HALLAMSHIRE BATTALION MAY 1944

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Bala, Jun 3, 2021.

  1. Bala

    Bala Member

    Looking for the May 1944 Hallamshire Bn (Y & L) war diary.

    My father was the adjutant but was rushed into hospital for an operation but was back before D-Day and sailed with the battalion for Normandy. Did anyone complete the May war diary? May was a busy month, 49 Division were in East Anglia preparing for the move down to the assembly areas.
     
  2. Bruneval

    Bruneval Well-Known Member

    Hi Bala,

    This link takes you to TNA which has the War Diary for Jan - Apr, and Jun - Dec 1944. May 1944 does not seem to have been recorded.

    https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4441413

    Regards

    Bruneval
     
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  3. Bala

    Bala Member

    Thanks - That's what I thought but I am surprised that a month can go by unrecorded.

    Thanks again
     
  4. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Bala,

    There's no May diary in the file at Kew. It does seem to happen in some unit's diaries. Annex A for June 1944 is the list of officers who landed with Battalion in France. Capt W. Ashby (121418) is recorded as the Adjutant.

    Regards

    Tom
     
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  5. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    And in the Field Return for 1 Jul, Capt. Ashby is recorded as having been wounded on 27 Jun 44.

    I'm very happy to post up some snips of those details and anything else signed off by the Adjutant if that would be of interest.

    Regards

    Tom
     
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  6. Bala

    Bala Member

    Yes please Tom I would be pleased to see anything you have.

    Dad enlisted in 1933 enjoyed his Army career but it came to an abrupt halt at leaving an 'O' Group at Tessel Wood when he got a 12SS bullet in the spine that took away the use of his legs.
     
  7. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Hi,

    I'd be very happy to post up anything I can find.

    This is the first Field return from the 1944 War Diary:

    Hallams - Offr Fd Return 8 Jan 44.JPG

    Do you know what your father was doing before 6 Nov 43? I expect new Adjutant's had a course to go on?

    Regards

    Tom
     
  8. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    And an indication of sporting prowess from the 21 Feb 44 edition of the Hallamshire Herald:

    upload_2021-6-4_15-58-28.jpeg

    Regards

    Tom
     
  9. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    And then, in Normandy (see start of 2nd paragraph) on 25 June:

    upload_2021-6-4_16-4-48.jpeg

    upload_2021-6-4_16-7-3.jpeg

    And then the record of his wounding in the 1 Jul 44 field return:

    upload_2021-6-4_16-11-30.jpeg

    Regards

    Tom
     
  10. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    When I was posted (in 1968) to become Adjutant of 5 Queens (V), the only course I had to attend was one on how to manage the unit's Imprest Account (and that would only apply to Territorial Battalions in peacetime).
    Chris
     
  11. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Bala,

    I found this at the bottom of an exercise instruction dated 25 Mar 44:

    upload_2021-6-5_19-34-53.jpeg

    And then this at the bottom of an operation instruction dated 15 Jun 44 in Normandy:

    upload_2021-6-5_19-38-24.jpeg

    Regards

    Tom
     
  12. Bala

    Bala Member

    Tom

    Thank you for the two attachments.
    Could you possibly let me have a copy of the full operational order of 15 June 44
     
  13. Bala

    Bala Member

    Tom
    I don't appear to have thanked you for sending the scans relating to my Dad - So I do so now and apologise for the delay. I have had two stints in hospital so i was a bit preoccupied.
     
  14. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Hi Bala,

    No problem at all, I hope you are fully recovered and back on the research trail!

    Regards

    Tom
     

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