Irish Guards Photographs

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by Bob Wilton, Oct 26, 2014.

  1. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Did this one again from a better copy
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    The photos were taken on the Sorrento Peninsula where the Battalion were withdrawn to from Anzio having taken enormous casualties during the attack on Campoleone and then afterwards during the German counter attack - losses that they never really recovered from.

    As Diane mentioned, they were broken up very shortly afterwards and the surviving troops sent to 3 IG in UK

    Regards

    Frank
     
  3. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    I feel lucky to be here! :D
     
  4. Nicola McGING

    Nicola McGING New Member

    Thank you so much for posting this photo. My dad Patrick McGING was in the Irish Guards and he is the one mentioned in the list below/above as having died 10th Nov 1999. I only have one photo of my dad in his younger days ( he was 45 when he had me :) ). In the first of your photos it could be my dad on front row third in but I am ashamed to say I cannot be sure. The second photo I am unable to see very well so again cannot confirm it is my dad. I think there was only my dad and my uncle Peter (dads brother ) who would have been P McGING and I don't think Uncle Peter was a Mick so really excited that this might be my dad. I have attached the photo of my dad and his brothers. My dad is second from the left so would welcome comments on if you think the man in your photo and this one could be the same man.
    Thank you again. Nicola upload_2018-8-27_11-0-5.jpeg
     
  5. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    My grandfather Sgt. F McCarten was is listed in the 1st Battalion Sgts Mess 1944 photo, which is just fantastic to see. I still have his 2 Army issue Rolex pocket watches, i know my mum has hi playbook, i have his medals, he has the african and italian star. I know he was in Anzio and Mote Cassino, but I would like to know what happened to him after that, whether he was in the UK after Anzio or whether he would have moved to 3IG. I think mz mum still has his arms issue fork knife and spoon with his number on it. Oh, and i still have his army issue compass.

    Much appreciated being that sits mess photo,

    Here are a couple more photos I have of around the time of Anzio:

    https://flic.kr/p/2aZ6VQb
    https://flic.kr/p/2c1zZcE
     
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  6. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

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  7. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Sorry about the spelling. Long day here.
     
  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Thanks for adding these, fixed your image links

    Has anyone in the family applied for copy service records? That should show where he was. If he got the France & Germany Star then chances are he was transferred to 3IG.
     
  9. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    I am not sure if he got the France and Germany star. I will have to look. I do not think he did actually.
    Interesting to see him standing only 2 places away from Kenneally in that photo. I guess he must have known him pretty well?
    No one has applied for service records, although I have just sent an email off to request them from Wellington Barracks. My mum (his daughter) is still alive, so I don't know if ill be able to get the records myself. Asked anyway.
    I believe he was in logistics, but he never talked about the war, ever. He used to take me down to Morecambe when I was a kid to play on the slot machines and he taught me to ride a bike. I really wish i had the chance to get to know him, but he died in 1982 I think it was, from a heart attack, and I was only 10 at the time.
     
  10. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Sorry, i mean Cavalry Barracks
     
  11. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    welcome to the forum.

    FYI All Foot Guards Service files (except Scots Guards) have recently been moved to MOD Glasgow.

    Get a copy of military service records

    Good Luck.

    Steve
     
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  12. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    If he survived Anzio whilst serving with 1 IG - and he would have been one of the lucky ones because the battalion suffered horribly in the early weeks following the landings, it is highly likely that he would have been transferred to 3 IG.

    The Brigade of Guards has a policy of only accepting replacements from other Foot Guards so he certainly would not have been sent to a Regiment outside the Guards family.

    His Service Record will confirm this especially if he also received the France and Germany Star because 3 IG were in that theatre.

    I am guiding a group at Anzio in Jun 19 if you would like to see what 1 IG endured there. It was grim.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  13. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Thanks for the info.
    Ill have to apply for his service record.
    In the meantime his Certificate of Service and Paybook (amongst other things my Mum still has) states that under Services at Home and Abroad:
    North Africa 09.03.43 to 30.11.43
    Italy 01.12.43 to 22.04.44

    He was 28.10.42 promoted to Sergeant
    20.04.43 War Substantive Sergeant

    So it doesn't look like he was in Germany, unless someone would think otherwise.

    Would his Service records offer me a lot more information?
    Could there be stuff in his Services record that wouldn't be recorded in his Paybook?

    Id love to see Anzio and learn more, but not sure I have the resources to do it. I will keep it in mind though.

    Many thanks.
     
  14. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    The certificate of Service document is usually accurate so I’d say he didn’t join 3rd IG in BLA in North West Europe Campaign.

    If you want to see what sort of information you may glean from a service record have a look at the service records posted in this sub forum. IMHO You can get more information from a service record than a pay book.

    Steve

    Service Records
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2018
  15. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Hi Steve,
    sorry, that wasn't quite clear, are you saying i would get more info from a Service Record Tab than a Pay Book?
     
  16. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Sorry just a typo caused by my thick fingers hitting a small keyboard:-P

    For tab please read than.

    Apologies for the confusion. Note to self - always check typing before hitting reply button:salut:

    Steve
     
  17. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    I used to have his Tunis Victory Medal as well, but some heroin addict stole it from me in 1992. I was so gutted to have lost that.
    I also had his bed plate and a little tool for checking and cleaning the chamber of a rifle i think. I regrettablz sold these things when i fell on hard times back in 1998 to a military shop in Leeds. I would love to be abel to get all this stuff back.
    He also had a German Afrika Korp armband, and a German Police Shako Aluminum Eagle, like this WW2 GERMAN RURAL POLICE ENLISTED MAN’S UNIFORM SHAKO – JB Military Antiques and a Luftwaffe cap badge. I have no idea how he got a hold of these things, and I have no idea what happened to them, mores the pity.
     
  18. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Sorry, I meant Tunis Victory ring. :rolleyes:
     
  19. RFC01

    RFC01 Member

    Looking at this again recently and have read the war diaries, trying to figure out where he was. Will his service records tell me which platoon he was in? How would i know if he was part of the battalion HQ, for instance? In his paybook, I can see he was qualified as a 1st class signaller. Is that what his job would have been?
    His service records have been requested.
     
  20. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    You may be lucky to find some information about his platoon but service records don’t usually go down in much detail beyond Battalion level.

    You’d think that after training a man as a specialist then the Army would employ him in that role but........

    Steve
     
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