I have just started researching my dads army life. He was a Private in the 6th Battelion, 2nd Infantry Reinforcement Training depot, in Italy 1944. I have the date from a letter he sent home. Any information would be great. Thankyou
Welcome to the forum If you supply his name forum members might be able to add more Apply for his service records Date of birth and death cert required Link here Get a copy of military records of service
George William Edward Kemp born 1924 North Yorkshire. Known as Edward. I always thought he was in a Yorkshire regiment. Then I noticed on top of his letter home the initails E Coy 6th Btn O.B.L.I 2nd IRTD CMF. I would love to know where he was in Italy and why he was in this regiment
Greetings and just sent a PM with some tips. Oddly the 6th Battalion OBLI (in full & abbreviated) do not - on a quick search - appear here. Wiki has a slim entry: From: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry - Wikipedia
That is the only piece I could find too. Have looked on the regiments museum site and found my dads name there so awaiting some information. I would really like to know all about his life there
Lindy, What date is your father's letter home? It looks to me - only his Service Record will tell you - that he was en route to 6th OBLI in India / Burma, but was diverted in Egypt to be a reinforcement for the 7th OBLI battalion in Italy, such was the shortage of manpower after heavy losses there. Explained here: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry - Wikipedia There are threads here for the 7th OBLI: 7th Oxs & Bucks Monte Camino November 1943 Using the tag on that thread shows more! See: 7 oxfordshire and buckinghamshire light infantry | WW2Talk IRTD stands for Infantry Reinforcement Training Depot CMF stands for Central Mediterranean Forces Both from a site that does not allow cut & paste: WW2 Abbreviations and Acronyms | Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers 2 IRTD can be located: From: Cameron, Albert "Tony (Oral history) Note the soldier converted from artillery to infantry and the same story appears in a book once. The camp location appears in: El Tahag Camp
Letter dated ?? May 1944. All the information is great, only been researching this for 2 days, so thankyou.
If the letter was dated May 44 then 7 Ox & Bucks LI would have been in Egypt on rest and refit after 167 Infantry Brigade, who were part of 56 Infantry Division had been withdrawn from Italy after their time in Anzio. 7 Ox & Bucks LI had landed at Salerno in Sep 43 and was in action until Apr 44 when they were withdrawn. 56 Infantry Division returned to Italy in Jul 44 after their rest and refit and I suspect that your father was with them. He would have been at the Battle for the Gothic Line at Rimini in Sep 44. Regards Frank
Thankyou so much, all this imformation is great. I know alot about my grandad, in WW1, as he got the D.C.M and M.M, but i just realised I knew nothing about my dads service record. So thankyou for taking the time to inform me.
