Missing Award Recommedations - WO 373

What a great find Bamboo43.

Thanks once again.

Gus

 

[SIZE=10.5pt]Hi Gus, re your FOI to TNA. You might have more luck directing your Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Defence rather than the National Archives.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]FOIs should only go via TNA if there is already a file listed in Discovery that is marked as closed. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Discovery seems to be down at the moment, but it would be interesting to see if the WO 373 series is marked as "accruing". If so, then it is possible that the MoD have held these back for the moment.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The other possibility is that the Greece recommendations were not collated into the WO 373 series at the time, for whatever reason. In which case there might already be recommendations available at Kew but spread amongst random War Office files related to Greece.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Lee[/SIZE]

 

Thanks Lee, I'll drop them an email.

Gus

 

Hi everyone

Thanks to a lot of searching and a few great finds from friends on the forum, I have managed to find enough information on alternative sources to establish what happened for a few individuals. I have updated the list above to show these 'alternative;' sources which are in bold and red.

I have also corrected the details for Private H Fitton who was in the RSR (former 1/4 Essex Regt) and not the East Yorkshire Regiment.

Found a record him being wounded in the 1/4 Essex documentation at Regt Diary & Cas List 1/4th Essex and also in amongst the RSR war diaries for January 1945.



Gus

 

Hi Everyone

Missing citations for Greece here is one:-

2035671 Gnr. Mitchell, F. W. [Gre] 28.6.45 (1428)
276 L.A.A. Battery, Royal Artillery, for gallantry in Athens when H.Q. 23rd Armoured Brigade was attacked by ELAS forces in December 1944.
No recommendation for this award appears to survive but the following details were gleaned from the War Diary of 66th L.A.A. Regiment R.A.: ‘Old Faliron 7 February 1945 - 151 Sub Area letter 31A dated 6 Feb 45 received notifying immediate award of Military Medal to 2035671 Gnr (Dvr Mech) Frank Walter Mitchell, 276 LAA Bty, for gallantry on the night of 12/13 Dec 44 when HQ 23 Armd Bde in Athens was attacked by ELAS forces.’

Old Gunner

 

Frank Walter Mitchell's medals have re-surfaced for sale at the next Spink Auction.

 

Hi

Has anyone who currently has a fold3 account be so kind as to it post the DSO award details for Brig Pritchard of 2 Para Bde. This is one of the many 'missing' awards from Greece.



Thanks in advance

Gus

 

Gus,



Let me know if you need anymore.

Regards

Bruneval

 

Bugger, no citation.....

Thanks anyway

Gus

 

To anyone who is concerned the medals are my great uncles who I never had the honour to meet but my grandmother would tell me stories off him we had his battle dress and other bits and bobs of his uniform in his kit bag but unfortunately after he passed away his medals were stolen from his home most likely by a cleaner to which my grandmother was devastated and I searched for around three years when I finally found them on spinks I got in touch with them and very kindly the seller sold them to us for a lower fee then they were up for unfortunately my grandmother never lived to see them again but they are now safe with his family and I shall do my upmost to keep his memories and stories alive

Owen

 

Afternoon Gus,

Whilst I have not seen a citation for Capt Victor Band RASC who was awarded a MC against the ELAS in Greece 1944, I did find his obituary in the RCT Journal (1993) which refers to his actions - 'rescuing soldiers who had been unexpectedly caught in cross-fire between rival groups of dissidents'.



Regards

Bruneval

 

HI Owen

That's great news you have got them back. I am also very happy to hear that you will look after them.

My father was in Greece at the same time as your Great Uncle and I visited the location of the former Infantry Barracks where he got his MM only last year.

My second book, dealing about the troubles in Athens is a currently a 'work in progress' and I hope to have a pretty detailed description what happened on that day.

66 LAA Regt (Your Great uncle's unit) was converted into a General Transport role (truck drivers) just prior to moving to Greece. A convoy of trucks driven by your Great Uncles Battery was sent to the Infantry Barracks, which was 23rd Armd Bde Rear HQ and the biggest supply dump in Athens only a few hours before ELAS attacked in large numbers early on the morning of 13 December.

However, what happened for to your Great Uncle for him to get his MM there is going to be very difficult to establish. Some units fearing they were about to be overthrown destroyed their War Diaries completely. The missing medal recommendations identified in this post don't help either.

As you have said you are keeping them, if I do come across anything that does I will let you know what I have.

Gus

 

Thanks for this. I have a small collection of obituaries so I will add it to it. I had no idea he had gone to Palestine. Or made Lt-Col.

There was cross-fire but not between dissidents. Just a firefight between ELAS and the defending Brits. Some of ELAS were dressed in British Army uniforms and claimed they were from 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade. A lot of small units were overthrown before they realised that those running towards them were ELAS. Over 100 British were taken POWs that day.

From what I have read thus far, when ELAS torched the Fuel Dump it created a 'river of fire' which headed towards the POL stores. Capt Band and his men, moved all the POL away to safety whilst under fire from ELAS and at great risk of being set on fire too.

Just one of a lot of very brave men that day.

Gus

 

Evening Gus,

Just a couple of little snippets on two RASC personnel who died during the ELAS action:

Dvr Percy Holroyd - Died 13 Dec 1944.



Dvr Frederick William Knee - Died 11 Dec 1944



Regards

Bruneval