I have just joined the forum and am trying to research my grandfather. He was a Staff Sergeant in the RAOC but attatched to LAD 106 RHA. Could someone help me out with what the LAD was and what his job would be in what I believe is an artillery regiment. Many thanks in advance Richie407
Hi Richie, A LAD is a Light Aid Detachment - basically a small maintenance and repair sub-unit attached to a 'fighting' regiment or battalion. In the early days, this was an RAOC responsibility until REME (Royal Electical & Mechanical Engineers) was formed in 1942. Is there any record of your grandfather transferring between the two corps?
Hi Idler, Thanks for the prompt reply. He would not have transfered as he was KIA 26/4/41. However I do know that prior to the war he was an engineer/fitter so being in that type of job would have made sense.
Oops - sorry, though that may fit with the fate of 106 RHA. I was at IWM Duxford yesterday and got a photo of a Bofors 37mm anti-tank gun (the Polish variant). Will dig it out and post later.
yes I will have to look into 106RHA to see what happened. I know that my Gran always said that Grandad was lost at sea.
Hi Richie, I found 2 who might fit the bill. Staff Sergeant Leonard Thornhill. CWGC have his date of death as between 26 and 27 Apr 41. He was the husband of Elizabeth, from Bude, Cornwall. Staff Sergeant Percy John Clark . Again, CWGC have his date of death as between 26 and 27 Apr 41. He was the husband of Frances from Grantham, Lincs.. Both are commemorated on the Athens Memorial. Roxy
Hi Roxy, Sorry for the delay in answering( my turn to do tea). Thanks Percy is my Grandad. Do you know if they were from the same unit ? Thanks for your help Richie
Richie, I found 24 ROAC personnel killed between 26 and 27 Ap 1941. All are commemorated on the Athens Memorial. Only one showed details of 106 LAD; Pte Mozes Hochberg (PAL/6095). Roxy
According to CWGC, 741 British Army personnel died between 26 and 27 Apr 41. Of the 59 cemeteries and memorial, 30 personnel are commemorated at Phaleron, in Greece; 73 are commemorated at the other 57. The remaining 638 are commemorate on the Athens Memorial. Roxy
Roxy Thanks for the help. I checked on the CWGC and found 16 members of the RAOC killed on the same day. They were all attatched to 106 LAA regt RA. That leads to my next question. Do you know what the make up of an LAD attatched to an artillery regiment was? Thanks Richie407
Ritchie Don't know what an LAD Detachment for Artillery was but in the Tank regiments we had in each Squadron X 3 plus more at HQ - there were one sergeant and two men fitters and one signalman - with a base depot for larger repairs at Brigade headed by a couple of Officers - so the Artillery would be about the same... Cheers
Hi Richie, I see you found this thread: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/north-africa-med/19667-106-lanc-hussars-lt-aa-regt-ra-april-1941-a-2.html It seems quite possible that your relative was lost in the sinking of destroyers HMS Diamond or HMS Wryneck who picked up survivors from an unnamed 'transport'. It might be worth looking further into these two vessels.
I wonder if 26th April was the date that he was last seen alive ? The dates 26th /27th and the number of missing from a single unit might point towards the sinkings of the 'Slamat', 'Diamond' and 'Wryneck' on 27th April during the evacuation from Greece to Crete. There were apparently almost no survivors from the three. http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?132264 106 LAA seem to have made it to Crete. The LAD must have been unluckier. Great minds think alike, Mike !
Rich P, interesting that the wrecksite link says 'evacuation of CRETE' when in fact Crete wasn't evacuated until May 1941. It was of course the evacuation of Greece TO Crete in April.
