534 Bty, 191st (Herts & Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, October 1943

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Expat Yeoman, Jan 14, 2020.

  1. Expat Yeoman

    Expat Yeoman Member

    Managed to pick this image up to add to my collection. Very pleased to find it as there is less info about 191st compared to its regimental brothers 104th and 147th.

    191 was formed in December 1942 with the Essex and Herts Yeomanry each contributing manpower, supplemented by headcount from various Infantry units. Those from the Essex Yeo (413 Bty) were mainly posted to 532 Bty and those from the Herts Yeo (462 Bty) to 533 Bty. 534 Bty had a sprinkling from both plus drafts from other units. The Regimental history notes the Wiltshire Regt, Welsh Regt, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Sussex Regt & R Norfolks as contributors in the early days.

    Turning to the picture, some interesting elements. Dated October 1943, when the Bty had just moved from Seaton to Ramilles Barracks at Aldershot. I observe 2/Lt Thurston with an RA cap badge and Lt Hodges with an EY one reflecting the 'mixed ingredients' as above. There are also lots of the Regimental 'goat and cutlass' arm badges visible. From this group 2185157 Gunner Albert John Tudball (top row) was sadly not to survive the war, killed 29th November 1944. Others I could identify from the group include:

    • Front row: Lt CHW Hodges was the Signals Officer; WO2 BSM Riley was originally IG attached staff before then transferring into the Regt; BQMS Jimmy Mehigan is mentioned several times in the excellent memoir by Felix Johnson; Bdr J Stirk was the pay clerk.
    • Centre Row: Gunner Dale was batman to the Bty Comd Maj Norman-Butler, L/Bdr AL Hunt a driver.
    • I am fairly certain that Bdr Jones (front row) is Bdr AC Jones who after the war married and settled in France.

    To the reverse of the photo is a Christmas message "to my loving mother, with best wishes for Christmas 1943, from Steve". Alas I cannot tell which one may be Steve as only surnames are given. I can rule out some, but still too many to pin him down as yet! If anyone can add on Steve or any others in the picture, I'd love to hear more.

    EY
     

    Attached Files:

    Simon Wilson and Charley Fortnum like this.
  2. oates

    oates Junior Member

    Interesting to read this. My father is on the photo on back row - Gunner Atkins.

    I don't know if you are aware of an earlier thread on 191st in which I'd posted the same photo from my dad's collection. There's a lot of other material posted here are well:

    191 (Hertfordshire & Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA.
     
    Expat Yeoman likes this.
  3. Expat Yeoman

    Expat Yeoman Member

    Thank you for the tip, I had not seen that one - it has added some more names and details to my list of who served in 191.
    EY
     
  4. Expat Yeoman

    Expat Yeoman Member

    Thanks again for raising this - this has opened up new lines of investigation and discovery on badges worn, war and other peacetime biographies for members of the Regiment, and the chance to now formally record and honour their services through obituaries with the Essex Yeo Association.

    The power of this board is brilliant!
     

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