Derrick, wonder if you could confirm the above dates. The latest form only goes to 10.4.45, so I wonder if there is more? There is perhaps additional information for his disembarkation on 25.12.43, is that 15 Battalion, 1 G.R.T.D? (no idea, just guessing, General Reserve Transport Department? wonder if anyone else can make a suggestion)
I’ve just been to the Archives dept and i have been able to read the "See Naples and Die" part of the memoirs of Frank Snape (please see attach). Frank was a Sergent in The 2nd Battalion Beds & Herts Regiment, his memoirs make really interesting reading of his recollections of that period of the Italian Campaign at the early part of 44 around Naples and then further on, up through the Battles in Cassino... Battle of Tresimino etc. On the part i have enclosed... that specifically mentions the troopship SS Letticia steamed in Naples ,he only mentions his 2nd Battalion ...but not any other Regiments ...as you know i'm looking for R.E regiments. Its a lead, but as he doesn't say anything about the other troops, i'm going to need to look for more research material to nail down if my dad was actually on that Troopship. None the less Franks account makes excellent reading, its only 70 pages long,..( i only had time to do a little of those pages)... but its a riveting account of a common soldiers everyday living at war (Franks quote).. how those brave men got through and those who fell, make complelling reading. Just found he was awarded the DCM Recommendation for award for Frank Snape (downloadable rom the National Archives) Recommendation for Award for Snape, Frank Rank: Corporal, Acting Serjeant ... | The National Archives The search goes on.. Derrick
I’ve found this reference AH, HA, XIF and IXF convoys: reports. War History Case number 7559: AH, HA (Bari -... | The National Archives It shows the :- AH, HA, XIF and IXF convoys: reports. The XIF is ships leaving from Alexandrina to Naples. Has anyone ever seen the content of any of these type of convoy documents? Derrick
Hi I enclosed a scan of my dads Army Form B.102 ....In my search for more info on the Troopship/Movements i have come across a possible very intriguing entry ..... Can anyone help with deciphering this entry at the base of the form in the second column it looks like LIYB47(NA19?10?).......also the DATE 24th January 1944. Could this be Libya ? Any thoughts on this ? Derrick
Hi All, I have found via Mike at Convoyweb some more helpful information on the possible troop carrier that my Dad was on departing from Liverpool. From: Mike Holdoway [mailto:mhold27@convoyweb.org.uk] Sent: 13 November 2018 16:14 To: Derrick Wiltshire Subject: Re: Liverpool departures 12th Dec 1943. Hi Derrick If you go to ... Reset Limits ok.co.uk ... you will regain access to six additional searches on the site. I think that you are correct in assuming that the main troop convoy was KMF 27 but although PORT JACKSON did join this convoy via Belfast Loch, she detached en route to Agra which is in BRAZIL! It is important to note that the embarkation date can be many days before the sailing date. It takes time to accommodate 4,000 troops on a ship and there were 15,000 - 20,000 troops embarking at Liverpool for this convoy. Certainly you would not want them all to arrive at the same time! There is no doubt that your father sailed in one of the troop carriers that sailed from Liverpool to join KMF 27 i.e. MALOJA, NEA HELLAS, ORBITA, ORONTES, OTRANTO or SCYTHIA However you would need more input to decide which one. IMPORTANT: If you find the convoyweb site useful then please leave a message in the Guest Book so that those who helped with the site can know that their efforts are appreciated. Convoyweb - guestbook Regards Mike Webmaster: ConvoyWeb He kindly sent me a spreadsheet showing the embarkation from Liverpool for the Convoy KMF 27 (please see attach). It narrows my search down to a possible 6 troop carriers listed. ....of which two the MALOJA & OTRANTO disembarked at the port of Algiers on Christmas Day 43 (this coincides with the date in Dad's Service Record). Now the camp for 1GRTD where Dad was posted to was in Phillippeville (Algeria). So my theory is he disembarked in Algiers and then was transported to the camp in Phillippvile !..please see attach . Does this make sense ? Any thoughts ? Derrick
