Grandad in the Queen's - But Which Battalion?

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by At Home Dad (Returning), Dec 15, 2008.

  1. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo all

    I'd like to get hold of the War Diaries for the Queens (Royal West Surrey)
    but I'm not sure which Brigade or Battalion to look at!

    Actually, I reckon he must have been 131 Brigade, as he mentioned being at El Alamein. I grabbed this from the Army website:

    "In 1938, the TA battalions were ordered to double their strength. The Queen’s battalions formed into two brigades; 131 (Queen’s) Brigade consisted of 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th Queen’s"

    What would be the score on the War Diaries?
    Can anyone suggest a way I could possibly narrow it down to Battalion?
    Or should I look at all three anyway?

    Does anyone have a National Archive reference for the WD's,
    I cant get my head around how those WO searches work!

    Many thanks & kind regards
     
  2. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    At Home Dad -
    you are quite right that all three Queen's battalions made up the 131st bde in 7th Armoured Division - and they were among the many to take part in the "Gazala Gallop" and find their way to near Wadi El Halfa during the battle for that place in which Rommel was given a bloody nose - and his first defeat by Monty

    The 131st were then reinforced in order to take part in the main El Alamein battle of Oct 23 rd and must have been at close to full strength.... so all you would have to do is to go through about 2200 names to find your Grandad... and so I would wish you good luck....OR try to find a next of kin to apply for his service records from Glasgow - easier !
    Cheers
     
  3. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Cheers Tom,

    Actually, Private Marney (Grandad) was in the Queens
    from 1938 all the way through to September '44 (Ghent),
    when he got MG42'd in the legs and returned to UK.

    I'm after the WD's to try and follow what he was up to,
    Dunkirk, Nth Africa, Italy, Europe etc. Family lore says
    he earned a MM and a MiD somewhere along the line.

    So 131 Bde War Diaries would be the best bet to get to
    have a look at at Kew.

    I am aiming to get his Service Record at some point, but
    at the moment (this darned credit crunch) the £30 price
    plus the six months wait isn't an option!

    Can anyone kindly point me to the WO reference on the NA
    for 131 Bde War Diaries?

    Thanks for your help, Tom


    Kind regards all
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Have a look here.
    Detecting your browser settings

    <TABLE id=Table6 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="Contains names of persons, organisations, places or subjects which are important to the records and links to searches of catalogue entry details" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row width="25%">WO 166/4495</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1939 Sept.- 1940 Mar., June - 1941 Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 166/8835</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 Jan.-June</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 167/807</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1940 Apr.-May</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/5048</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 July- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/10279</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1943 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 171/1366</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1944 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 171/5275</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1945 Jan.-Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 171/9269</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/5 Queens</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1946 Jan.- Mar

    </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    <TABLE id=Table6 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="Contains names of persons, organisations, places or subjects which are important to the records and links to searches of catalogue entry details" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row width="25%">WO 166/4497</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1939 Sept.- 1940 Mar., June - Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 166/4498</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1941 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 166/8837</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 Jan.-Apr.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 167/809</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1940 Apr.-May</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/5050</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 June- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/10281</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1943 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/23234</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1946 Jan.- June</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 171/1367</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/6 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1944 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    <TABLE id=Table6 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="Contains names of persons, organisations, places or subjects which are important to the records and links to searches of catalogue entry details" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row width="25%">WO 166/4501</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1939 Sept.- 1940 Mar., July - 1941 Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 166/17193</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1945 Jan.-Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 166/8839</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 Jan.-May</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 167/811</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1940 Apr.-May</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/5052</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1942 July- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 169/10283</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1943 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR><TR><TH class=resultsnoborder scope=row>WO 171/1368</TH><TD class=resultsnoborder>[​IMG]1/7 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)</TD><TD class=resultsnoborder>1944 Jan.- Dec.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  8. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all that!

    I dont have his Army Number, but
    he was Arthur William 'Bill' Marney.

    Just looking on your link and he doesn't
    appear to be there. Would it be correct
    to presume at this point that there was
    no Award (family fiction) or that I should
    continue to look elsewhere?

    Cheers for the diary references, it would
    have taken me until about 2010 to find that
    lot! And I dont mean ten past eight!


    Kind regards
     
  9. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Remember those diaries aren't online so it means a visit. For the long period you are interested in, I would suggest taking a digital camera, as you are looking at 100s of pages!

    The Hons/Awards recommendations are not 100% complete. It would be worth checking his name in the London Gazette:

    Advanced Search
     
  10. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Thanks Paul.

    Yes, I've got a big visit planned, probably over two days,
    ranging from a couple of WW1 13/Essex officers Service Records,
    the War Diaries of 2 Recce in Burma and any POW info I can find
    for my other Grandfather. Would like to be able to discover where
    he was held, so I've got the POW records to hit. A digital camera
    with back up batteries and cards is a defo!

    It's my first ever visit, so I thought I'd go for it!

    Searching the gazette online, it too brings back zilch for A W Marney.
    I shall have to do some more family digging :)

    Kind regards
     

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