Grandfathers Service History - 117th Royal Artillary & 11th RHA

Hi all,

I recently received my grandfathers service history, My grandfather is currently 93 and for as long as I can remember has not really discussed what went on, apart from a few poignant episodes. After requesting his medals in 2013 he seemed to talk more of his time in the services. In the past few months I began the application process for his service records. This has started the conversation around his time again, and more comes to light everyday to the point he doesn't stop talking about it.

Using this site has proven invaluable so far. What I would like to be able to do is to decipher his service record as much as possible, to be able to give it back to him so that he can read it without it, in his words 'looks like Chinese to me'.
and maybe as an added bonus if anyone can point me in the right direction researching his postings.

A Brief run down so far.

Enlisted on 17/11/42
Posted to 117th Royal Artillery after training
Posted to 11 Royal Horse Artillery whilst in Italy 10/06/44
on an off X and Y lists quite a few times
Finally being posted to 373 POW camp in Wolfsburg 28/10/45
Released 5/2/46

He has spoken about being stationed on the outboard guns on the Empress of Australia whilst it was 3 miles off Liverpool when he boarded. before travelling to Italy - Naples

He also remembers being in Rome the day that the U.S dropped the Atomic Bomb.

Ill upload below a full transcript of what I've deciphered so far.

All I would like at the moment is a little help clearing up what I have deciphered whether that be any mistakes in abbreviations or lines I cant read clearly. Also if anyone has any information on his units that would be great, I've scoured the forum but could have missed something.

Thanks in advance.

Note: Due to a family request I have omitted his Identity.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I don't have anything on 117 Field Regiment post 1942 but I'll get you on your way with the war diary entry covering the day your Grandfather joined 11 RHA.

 

Thanks for that, may be something in there that will jog his memory.

 

Jake93.

11 RHA (HAC) supported 1 British Armoured Division in Italy in 1944.

I am taking a group to Rimini on 19-22 Apr 18 if you would like to see what that Div got up to. It had a really tough time trying to break the Gothic Line in the first three weeks of Sep 44 for which they paid a heavy price. The ground over which the operated was frightful.

The Queen's Bays have erected a memorial to their time on the Gothic Line and, unusually, they have included all the Offrs and men of 11 RHA who were killed whilst supporting them. An evident tribute to the men of 11 RHA.

Regards

Frank
Guide
www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk