg'. There's a bit of space between the H and the l, which makes them appear to be separate words.
I think Tom is correct. It's not H Coy Bn. It's 'Hldg Bn' - that is, holding battalion If you look closely at the writing, the letters are 'Hldg'. There's a bit of space between the H and the l, which makes them appear to be separate words. Agreed. I must have read the first line incorrectly Lesley
I wish to revisit this topic and with reference to the opening post on this thread in which I have attached a page of my uncle’s service record, it was kindly pointed out that my uncle was posted to 19 Independent Holding Battalion on 27th Jan 1945. Through the use of war diaries I have managed to trace my uncle’s movements throughout his war service with the exception of the period 27th Jan 1945 to 21st March 1945 during which time his service record states he was posted to 19 Ind Hldg Btn. I am keen to fill this gap and wonder if anyone can advise me if a war diary exists for 19 Ind Hldg btn.
