Hello My Dad was Kenneth Walter Willis. He was posted to, or joined, all the above Field Security Services. He was also in France months before Dunkirk. He came to the UK from France to fight, he was adopted and lived there until the war. He spoke French fluently. He was also in the BAOR up until 1946 I believe. I have a photo of him in his unit with names on the back of the photo of Top row: L to R : Kentish, Grainger, Austin, Mukella? : Second row: Taylor, Mattheson, Murrow? WILLIS, Hunnisett, Sc***zzi, Third Row: Sgt Hussy, Sgt Kenyon, Merritt, Sgt ?Slythers. Some of those names might ring a bell I hope. The postcard is dated 1st July to 19th January written in French. I assume Dad wrote the card. Can anyone throw any more light on the work I have done so far? I am not sure what unit this is in the photo. Many thanks all.
Welcome aboard. There are other threads on the function / role of Field Security Section (FSS), general answers to your need for "light" might be there. There are a few pgs. (below) on the FSS in a 2009 PhD Thesis on civil affairs / government in Normandy. See: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/139272.pdf Update: The cited pgs are. 388-391; even though the 'Contents' say elsewhere
Intelligence: 251 Field Security Section (FSS) | The National Archives Cant find similar for 278 or 59 TD
‘Forearmed’ by AH LeQ Clayton reflects that over 450 FSSs existed “at one time or another” during the War. He mentions that by August 1940, the first Middle East sections had been designated ... including 251 FSS, but gives no further associated detail. Another vague snippet suggests 278 FSS was in Southern Greece in a time bracket between October 1944 - February 1945, again without expansion. 59 FSS does not seem to feature, but will not be alone in that. The book gives a feel for the very broad spectrum of fascinating and mundane activities that the FSSs got up to and you might like to get hold of Norman Lewis’s “I Came, I Saw”, which includes some quirky reminiscences, as does another of his offerings focused on particular bitter-sweet experiences, “Naples ‘44”.
Hi I have a record of 268 FSS in Greece. They were in Athens and Salonika, but nothing for 278. Source: 3 Corps OOB - WO 204-8802 Hope this helps Gus
Could you help me out with those please? O never knew Dad and all this has never been spoken about let alone known. thanks.
Hi Thanks, I read Naples 44 and saw the telly programme on it. My mate cynically suggested my Dad would have been part of that. I am finding out different. Had people say 'probably part of the catering corps' as well!
Hello, I tried this link and the pages are reference to book used, a bibliography. ? Am I in the wring place?
278 was in Winchester. Just had info from The Military Intelligence Museum. Dad was in the FSW, Field Security Wing, in overall charge of the FSS.
278 and 59 : 278 were in Winchester and became FSW Field Security Wing, Green Caps? 59 was in Brussels and at Arromanche on DDay.
Memo to me: always check all the appendices! 251 FSS - Port Said 1940-45 278 FSS - UK, North Africa, Italy (X Corps) 1942-44, Greece 1945 59 FSS - Sierra Leone (Freetown Port) 1940-44, NW Europe (Lines of Communication) 1944-45
Have yet to publish Intelligence Corps units, however here goes for post VE Day 251 Field Security Section – no record 14 Dec 45 – 278 Field Security Section: 49 Inf Div (Hamm) – to 52 Inf Div 18 Mar 46 – to 4 Armd Bde 15 May 46 – to 22 Armd Bde 15 Jul 46 8 May 45 – 59 Field Security Section: 15 Line of Communication Sub Area (Bocholt) – to 1 Canadian Army – to 3 Inf Div (Reitzersteinstrasse 30, Recklinghausen) 15 Jun 45 – to 52 Inf Div 23 Aug 46 – to 49 Inf Div 7 Mar 46 Army Troops only under divisions/brigades for administration Hope this helps https://britisharmyingermany.com (under construction)
