A none computer friend has received his dad's service papers and I've offered to look for war diaries for him when I go to Kew in a couple of weeks. His father served with RAC and in October 1941, his papers say he was posted to HQ 7 Armoured Division. I'm looking for diaries but there are dozens! Can anyone give any advice on the diaries I need. He returned to the UK in March 44 and was posted to Defence and Employment Platoon, still 7 AD and I can't find anything for this either. According to his Service and Casualty form, he remained with this unit until September 1945 in the UK, but the front of his papers say he was in Europe from July 1944 to June 46, although he must have had leave as he married in the UK in September 1945. Any advice please
It seems likely to me that the Defense and Employment Platoon would have been too small for its own War Diary. I probably shouldn't make a recommendation since I am really stabbing in the dark, but maybe look at the material to do with the General Staff for their movements?
Thank you. I must admit I thought the General Staff was my best bet, if we both think that, maybe it is the best way to go!
Have the GS war diaries from May 45 to disbandment, not a lot of information but can help with Divisional Headquarters locations post VE day, by then the Defence and Employment Platoon became Headquarters Squadron 8 May 45 – 7th Armoured Division command 12th Corps Schleswig-Holstein Divisional Headquarters: Schenfeld north of Itzehoe 10 May 45 – Albersdorf north-west of Itzehoe 28 May 45 – Itzehoe north-west of Hamburg 29 May 45 – to command 8th Corps redesignated 8th Corps District 11 Jun 45 17 Jun 45 – orders received for the move to Berlin 19 Jun 45 – Main Headquarters with troops to Berlin concentration area in Braunschweig and Wolfenbüttel command 30th Corps District – Tactical Headquarters to Heiligenthal west of Lüneburg forming Headquarters British Troops Berlin 24 Jun 45 – Flechtorf north-east of Braunschweig with Tactical Headquarters joining Main Headquarters 17 Jul 45 – Lancaster House Fehrbelliner Platz Wilmersdorf Berlin 11 Sep 45 – Main and Rear Headquarters returns to Itzehoe 15 Sep 45 – to command 8th Corps District less units with British Troops Berlin 15 May 46 – to command 30th Corps District on disbandment of 8th Corps District 1 Jul 46 – Kurhaus named Command House Parkstraße 1, Bad Rothenfelde north-west of Bielefeld command Headquarters British Army of the Rhine 15 Jul 46 – to command 1st Corps District relieving 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division 1 Jun 47 – to direct command Headquarters British Army of the Rhine on disbandment of 1st Corps District 14 Jan 48 – Hannover District formed from 7th Armoured Division and 5th Infantry Division 13 Feb 48 – Divisional Headquarters disbanded
I agree with my good friend Historic Steve on the movements of HQ Squadron Headquarters 7 Armoured Division post VE Day. Our major problem is trying to translate war diaries grid references into accurate locations in Itzehoe. So far we have been unable to find a copy of the maps used (as others have commented the echodelta website systems gives obviously incorrect information). We believe the Headquarters was based in requisitioned buildings prior to the move to Berlin,on return to Itzehoe into the former Hitler era build Waffen SS Complex known as Hanseaten Kaserne off the Lange Peterstrasse
Contemporary map hopefully with link. This is the Neumunster map sheet K4 If you identify the location of your map references here, then other, more accurate 1:25000 scale maps are also available online. Neumünster
SDP Thank you Sadly Itzehoe is not included in the list of place names in the index I am splitting hairs in my quest for information and need a larger scale military map
Sorry, don't understand. What list of place names in what index? Itzhoe is shown on the Neumunster map and that map includes 1945 map references. Once we know the map references, it will be possible to identify which GSGS 4414 (the 1:25000 scale series) to check for more accurate details.
My apologies Old age is catching up with me, the grey cells are not working as efficiently as in the past Will pm you privately in due course
Updated an old thread for abbrover Insert for 28 May 45 – Norddeutscher Netzwerk Offices, Brunnstraße 23, off Gartenstraße Itzehoe Delete for 1 Jul 46 – Ulmenalle insert Kurhaus named Command House Parkstraße 1, Bad Rothenfelde 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)