Hallo, I am looking for help to find out some details about my father's army service in Burma especially his Regiment. He joined The Royal Artillary and served in a Bofors gun crew as far as I know. I have 4 official group photos of his Battery on which is written 521 S/L BATTERY, RA. He sailed from England in early 1943 for South Africa, and then on to North East India, crossed into Burma and headed south. This is more or less all I know. Although we have his 4 medals, a metal RA cap badge and a cloth badge with black cat standing on a yellow background I need to link this to a Regiment to confirm the information, and trace their history in Burma. Would appreciate any information, or tips where to look. (I have already tried to trace him in war records without success).
Hello and welcome to the forum. The best way forward would be to apply for his service records first. They will tell you which Regiment and battery he was in. https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records Good luck with your research Lesley
Hello, as you think that your father was on a Bofors gun team he was most likely in the 82nd Light Anti Aircraft/Anti tank Regiment. R.A. which was part of the 17th Indian Division. Their Formation sign was a black cat on a yellow background.
Hello The black cat on the yellow (khaki?) background sounds like the 17th Indian Infantry Division. 521 S/L BATTERY, RA. was part of the 85th Searchlight Regiment, R.A. formed at Blackhall, St. Giles, Oxford on 23rd January 1941. It was converted to the 132nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment on 14th March 1943 with the 436th, 437th, 438th and 441st LAA Batteries. 521st Bty was converted to the 437th Battery. This regiment does not appear to have gone overseas. Steve
Building upon High Wood and amberdog's posts ..... the LAA batteries of the 82nd LAA/Atk Regiment came from the 24th LAA Regiment. The 24th LAA Regiment arrived in India during 1942 and converted to 24th LAA/Atk Regiment on 15th November 1942 by swapping batteries with the 82nd Atk Regiment. The 82nd LAA/Atk Regiment was at Imphal until May 1943 when it moved to Shillong and then to Imphal and the Tiddim Road in November 1943. After the Imphal battles the 82nd moved to Ranchi, India to rest and refit. The regiment entered Burma in January 1945 and took part in the Meiktila battle and the subsequent drive on Rangoon. Your father might have travelled to India as a reinforcement and joined up with a unit on arrival. As suggested above, the Service Record should provide the answers. If the 82nd LAA/Atk Regiment then try to find a copy of "With the Fighting Cock and the Black Cat in India and Burma" by Ray Goodacre - it's a very good history of the unit, privately published. Steve
Thank you all very much for such rapid and detailed response! Absolutely brilliant. Amberdog has already traced a record of him so I shall now apply for his service records and look for that book. Many, many thanks to you all. Liz
