Anyone require War Diaries or other files from the National Archives?

Discussion in 'For Sale & For Trade' started by Drew5233, Mar 8, 2011.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi all....Just a quick post to let you all know I'm back at the National Archives after a three year break !!!

    Sadly I'm limited to just one visit a month and I'm currently only copying WW2 Regimental War Diaries. The good news is though I'm still only charging 10p per page for any complete diary over 100 various pages. Anything less than 100 pages costs £10.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  2. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    I hope the Lumix SLR still works. Very glad to hear you are back. John
     
  3. Bowlesy

    Bowlesy Member


    Hi Andy,

    I understand from reading some of the old messages on this thread that you are a bit of a 'nutter' so you seem just the sort of guy I am looking for to help me, although my wife, Liz (AKA Management) has said for years now that I have been way 'beyond' help. Anyway here we go & I'll try to be concise & to the point.

    I have been trying to retrace my Father's footsteps prior to a planned visit to Europe to visit the towns & villages he helped to liberate during WWll & have quite a bit of info. but I just can't seem to 'pin him down' to any exact dates & places. The poor old boy is no longer with us & foolishly, I never got to ask him exact details about his history. He did try to talk about his experiences many times but because it represented a previous life, which included a first marriage &, I am as sure as I can be, a secret 'liaison' in Holland, before my Mother came along she, bless her, always tried to shut him up before he started. I grew up scared stiff & detesting anything to do with war & spent my lonely childhood nights in bed, quaking, with my blankets pulled right over my head because I felt sure that if I didn't the Germans would 'get me' & if they didn't succeed the 'Japs' certainly would!!

    I have read most of the relevent books on his 'possible' campaigns & I have his war records, the guys on this site have also been brilliant & have given me lots of info. & background details but for the reasons given I know very little about the structure of the British Army & am not in the best of health at the moment so can't get to Kew myself. I have listed most of what I have & if you were able to help in anyway I would be extremely grateful.

    NAME: George Wilfred Horace Bowles. Wilfred was mispelled on his records as 'Wilford' initially. He never used any christian name except 'George'.

    ARMY NO: 13032411. CORPORAL.
    CORPS OF MILITARY POLICE.

    52nd (LOWLAND DIV.) PRO. COY.
    52nd (MOUNTAIN DIVISION).

    Emb for BLA 02:09:44, maybe to Ostend?

    Trained in Cairngorms.
    Based in STIRLING, ROTHES-ON-SPEY.

    Attached to 156 Brigade 06:01:42
    Attached to 155 Brigade 09:05:42

    I would love to know what 'company' he was in. The books I have read speak of A, B, C or D company but there is nothing on his records.

    Bren gunner?? He definately spoke about fighting or going to Nijmegen. Middelburg. Vlissingen

    Fought in other places during the battle of WALCHEREN.

    I can't understand if he fought in other battles prior to this becsuse of his disembarkation date from uk.

    (He had nightmares) about those poor 'buggers' that they used flame throwers on.

    Over the Rhine at?? Arnhem, Xanten??

    Battle of BLACKCOCK.?

    He referred all the time to 'Div HQ' I suppose of the 52nd/52st Division.

    Fought in BREMEN. & stayed there, or near there, until he came home I think.

    He finally arrived back in UK on Valentines Day in 1946. He was away for 1 year + 161 days.

    Being 'seconded' if that's the right word to different, units, battalions, Divisions he had to pass reports back to his superiors at 'Div HQ', Military Police HQ or 'lord knows where' & the MP museum say these are at Kew (I think).

    As I say it is on my bucket list to plan a European trip as soon as funds allow & as soon as I am well enough to go. Sadly, poor old Georgie was never able to go back although I know that it would have 'laid a few ghosts to rest' for him.

    I hope you may be able to help trace some diaries or reports but if not I fully understand. Thank you for the time you have taken to read my mail & obviously I would be prepared to pay expenses incurred in any research.

    With kindest regards & best wishes,

    Chris.

    'Not all those who wander are lost'.
     
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  4. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Chris,

    I'd suggest that from the details you've posted up he was a Corporal in the 52 Divisional Provost Company and likely part of the divisional seaborne element which went over to the continent earlier than the rest of the division. There will be a war diary for the provost company I expect and, as it was a relatively small unit, you might be lucky to find a mention of your father.

    Regards

    Tom
     
  5. MrEd

    MrEd Chief Observer

    great. Will get back to you in the summer - I need about 4 or 5 - 2 of which are ww1 - is ww1 okay or will you only copy ww2?
     
  6. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive


    Bowlesy, Perhaps best to start a thread relating to your father. I can let you have copies of the 52nd Provost war diary from February 1945 which details locations in Belgium and Germany. There is very little in the way of names though.
     
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  7. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member


    Here are details of 52nd Division Provost Company War Diary via NA Discovery search engine plus a few screenshots of the references -

    Search results: "52" & "Provost" | The National Archives

    Steve
     

    Attached Files:

    4jonboy likes this.
  8. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    A fair few WW1 war diaries are free to download via UK National Archives Discovery search engine if you register on the site.

    Many are also available on Ancestry site.

    Steve
     
  9. MrEd

    MrEd Chief Observer

    Yeah I know and I have downloaded a bunch, but the specific one I want for an RGA siege battery isn’t digitised yet though :( 176 siege
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Only WW2 at the moment whilst I settle back in.
     
    MrEd likes this.
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi

    If your father served with 52 Division's Provost Company for the duration of the war in NW Europe these are the diaries that should cover the movement of his unit. As I think has been mentioned already, it's extremely unlikely he'll be mentioned by name:

    WO 171/551 52 Division Provost Company Jan-Dec 1944
    WO 171/4275 52 Division Provost Company Feb-Dec 1945 (It appears Jan is missing)
    WO 171/8790 52 Division Provost Company Jan-Jun 1946
     
  12. sjw8

    sjw8 Well-Known Member

    Hi Andy

    Glad to "see" you back.

    Some years ago you kindly provided me with copies of War Diaries for various ad hoc elements of the "Beauman Division".

    I know that you have most of the Diaries relating to 1939/40 but do you have a copy of "WO167/1412 - Beauman Division: Headquarters", in your archives by any chance? If so, it would save additional work for you at TNA. We can arrange via PM re cost etc. as usual.

    Kind regards
    Steve

    PS - How's Jacob the Pilot? Hope he's well :salut:
     
  13. MrEd

    MrEd Chief Observer

    No worries I will come back to you in a few months when I have unpicked what I need ww2 wise :)
     
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  14. Bowlesy

    Bowlesy Member

    Hi there,

    Crikey, I don't know where to start. Thank you all, (or do I have to contact each one of you separately??) for the brilliant suggestions, help & advice. I feel overwhelmed & still not quite sure how this site works but I am amazed at the knowledge some of you guys have. The time & trouble you have taken to reply is very much appreciated. I will check with Kew what recorsds are available online as I have now registered an account with them.

    Thanks again & with best regards.

    Bowlesy.
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  15. Bowlesy

    Bowlesy Member

    Tullybrone likes this.
  16. Christian Luyckx

    Christian Luyckx Well-Known Member

    Hallo Andy,

    As you already know, I am a newbie in this community, so please forgive me for being clumsy or asking silly questions.

    I couldn't help noticing your avatar and immediately recognised the wrek of Al Deere's Spit that crash landed here on May 28th 1940. I then made the connection with an article I came by a couple of years ago about a young boy and his dad (from Yorkshire if I remember correctly) who were planning to make a charity trek to honour Al Deere.

    Would that, by any chance, be you (the father)? And, if so, did the project work out all right?

    Kind Regards,
    Christian
     
  17. Bowlesy

    Bowlesy Member

    k
    Hi Andy,

    Yes please, I would really appreciate it if you could get me copies of these diaries on your next visit. If you let me know if there are any upfront costs involved or let me know what pages are available before you have to lay out any money I can pay by return. I quite envy your visit to Kew but as I say I am not able to get there due to health issues at the moment. I hope you have a good visit & good luck with any other searches.

    All the best,

    Cheers, Bowlesy.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  18. Bowlesy

    Bowlesy Member

    Hi Rich,

    Many thanks for taking the time to reply. I have asked Andy to get me any copies during his next visit but if you have anything I could go on researching in the meantime that would also be appreciated so could you please advise how I could go about receiving these & what costs may be involved.

    Thanks again,

    All the best,

    Bowlesy.
     
  19. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Bowlesy. I'll send you a Personal message. Absolutely no charge for sharing what I have.

    My dad's brother transferred from Royal Artillery to 52 Provost at the end of the war and died after the accidental discharge of a Sten gun early in February 1946.
     
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  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Once Rich has sorted you out drop me a Direct Message ref a war diary order.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
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