4th (Durham) Survey Regiment, RA

Hi there
Am really hoping someone can help me! Am trying to sort out my fathers 'journey' from 1940 - 1946 when he was demobbed. He was with the 4th Survey Regt until August 1945 when he was transferred to the 10th Survey Regt. Am ploughing through the Z Force paper but have ground to a halt at Nijmegen as think I must have missed something somewhere about who was in X Survey Troop and who was in Y. Up to that point he had been with A Flash spotting troop
Would be incredibly grateful if anyone can help with this - my fathers name was Ronald Vinton service number 949554

 

do you have his service records?
link here Get a copy of military service records

 

Yes I do - there is a 'gap' from 10.6.44 when he landed in Normandy to 19.8.45 when he is transferred to 10 Survey Regiment - the only information given is that he was reclassified as Surveyor RA Class 1A at his own request in Oct 1944 which leaves me none the wiser!

 

for info 10th Survey Regiment

 

Also if you use the site search facility there are other threads on containing details on 4th Survey Regt

The TNA also holds the War Diaries
Search results: 4 Survey Regt | The National Archives

TD

 

thank you! Looks as if a trip to Kew is required!

 

Is that Richard? We had contact a few years ago

 

If you cant do Kew yourself we do have a couple of members who are regulars there and offer a very good (cheaper than TNA charges) service - post if you want their details

TD

 

We have a number of 4th Durham War Diaries might be able to help if you do not already have them

 

He's my brother! Am hoping to add to what he already has done. Have got copies of 1941 & 1942 Regt diaries but must have missed the 1944 one on the NA website. Do you have it?

 

Yes we have the Regimental WD for 1944 and the one for 48 Battery.

BTW My father in law Clarrie Hird also landed in Normandy on 10 June 1944 he was BQMS of 48 Batter. He too was posted to 10 Survey on 18-8-1945.

 

A Troop was in 48 Battery at that time - I'll take a look at the War Diary and see what we can find.
R

 

oh my word thats amazing! really odd thinking that they served together - thats the first time I've ever known of anyone elses name as my father died when I was 17 and he never really spoke about his service - just occasional snippets. Wow. Thank you so much

 

We're pleased too. The men were comrades for many years and I am always delighted to have contact with another daughter (or son) of the regiment. Margaret

ps Dad was Secretary of the Old Comrades Association from the start in 1947 until shortly before his death in 1977 so 4th Durham was always part of my life
Do you know whether your dad went to the Welcome Home Banquet event in Newcaslte in 1946?

 

The 4th Durham Survey Regiment RA TA return was a big event on Tyneside. Planning started well before the end of the war and many men attended the Welcome Home Banquet on 6th September 1946.

 

Can help with the post VE Day movements for both of the regiments however it looks like the the other way round as 10th Survey Regiment moved to Delmenhorst 4 Aug 45 for disbandment and 4th (Durham) Survey Regiment moved to Delmenhorst 5 Apr 46 for disbandment, do not have WDs for the regiments but they are well recorded by the higher command WDs, send me a PM

 

No - don't think he attended the Welcome Home. He wasn't demobbed until July 1946 and, from what I remember being said, was in a pretty bad way for a while afterwards. I also recall that he always said that he wanted nothing to do with anything after the war as he had lost too many friends and comrades and didn't want to be reminded of the experience. So sad

 

Our man, BQMS Hird, joined 4 Survey on 25 April 1939. He was posted to 10 Survey in 18 September 1945 then to 46 RHU on 30 September 1945. He was on LILOP then 'Home' until rlease to ZT on 25 April 1946. Seven years to the day!

R

 

I'm researching my Granda's war. He was in the 4th Survey from 15/6/37
he too was posted to 10 Survey on 18 Sept 1945 and then onto 46 RHU on 30 Sept 1945
he then went onto 90 Field Regiment on 31 Oct 1945
then released to reserve on 07/0146
gunner William Henry Stokoe 870965
I'm requesting his service records from MOD but know its going to take months, even longer now with the COVID restrictions.

 

Pleased to see you are looking into his war record. I've checked in the Nominal Roll from May 1946 which was prepared for the inauguration of the Old Comrades Association. There are two Stokoe men listed - your grandfather is shown as in the regiment when it went to Egypt at the end of 1940 and as Gnr for final rank - address in 1946 is 1 Hillside Crescent Scotswood Newcastle S. The other one is Sgt/Sur Stokoe W.V. of Whitley Bay.

June 1937 is a very early enlistment date - what is your source for this?

Regards

Robin