Royal Artillery books

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Philip Reinders, Apr 10, 2010.

  1. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Sorry to trouble you all but would, perchance, any kindly soul have a spare copy of “Dunkirk. A Personal Memoir” by Ralph W. Wild knocking about?

    I’d love to read it as, like Ralph, Grandad served in 92nd Field Regiment.

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    Looks like it may be another that will be very hard to find. I can, apparently, get a copy on Amazon for a mere £981.99, from Romania. Highly tempting I hear you all cry.

    What with the £164 previously quoted to me by East Sussex Record Office for printing George Aris’s “The Ninety-Second; A Short Outline of the 92nd Field Regiment RA”, books on the 92nd don’t come cheap! (maybe a trip down to Brighton one day refers).

    Thank you :salut:
     
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  3. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    That is marvellous, Adam, thank you very much for this.
     
  4. No problem, let me know if it's a good read as my grandad was in an RA Field Regiment at Dunkirk too.
     
  5. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Will do.

    I dropped them an email a couple of days back to check if they’re “business as usual” at the moment, before I mail them an order. Not heard back yet so may try giving them a call.
     
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  6. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Gunners in Normandy has now been published. This is the next book in the Blue Book series and covers the Royal Artillery in NW Europe from January 1942 to the end of August 1944. The History Press | Gunners in Normandy
    If anyone can put up a case for a review copy send me a PM
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2020
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  7. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Book arrived today I am very happy to report. Not sure when I will read it, but it shouldn’t take long when I do. A slim one at 126 pages but hopefully well worth having.

    Thanks again for the tip.
     
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  8. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member


    I have just finished reading this, Adam, and I thoroughly enjoyed it although, of course, I am biased given it’s my Grandfather’s Regiment.

    Yes, it’s only 120 pages or so but I learned quite a bit about where they went and what they went through and interesting information about, for example, artillery boards, why the 92nd ended up being transferred from their “home” 5th Division to the 50th for the campaign and how badly the Regiment’s guns were used during the Arras offensive of late May (i.e. barely at all!)

    It was also very interesting to tally what the author wrote with the War Diary I now have for the campaign; as Ralph Wild was a clerk I also wonder if he typed the war diary.

    Not a long book but, for me anyway, well worth every penny.

    Martin
     
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  9. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Just received authors copies of D Day Gunners, which is part history an part battlefield guide to the artlllery on the British beaches and landing grounds. It should be on sale from 30 June 2022
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  10. Soldeed77

    Soldeed77 Member

    I'll have to see if I can get a copy - I've recently found out my grandfather was a Signalman in the 92nd FR RA from 1937ish to 1946!
     
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  11. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    You may still be able to get a copy from Merton Priory Press, as I did, thanks to Adam’s tip.

    Merton Priory Press Order Form

    It’s probably a good idea to contact them first just to check they’re still selling it. That’s what I did.

    What was your grandad’s name, by the way?
     
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  12. Soldeed77

    Soldeed77 Member

    Brill - thanks :) He was Signalman Thomas Burdon, think his nickname was Buddy?
     
  13. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    I’ve just had a look through the regiment’s diaries for 1939 to June 1940, covering its time with the BEF.

    Unfortunately, I didn’t spot his name, not unusual in itself, other ranks rarely get named as you probably know, but I did find these signals, which he may have written? Well, you never know, do you :D. Mind, I’m assuming it would have been a signalman who wrote these as opposed to an officer.

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    I have some diaries from the regiment’s time in Sicily and Italy, when I get time I will try to spot his name in those too, but I’ll pm you with any updates, this being a thread on books, after all ;).

    Going back “on topic”, I presume you will have seen books by Gun Buster mentioned on here - you have obviously read Christian’s excellent thread on the regiment’s fight at Bulskamp (which was a revelation to me when he wrote about it).

    I would, therefore, highly recommend you get hold of the Gun Buster books “Return Via Dunkirk” and “Battle Dress”. The former is superb and, whilst written as a novel to a degree, it is considered as being a true account of the 92nd’s war in 1940. Certainly some of the events covered in it can be matched to episodes described in the book. As you know, it was written by Captain R. C. Austin, 368 Battery (my grandfather’s).

    I only have these two as I think, but don’t know for certain, that they are the only two dealing with his time in the 92nd (I’m not sure if “Zero Hours” is anything to do with the regiment, sorry. I doubt it as, whilst the 92nd was in the Middle East for a time, I don’t believe they did any fighting in the desert).

    I would also recommend you get hold of “The Fifth British Division 1939 - 1945” the history of the 5th Division by George Aris, another officer in the regiment. Ironically, the regiment actually did its fighting in France in 1940 with 50th Division, being “on loan”, but 5th Division was its home.

    Abe Books is a good source for all of these books, but I’m sure there are others:

    Return Via Dunkirk - AbeBooks

    Battle Dress by Gun Buster - AbeBooks

    Fifth British Division - AbeBooks
     
    Soldeed77 likes this.
  14. Soldeed77

    Soldeed77 Member

    Amazing! Thank you very much, you never know :) This is all new to me so I'm eager to start learning! Will get weaving on those books.
     

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