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.
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
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
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
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.
Hi, I'd be very happy to post up anything I can find. This is the first Field return from the 1944 War Diary: 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
And an indication of sporting prowess from the 21 Feb 44 edition of the Hallamshire Herald: Regards Tom
And then, in Normandy (see start of 2nd paragraph) on 25 June: And then the record of his wounding in the 1 Jul 44 field return: Regards Tom
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
Bala, I found this at the bottom of an exercise instruction dated 25 Mar 44: And then this at the bottom of an operation instruction dated 15 Jun 44 in Normandy: Regards Tom
Tom Thank you for the two attachments. Could you possibly let me have a copy of the full operational order of 15 June 44
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.
Hi Bala, No problem at all, I hope you are fully recovered and back on the research trail! Regards Tom