Hi All, I`m new to the board so hope I got the right forum. I am trying to find out a little more about my Grandfather and heard from family he served on Iceland. He was in the Territorial DWR, West Yorks and I have two medals of his the Efficient Service Medal which I believe was for 12 years service and the War Medal WW2, but I wonder like other campaigns, Was there a medal for serving in Iceland? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks. Dave.
Hi Dave and welcome to the forum. To answer your Q in one word -No. I'm guessing he served with 49th Inf. Div? If so they did end up in Normandy a few days after D-Day in 1944. Do you have his service records? Andy
Hi highgroundsman, I cannot help you on this (or much else really as I know a lot less than I thought I did!) but I am sure there are plenty of folk here who can, so Ill wish you well with your research, and a hearty Hello!
Thanks Andy, Not sure about his unit as my own area of research is usually the Air War stuff, so army is new to me. I don`t have his service record but know his D of B was 6/6/1901 so he was I think too young for WW1, but must have been in the Territorials from the 1930s to have reached 12 years by the end of WW2, so my guess in 1933. All I know is he was Duke of Wellington`s West Yorkshire, now I found that he was in Reykjavik,Iceland and this was probably sometime between 1940 and 42. So really that is all I have at the moment other than his name & service number which was Pvt John Allen 4610207. Don`t know if the latter number gives any clues. Regards Dave.
Highgroundsman - Drew has it right as the 49th Div were in Iceland at that time and is why they had the polar bear as their Div sign - it was at first a tame bear but on landing in Normandy - the GOC had it changed to a ferocious bear ! The Germans didn't like them - they called then "the Polar Bear Butchers " as they fought like bears especially at Raurey against the 12 SS Panzers, where my cousin with the DLI was killed and 6th Dukes were fired. Patrick Delaforce wrote the book on the 49th Div. history which should be in your local library.....friend of mine was home on leave from Iceland one Christmas when there was knock on the door....he was confronted by a dustman looking for a Christmas tip as he said - "I am the man who empties your bin" and so my friend - on slamming the door said " and I'm the buggar that fills it " .... Cheers "The Polar Bears" Monty's left flank - Patrick Delaforce. ISBN - 0 -75370 - 265 - 7
Firstly may I thank everyone for the warm welcome to the board, I have often frequented the RAF Commands board before as my main area of research is Aviation in WW2, but looking back only 2 members of the family were RAF, all the rest were either Army or Navy, including my Grandad of whom I know nothing about service history wise, or at least I didn`t until I arrived here. To Andy & Tom, I would say you are spot on with the 49th, and a bit of googling show me he was likely to have been 1/6 or 1/7th Bat with the DWRs. I think the way to go now is to apply for a service record from Glasgow as 12 years is a long time and it would seem only a year or two would have been spent by him on Iceland, so I am now as curious as ever as he never spoke much about the war and he died back in 1968 at the young age of 66. Thanks again for your help and the hearty welcome. Regards, Dave.
Dave - The 1/6th & 1/7th Dukes were in the 147 bde of 49th Div until just after Tessell Wood ( 26/27th June'44)where inexperience caught up with the 1/6th Dukes and they were sent back to the Uk on Monty's express orders to be a reinforcement unit for the 1/7th after a great deal of re-training. It was a real shame as they were thrown in at the deep end without too much experience and suffered for it. The 10th - 11th and 12th DLI over on 70th bde had much the same treatment in going against the 12 SS panzers with no tanks and just rifles at Raurey both battles were in the prelude to Epsom(0peration Martlett/Albacore) which was a really bad Battle which didn't achieve much but cost a great deal of lives...get the book and his service records it's all there ! Actually the regiment I served in - the 145th RAC was founded from the 8th Battalion Dukes in 1941 and all the officers were from the Dukes as well.. Cheers
Hello Dave, Re your Posted Message. My Grandfather also served in Iceland with the DWR. I have a number of photos I can share with you if you send me your email address. There are some group photo's that may also include your relative and some on the dockside where troops lined up for the visit of Viscount Gort. This picture also appears in the regimental magazine. Also a newspaper cutting titled "Don't Forget The Frozen Legion" Refering to the British Army in Iceland. Re medals for Iceland. There was no official medal for service there, though a unofficial medal was produced, The Arctic Convoy Medal. I have my Grandfathers along with the newspaper interview he gave when receiving the medal, again if you forward your email I will send you a copy of the qualification for the medal that was I believe instigated with some assistance from Russia as the Arctic convoys protected by the 49th Division in Iceland were enroute to Russia. Regards Dave in York Hi All, I`m new to the board so hope I got the right forum. I am trying to find out a little more about my Grandfather and heard from family he served on Iceland. He was in the Territorial DWR, West Yorks and I have two medals of his the Efficient Service Medal which I believe was for 12 years service and the War Medal WW2, but I wonder like other campaigns, Was there a medal for serving in Iceland? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks. Dave.
Dave, Just found this link to take you to the Arctic Campaign Medal Arctic Campaign Medal | Proposed by the Russian Convoy Club Dave in York Hello Dave, Re your Posted Message. My Grandfather also served in Iceland with the DWR. I have a number of photos I can share with you if you send me your email address. There are some group photo's that may also include your relative and some on the dockside where troops lined up for the visit of Viscount Gort. This picture also appears in the regimental magazine. Also a newspaper cutting titled "Don't Forget The Frozen Legion" Refering to the British Army in Iceland. Re medals for Iceland. There was no official medal for service there, though a unofficial medal was produced, The Arctic Convoy Medal. I have my Grandfathers along with the newspaper interview he gave when receiving the medal, again if you forward your email I will send you a copy of the qualification for the medal that was I believe instigated with some assistance from Russia as the Arctic convoys protected by the 49th Division in Iceland were enroute to Russia. Regards Dave in York
Hi Dave & Dave, My Great Uncle Douglas Collier was in the 4th Batt: Royal Lincolns from 1939, and therefore served in Iceland, and carried on until the end of the war. He took pictures throughout, and became the unofficial Battalion photographer in Holland, so many of his pictures have been used in publications without acknowledging him, and that was partly because he just made copies for others in the company. Regards Paul
On looking at my great uncles photo's, he has written on the 1st page of the Iceland album that on the 10th May 1940 after just getting back from the ill fated Norway campaign they set sail for Iceland, and the 4th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment were stationed at Akureyri for 2 1/2 years until the end of 1942, when they were relieved by American troops.
Dave, Just found this link to take you to the Arctic Campaign Medal Arctic Campaign Medal | Proposed by the Russian Convoy Club Dave in York Dear Dave (Weston4), I would be really interested in finding out more about your grandfather's time in Iceland as my grandfather served there for 2 years also. It would be amazing if their paths crossed. He was in the Duke of Wellington's. I think, the 7th. But I would need to check that with my dad who is on holiday at the moment... I know that grand dad, Reg Myers was waiting up in Scotland on a ship ready to go to Norway, when the operation was cancelled. He then ended up in Iceland and LOVED it! I am hoping to do a photography project inspired by his wartime experiences, and it would be really interesting for me to find anyone whose relatives might have served with him. Best wishes to you, Denise
Denise Hello and welcome to the forum. Dave (Weston4) hasn't been on the forum since January 2011. Send him a PM (Private message) and he should get an alert and get back to you Lesley ps Ah I see he has an e-mail facility on his profile. You could try that too
Thanks Andy, " but must have been in the Territorials from the 1930s to have reached 12 years by the end of WW2, so my guess in 1933. All I know is he was Duke of Wellington`s West Yorkshire, now I found that he was in Reykjavik,Iceland and this was probably sometime between 1940 and 42. So really that is all I have at the moment other than his name & service number which was Pvt John Allen 4610207. Don`t know if the latter number gives any clues. Regards Dave. " You would probably be aware that you have a "broken group" as far as his medals go, it would be great if you could reunite his group to complete it as it then tells his whole story (medalically). Re: the Efficiency Medal. whilst he may have enlisted in the Territorials in 1933, it is not required for him to do so to be awarded the EM. As war service counted double time, he only had to be in anytime prior to hostilities being declared prior to September 1939. hope this helps. Regards simon
