I am trying to help out getting some details about the wifes uncle very little detail but I hope someone here can head me in the right direction these details are a little vague, they came from his wife years ago Was supposed to have been dropped pre D Day , no idea of day or where , just somewhere in France. He was said to have been in a Recce group of 5 to 6 men was stationed in Catterick in 43 (his wife was a naffi girl) was originally part of the 5th Gloucesters was returned to Blighty after being slotted by a French type , 2 years in hospital recovering Sorry I have no more apart from his name (not showing up in any records) Any idea of where I can go to get some detailed info expanding on the above Cheers Campo
Hi, Your starting point ought to be to apply to MOD for his service records via this link - Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide Unlike WW1 service records there are no WW2 service records on paid for sites - Ancestry/FMP - they are held by MOD and not yet in the public domain. MOD will search on full name and DOB in the absence of an army service number. Mention of parachute drops into France pre Day suggests Special Forces - Jedburgh etc Operation Jedburgh - Wikipedia You really need his service records to avoid speculation. However having said that if you post his name perhaps a member might have him recorded somewhere - perhaps Jedburgh22 can assist? Good Luck Steve.
The 5th Bn Gloucestershire Regiment morphed in the 43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment, 43rd (Wessex) Division. They were not involved on D-Day. However, some Glosters ended-up in the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. They were involved in D-Day. Neither were pre D-day. The inference from your note is that he was something like an SOE operative, SAS or Pathfinder/Para type. To get certainty you need to apply for his service records, where you will find out exactly who he served with and when: Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide
Cheers for the quick replies and info chaps, I will get the Mrs to try the MoD direct route from what I can gather he was more Pathfinder than SOE or SF If Jedburgh22 does come across the surname Olpin please ping me a message many thanks Campo
If he was 'wounded in action' and passed through the medical system then he should be recorded especially on the FMP casualty records TD
Campo, I have a possible match. I might be wrong, but am getting the impression there is a reluctance to share his full name? Having said that, as advised above, get his service records for full details of his service, you do not need any military details, just name, date of birth and death certificate unless he was KIA. Can you post a full name?
Casualty List No 1500 Dated 17 July 1944 Expeditionary Forces / North West Europe / Wounded Royal Armoured Corps 14630713 OLPIN Tpr F.A.E.F. / 2 Derby Yeo / Date of casualty not reported The initials would suggest a good match however, still go for the service records.
2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry War Diaries are here, I had a very quick glance between D-Day and mid July and didn't see him - but worth checking as I wasn't very thorough and do tend to miss things 2nd DY War Diary extracts - 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Frank Olpin Death Age: 81 Birth Date: 6 Dec 1920 Registration Date: May 2002 Registration district: Sunderland Inferred County: Durham Register Number: C61E District and Subdistrict: 0581C Entry Number: 233 You will need a copy of this to send off with the forms so that you can obtain his service records - it really is the best and to be honest only way to find out what he did during his military service TD
Campo - hopefully for interest England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 Name: Arthur F Olpin Registration Date: Jan 1921 [Feb 1921] [Mar 1921] Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar Registration district: Bristol Inferred County: Avon Mother's Maiden Name: Jackson Volume Number: 6a Page Number: 76 England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Name: Frank A E F Olpin Registration Date: Jan 1944 [Feb 1944] [Mar 1944] Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar Registration district: Bristol Inferred County: Gloucestershire Spouse: Gladys Askew Volume Number: 6a Page Number: 308 He is included in 3 trees on Ancestry - that not to say they are direct relatives, but they do not have the detail you presently have on this thread TD
One further piece of information is that his army number 14630713 indicates that the soldier's original unit was "General Service Corps". You also mention 5th Glosters, only his records will reveal when he was posted to the various units. Also bear in mind that the date of 17 July 1944 is the date the casualty list was published, the date of the incident would have been some time before, others in the same list have casualty dates in June. Should be recorded in his records.
Thank you very much chaps, your help has been brilliant and we now have a cracking place to continue with the search Cheers Campo
Tony can you expand more on how the service number is an indication of unit (this is for my own personal interest)
Campo, if you haven't searched the forum (always worthwhile) there are some articles on the 2 Derby-shire Yeomanry in the Reconnaissance Journals, link to index here: Reconnaissance Journal
