123rd Officer Cadet Training Regiment, RA

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by pathfinderirl, Jul 14, 2012.

  1. pathfinderirl

    pathfinderirl Junior Member

    First time poster so please bear with me.

    My Grandfather trained with 123rd Officer Cadet Training Regiment, RA in 1943 and was commissioned in August of that year. Does anyone have more information / sources about this unit?

    Subsequent to this he was posted to 14 Medium Regiment, RA. He subsequently changed units. There is very little information online about this unit. Does anyone have any more sources on this unit?
     
  2. pathfinderirl

    pathfinderirl Junior Member

    I meant to attach this picture of his class.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    I don't think you'll find much on Officer Cadet Training Unit's, so recommend you concentrate on the units he served in. Being an Officer, his name will appear in the Officer's returns contained with a unit's war diary. Nice to have his photo within the OCTU where he trained.

    14 Medium Regt were in the UK in 1943.

    If you can give us your Grandfather's name, there should be an entry on the London Gazette when he received his commission.

    Regards - Rob
     
  4. pathfinderirl

    pathfinderirl Junior Member

    I don't think you'll find much on Officer Cadet Training Unit's, so recommend you concentrate on the units he served in. Being an Officer, his name will appear in the Officer's returns contained with a unit's war diary. Nice to have his photo within the OCTU where he trained.

    14 Medium Regt were in the UK in 1943.

    If you can give us your Grandfather's name, there should be an entry on the London Gazette when he received his commission.

    Regards - Rob

    Thank you for the reply Rob.

    The cadet class photograph I posted online was still in the original envelope (on the back marked marked 'On His Majesty's Service) which had been posted to him in 1943.

    I have the London Gazette entry with his service number and date of commission. He only passed away last week so I will be applying to get a copy of his service record from the MOD (when I have the death certificate). He also served in the RAF earlier in the war, however left and later volunteered for the RA. Do you think it may also be possible to find his RAF record (I don't have his RAF service number)?
     
  5. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Sorry to hear of your recent loss. When you apply for his service records, you'll need the next of Kin form signed in order to get them.

    Was he an Officer in the RAF, or a lower rank?
     
  6. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

  7. pathfinderirl

    pathfinderirl Junior Member

    Thank you Rob. I don't think he was an officer in the RAF. His next of kin (my dad) has given me permission to get his service records and will sign the form.

    Thank you for the link on RAF records.
     
  8. Roddy1011

    Roddy1011 Senior Member

    Pathfinderirl -

    14th Medium was the same regiment my father - John de Normann - served in !

    The regiment was a converted infantry battalion...the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment. 14th Medium came into being in December 1942 and was initially stationed in Newcastle, Co. Down, N Ireland. My father was posted there direct fm 121 OCTU on 27 Feb 43, arriving on 7 March. Lt Col RHH Osborne commanded, with Maj EL Percival as the 2nd in command.

    The Regiment had two Batteries - 91 & 92 Medium Batteries - initially equipped with WW1 vintage 6 inch howitzers, one of which my father always claimed was fished out of the sea !

    As luck would have it, I am off to the National Archives on Thursday so could copy the Regt War Diary. What was your grandfather's name and what were the dates he served with the regt ? I would be more than happy to send on copies...

    Roddy de Normann
     
  9. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello pathfinderirl,

    There was a 123rd Officer Cadet Training Unit, at Catterick, North Yorkshire.

    I have been in touch with the daughter, Rose, of a WWII veteran, Oliver, who did his Officer training there; and I believe he is still among us. Here is Rose's blog about her father's war: Oliver Perks' Wartime Blog 1

    Oliver Perks served in, both, the 72nd and 90th Field Regiments, RA, both of which were in the 50th (Northumbrian) Division; which is my particular area of interest.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  10. Sue Jewell

    Sue Jewell New Member

    I have just bought a photograph of C 7/8 Troop 123rd Officer Cadet Training Regiment R.A April 1943, might this have your grandfather?
     
  11. HZL

    HZL Member


    Hello - I can't really help with more information about the unit, but looking at the photo that you posted, I can see my father, David Zealand, middle row, second from the left, in glasses. He was posted to the Royal West African Frontier Force, and after training Nigerian troops, fought in Burma.
    hzl
     
  12. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    If this enquiry is still live:
    I have Letters from a Cadet in 123 but he was there in 1942. Whilst it wont help with your Grandfathers service it might provide some flavour of what they did.
    Feel free to PM me and I will email you some excerpts if you provide me with an address.
    Sorry I cant place the letters in public view.
     
  13. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Just little sample for the members: 123 OCTU Catterick December 1941
    The trouble has been where to put everything, as locker space is being limited and it being necessary
    that nothing at all be left under or behind the bed.
    This means absolute and strict tidiness unless one is to have a locker like a box from a jumble sale.
    As an example of the space required, shortly after we arrived we were issued with a pile of 25 or more military books and pamphlets
    all of which must be instantly available from said locker.
    My simile of a monastery, though in slightly doubtful taste, is still the best I can think of to describe my seclusion.
    I haven’t been out for a fortnight and the opportunities get less and less as the work piles up.
     
  14. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

  15. Sue Jewell

    Sue Jewell New Member

    Hopefully this helps someone
     

    Attached Files:

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