member of the BEF but return date doesn't make sense

Discussion in '1940' started by Bobs grandson, May 14, 2011.

  1. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Thanks for posting that-Do you know who typed it up?

    I think your best bet would be to pay £30 to the MoD and get a copy of his original service records.


    That image is so familiar ! Believe it or not it contains more information than my late fathers `sheet` he was sent in the 1980`s ! Same format `deemed` to have enlisted 2DLI....`deemed` to have transferred to the Green Howards ....he sent for it to check to see if he was due any medals (which of course he was).I remember how disappointed he was at receiving such a scant record.
     
  2. Bobs grandson

    Bobs grandson Member

    Thanks for you replies , i believe my uncle requested the details and i guess this is a photocopy of the original letter that he passed on to my mum . Im only guessing but i assume this is all he was given and not something he has typed up himself after getting copies of the originals as it is as you said on MOD headed paper.
    I am at pains to keep asking too many questions to my mother as i know it brings much heartache to her as she was 7 when her father was killed and therefore knew him quite well unlike her younger brother who hardly remembers him so the personnel heartache does not seem so obvious (though i am sure it is there)
    I shall endevour to find out more info on when the records were obtained and see if i can get photocopies of the originals and see if this brings in more information.
    Many thanks for your help and guidance and hopefully i shall at some point be able give a more in depth record that will help me find out more of his career . phil
     
  3. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    I continue to wrestle with the numbers evacuated from France in May/June 1940; here is the best estimate I can arrive at.
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Roy

    I see the problem you have - from this link - Operation Cycle - Wikipedia
    10 - 11 June from St Valery [2,137 Br + 1,184 Fr] total of 3,321
    10 - 13 June from Le Havre 11,059 Br
    Making a grand total under Op Cycle of 14,380

    But then it goes on to show that under Op Aerial total 191,870

    So do we need to add 14,380 to 191,870 ??

    However this figure of 191,870 seems to be often banded around as 'THE' figure for all those brought back under Cycle and Aerial

    I admire your mental mathematics gymnastics

    TD
     
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  5. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

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  6. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    Hi TD and Ramiles,
    Thanks both. The figure of 191,870 isn't far out, as the 'official' figure from the Aerial file is 186,327 - this was from a sheet that Drew provided (I think); there are two sheets, which probably wouldn't be clear enough to attach, which give a port by port breakdown of the numbers, though not the regiments. I will go through my files as I think I may have retyped this. One of the problems with Cycle is that quite a few were moved from St Valery to Cherbourg, so I may have done some double counting. Going to the South of France, this is where the numbers are more confusing - this was a different operation.
     
  7. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    Here is the Aerial summary, which, I think, Drew sent me Aerial summary.jpg
     
  8. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    If you re apply for his records and pay £30

    You will get his full service records back which contain a lot more information than you have.
     
  9. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    We never had a 4th Airborne Division; did we? My info is that we had a 1st Airborne Division and a 6th, but that was all.
    Chris
     
  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  11. geordie809

    geordie809 Junior Member

    I know im a bit late to this thread but the 1 Battalion RE may well be No 1 Training Battalion RE based at Longmoor
     

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