Kings Own Royal Regiment in Burma

Dear forum friends

I have found out that my 'Uncle Jim' was a CSM in the King's Own Royal Regiment, Service Number 3709622. Using the FMP website he is listed on the Burma Wounded List (Record Set is British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45). Following his name and rank there is a number 790 This number is alongside many others on the page shown; other numbers are 788, 788 and 789. Does anyone know what this is referring to? Also after this number there is an annotation - 5/Nigeria R. - is this a battalion/unit reference? The date of casualty is given as 20.1.45. He did return from the war so perhaps he did not fall into enemy hands as I could not find him on the FMP Prisoner of War Database.

if anyone can assist in helping me to find out more it would be greatly appreciated!

I have just applied for his death certificate so I can request access to his service records. I understand though supplying his service records may take a long time.

Many thanks and best wishes.

Gary

 

Gary,

You have done the right thing by moving to get his service records. Once they arrive, members of the forum can help you interpret them.

 

5/Nigeria R. could be 5th Battalion Nigeria Regiment which was in Burma.

 

Yes, it means that he was a CSM in 5 Nigeria Regiment, 4 West African Brigade and that he was was wounded in the Arakan.
No only did he not fall into enemy hands (not many did in this campaign), he was not wounded badly enough to be evacuated and 'remained at duty' in the phrase used at the time
The mystery numbers next to the casualty entries have been discussed on this forum many times, without, as far as I know, any firm conclusion yet. There are plenty of theories. There is a thread on here somewhere, for which you may need to search.

 

Jitter Party - Thank you very much. I know he was a regular in the King's Own Royal Regiment (KORR) prior to WW2 and wonder further why on the list referred to he is listed under KORR if he was in the Nigerian Regiment? I thought the Arakan campaign was around 1942-43; his casualty date is given as January 1945?
I will be really interested to see his service records. I have also raised a query with the KORR Museum In Lancaster, not thinking for a moment that he was in the Nigerian Regiment.
Best wishes
Gary

 

Cheers
Gary

 

Thanks Owen - an interesting paper.
Gary

 

Thank you; that is helpful.
Cheers
Gary

 

As Owen says; still King's Own but attached to the Nigeria Regiment.
No, there was heavy fighting in the Arakan during each campaigning season; 42-43, 43-44 and 44-45. 5 NR was in 82 WA Div (with a period attached to 81 WA Div, too), so while you are waiting for his service records to arrive you might be able to read up a bit on those two divisions and the war in in the Arakan.

 

Thank you Jitter Party. So his wounding may not necessarily have allowed Jim 'to remain at duty'? I will explore further - thank you for your help.

 

No, exactly the reverse; he DID remain at duty.

 

Thanks Jitter Party. Where did you find this information?
I have located two files at Kew but unfortunately not downloadable:

W0/172 /9572 2nd West African Brigade
and
WO/172/6686 The Nigerian Regiment: 5 Bn.

In your experience how long does it take to get service records back? I am still awaiting his death certificate form the GRO. I guess I will have to be patient!
Cheers
Gary

 

From here;

I haven't checked, but I am fairly sure that War Diaries will be available for all of the relevant units at Kew, but be aware that he may not be mentioned in any of them.

5 NR was in 4 WA Bde, not 2 WA Bde. (It is the Nigeria Regiment, not Nigerian Regiment.)

Yes, I believe that the wait for service records can be quite long. There is a thread on the subject here for which you can search. Patience is a virtue.

I would recommend;

1) General background reading on the campaign, while you wait for the records.

2) Make sure that you understand his service records when they arrive. Scan them and post them on here; help will be forthcoming.

3) Then have a look at the relevant War Diaries if you feel that you have more to learn.

 

Great - many thanks! I appreciate your time in helping me.
Do you have an opinion on the best genealogy sites for military records (currently on FMP)?
I am a real newbie to WW2 so I will begin my journey in this theatre of war.

 

Gary,

Good advice from Jitter Party there. The 5 NR diary you found there is for 1944 as you may have seen.

WO172/9617 is the reference for the 1945 diary and
WO172/11315 for 1946.

Good luck going forward.

Steve

 

Currently taking a year to get records back from the MOD! Still worth doing.

Getting the War Diaries and reading around on the 5th Bn Nigeria Regiment and 82nd West African Division makes sense in the meantime makes sense.

82nd West African Division - Burma Star Memorial Fund

 

Many thanks for the link.
Cheers
Gary

 

Cheers Steve!