Please could you point me in the right direction. I’m helping a friend find his biological father. We know he was in the 8th batallion Royal Scots during WW2 and passed through Cardiff. We have a name but have no idea how to find his service records. How/where should I start my search?
Darren, Welcome aboard. Others may come along and help. Always apply for his Service Record, even if the turnaround is reported as a year plus now. See: Request records of deceased service personnel Upload the records here once you've obtained them and then the forum can get to work on them. Please do not pay for any site on the internet who promise you his service records they will not have them, and you would have wasted your money. More advice on a private message soon.
Darren, I expect this will be a long journey, certainly the MoD turnaround on service records is up to a year. Posting what you know now would enable the sleuths here to help. Given your existing research elsewhere yes, you may have all there already. This site can produce surprises. The short regimental history posted by the late Joe Brown shows 8RS were actively fighting in NW Europe till VE-Day, so your target being in Cardiff in 1945 - could be after VE-Day or before. Wiki has: "Thinking aloud" potential reasons are he was injured and shipped back to the UK after D-Day, spending time in Cardiff, even in hospital - so what the occupation of the lady there? Sometimes, even allowing for the shortage of infantry there could have been R&R, even further training before returning to service in Europe. Where was the Royal Scots Depot in WW2? There is a regimental museum @ Edinburgh Castle. Possibly worth a visit? It is currently largely closed due to water encroaching, however their website has an option to pose a question under Guestbook and get an answer. Or simply use: Museum +441312262688 or museum@theroyalscots.co.uk. My experience of late is such places struggle to answer email queries or charge £30 for example. They probably have copies of the regimental journal. 'The Thistle', though not historical issues are not online: Regimental Journal | The Royal Scots via: Home
