LRDG Info required

I have reason to believe that my dad volunteered for the LRDG (mainly because I eventually got it out of him) however, dad recently passed away and nine months later I got his military records. There is no mention in his records of the LRDG only that he served in North Africa, Middle East, Italy & Greece. Would it have been put on his records or was it so secret? Is it still classified information? Would love to hear from anyone with any information.Many Thanks
On the very slim chance that there might be someone that would remember him his name was Peter (k/aJohn or Darkie) Ehrlich born in Hackney in The Hampshire Regt and Royal West Kents.

Jane

 

Hi Jane and welcome to the forum.

Send Kuno a PM-He's rather good on all things LRDG.

Regards
Andy

 

Jane seemstrange that the posting to the LRDG was ommitted for his records ar thger was nothing too secret about their activities any more than there was about the SAS or Popski's forces....

I suspect that from what you have written that he was in the Algerian/ Tunisian Campaign with either 4th - 46th Divs who both had Hampshires - or 78th Div who had the West Kents but only 78th went to the Mid East and only the 4th went to Greece- so a scan would be helpful in order to assist with the facts...
cheers

 

Send Kuno a PM-He's rather good on all things LRDG.

Andy; I am not as good in such LRDG things as you may think - but I know where to ask and am always happy that people are willing to share their deep knowledge.

In this subject I had addressed to Jack Valenti of the LRDG - Long Range Desert Group Preservation Society and he gave me the following reply - hope it helps:


"Kuno, you can pass on this info to Jane....

I do not find his name in my data base (currently have about 1300 names). And yes all of the Military Records that I have seen indicate that the Trooper would have been "attatched" to the L.R.D.G.
And no it was not so secret that it would not have been included on his records.
Although the LRDG did serve in those areas she indicated so did many other British units.

Jack Valenti / LRDG Preservation Society"

 

Welcome to the forum


Cheers
Paul

 

Kuno -
That response from Jack Valenti makes a great deal of sense as there is no way that posting would have been ignored in his records - and as I wrote - he was probably in one - or two of the divisions I mentioned as the 4th Inf Div was in a state of flux after the fighting ceased in Tunisia - the 21st Tank bde was made independent and the 28th bde was attached in order to make them a full Infantry Division- from a "mixed" - and they were on their way to Italy - finishing up in Greece at the back end of 1944 - the 78th went off to Egypt in the August of 1944 for a rest and reinforcement coming back in the September for the Gothic Line battles

Cheers

 

Hi Jane, welcome to the forum

You mentioned your father served in Greece. I have found references that the LRDG were active in Greece in late 1944 (as were other SF such as the Paras, RSR, SAS, SBS and SOE). Their deployment to Italy was postponed when a bloody civil war broke out on 3rd December 1944.

The 2/4th Hampshire Regt were also one of many reinforcements dispatched to quell the pro-communist insurgency. They were flown to Greece in the bomb bays of RAF Liberator and Wellington aircraft from Italy on 11th December 1944.

I have researched my own father's time in Greece during the troubles, so if you would like more details, just let me know.

Can you tell us which battalions of the Hampshire Regt and Royal West Kents he served in and it might help to make things clearer. They should be on his service records.

Hope this helps

Gus

 

Gus - thank you for that posting as you perhaps know that 2/4th Hampshires were in 28th bde of 4th British Infantry Division and we know that that Division was in Greece at the back end of 1944...and while Jane " has reason to believe" her Father volunteered for the LRDG - there is no record so far of his being accepted as Jack Valenti - of the LRDG preservation society - can find no record of his name amongst 1300 other names as being members of that force.

We are also aware that 6th Royal West Kents were serving in 36th bde of 78th Division, who didn't go to Greece. So perhaps he was involved in North Africa with the 78th - was transferred to 28th Bde of 4th Div in the December of '43 - went on to Italy in time for their part in Operation Diadem then took a further part in the Gothic Line battles alongside the Canadian Divisions before going off to Greece - BUT - we don't know all that as yet - and we won't until we see the records....

A scan will however help to clear up this issue whenever Jane gets around to it ...
Cheers

 

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Hi - thank you so much for your reply apologies for delay in replying only just found your reply by chance ( I am finding my way round site slowly - I am a bit of a techno phobe) I was a bit surprised when I eventually got dads records back. tom asked for a scan should I scan in the records I have received and send them to you. Just had a quick look, it seems he was in 70th Battalion Hampshire Regt (yS) then 12th Battalion Hampshires then transferred to 1st Battalion RWK
Hope this helps

Edit; Attached some jpeg scans of bits of Dad's record referring to regiments and woundings in Italy/Greece, and refereneces to medals.

Previously spoke with a military archivist who was researching Jewish servicemen. He said that the 4th Div had a sign badge of a red circle with a quarter cut away, which my father did have in a photo taken in Greece. the 4th Div fought in North Africa with the 1st Army and central med. Force, Italy and Greece. He mentioned that if he was LRDG he would have had a 4th Div sign at some stage on his shoulder - hence my efforts to dig a little deeper.


EDIT (2): Added some more records in the pdf file below.