Can anyone help with a soldiers diary?

I am new here so I hope this so the correct forum for this query.
I am deciphering a diary written by a British soldier in 1944. he was originally in the 7th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, wounded at Anzio then it seems he was with the 10th Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), he was moved about a bit after being wounded and was in several hospitals and Infantry Reinforcement Training Depots. Seems as he was no use to infantry he was sent to RE where he mentions being trained on SB or S/B. Can anyone help with this abbreviation please. Sorry some of this is vague as its difficult to decipher the handwriting. I am hoping to locate the chaps family and return the diary to them.

 

Have seen SB used in War Diaries, other docs to denote Stretcher Bearer

 

are you sure it says 10th Buffs & not 10th Berks?

 

Thanks mate, I just went through my notes again and the references made to S/B are as follows.
On board ship from Port Said to Italy he writes that he is doing S/B training on board.
In Taranto he writes he is a driver for S/B
Later he writes that he is training for S/B up the line.
Later re S/B there is a lot to learn.
Later he writes learning more about S/B.
There are 4 more entries and the last one he writes that he has driven S/B before.

Do you think he is training to drive an ambulance for stretcher bearers, as I know he had a bad skin condition and leg and feet problems amongst others.
Would that much training be required to drive the ambulance?

Thanks again for your reply, my feeling is that you have cracked it!

 

Thanks for your reply Owen, I will go through the notes again and get back to you later. The writing in all of the diary is a scrawl and open to interpretation (not a criticism of the chap), I will check again.

 

Owen, he wrote the information one page, I have uploaded the file. I would be grateful for your interpretation.
Many thanks for your help with this.

 

Hi Freebird

Was his name Reg Turvey? -
Do you have any further info on him, date of birth, place of birth etc as family trees sometimes have details

TD

 

Hi Tricky
I scanned 11 signatures from the diary and put them on Facebook (hate it but its the only way to stay in touch with old friends on there), the consensus of opinion was that his name was Pursey and either Reg or Ralph. He was born in 1913 but I dont know the date or place of birth. I thought he might be from Birkenhead where my dad was from, my dad was also Royal Engineers in Italy but I have no real reason other than they may have met up. Reg (I will call him for now) was only in the RE from about 23rd October 44. By the way would it be usual for a soldier to be moved to RE as a driver if he was no use to the infantry (his words). Seems more and more likely to me that he would have been trained as an ambulance driver due to his injuries, maybe he had a lot of training as he may not have driven before the war. What do you think? I managed to locate 6 addresses from the diary using Google Earth (addresses were incomplete), I have written to them but no replies yet, people obviously move on. I have to say that I am very impressed with WW2talk and I can see me being here for some time after I have found this soldiers family.
Oh I think I have his rifle number is it possible to trace that?

 

This thread may have wandered a bit, should it be moved to another section mods?

 

Is there anything that looks like his Army Number listed in the book ?
I still can't decide if it does say Buffs or not.

 

I read the note as saying:

"? the 10th Buffs in July 1940
finished Dec 1943
Join 7 Ox + Bucks in Italy
Feb 1944
Wounded at Anzio beach head
March 3"

TD

 

10th Bn The Buffs was a training battalion that was disbanded in Dec 1943:

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/10145-east-kent-regt-buffs-in-italy-1944/

To have been in it for three years suggests he was staff.

 

Only reason I asked about Berks as in post #1 freebird said this.

he was originally in the 7th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, wounded at Anzio then it seems he was with the 10th Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment),

I knew 10th Buffs werent in Italy but 10th Berks were in 56 Div , same as 7 Ox & Bucks.

Now we've seen the diary , it's Buffs THEN Ox & Bucks.

 

Owen, sorry I got that initially. I had to scan every page of the diary to a PC then manipulate the images to try to make them clearer. A lot of notes were taken and I transcribed it all into a Word document, on the way it became confusing and it dont take much to confuse me these days, so I will have made some errors. Im glad to have them pointed out though. The diary does understandable have some very personal comments in it when he is in hospital for example so I havent uploaded the contents out of consideration for his family. There is nothing like an Army number in the diary. What he notes as his rifle number is '28CO491 Rifle No' but I dont suppose that helps much. He was a batman for a while (which he didnt like) I will see if the officers name is noted, also the hospitals he was in. I would prefer that his family made the decision to make the diary public and if and when we find them I will ask if it can be put up here with some editing.

 

Not sure if this will help or muddy the waters further:

Births:
Reginald A Pursey
1913 Jul-Aug-Sep Wells Somerset


Reginald W Pursey
1913 Jul-Aug-Sep Holborn London


Deaths:

Reginald Albert Pursey
1913 Feb 1998 Mendip Somerset

Reginald William Pursey
1913 Mar 2005 Enfield Middlesex

TD

 

Thanks very much TD, it all helps to keep it together. Going over some of it this morning I believe he was born on 12th May 1912, not 1913 as I originally thought. Also his son Peter was born on 28th August 1944.
I have collected together some dates that may or may not be helpful, some have question marks where I know I haven't got the word exactly right, especially Italian place names. When we find his family I will ask that WW2Talk have a copy of the full diary.
6th January 1944, wites I am now batman to Captain McKenzie of the buffs(?)
Monay 17th - We move to Taranto, taking 2 days by train, still Batman, we hope to get to our unit sometime.
Thursday 20th - We are on the move again to 3rd CRV up near the front line am hoping to join.......
Saturday 12th February - Left IRTD to go to Naples to go on the boat to Anzio. We don’t know how long it will take, perhaps a day or two, who knows. (Mentions being on a LC1)
Sunday 20th February - We are still here on the Beach Head I am waiting to join the Ox A Bucks who are up the line. There seems to be a lot of casualties coming back.
Monday 21st February - I have moved to the Ox and Bucks, there is not many of us here. Jerry is shelling the road just a little to our right now and again, he sends his planes over to worry us.
Sunday 5th March - In hospital near Naples. After that moved to con(?) depot, mentions Mount Versuvius
15th April - Moved to Naples
Saturday 15th - Move to 198 transit camp for one day, waiting to join 50 Division not bad
Friday 21st April - We go out for a ??? match and back. I have found a few more friends in the Ox and Bucks. I would sooner be with the Buffs one day
3rd May - Went to Taranto
Thursday 4th May - We move to boats again. Bound for another country MEF. This time the sun is very hot out here now. I am still in Ox and Bucks. Last day in Italy,
Friday 5th may - On boat again and we are leaving Italy for Egypt, (Port Said). There is all sorts of troops on board including women.
9th May - Arived Port Said
Friday 12th May - At camp 12 miles from Cairo
7th June went to Alexandria
11th July - At sea going back to Taranto Italy (am still in 56th Division)
27th July - mentins mountain climbing and SB training
12th August evacuated by air to hospital Naples 70th General Hospital
Tuesday 3rd October - Had an FFI today, not bad, am in Y Company. There is about 4000 men here, we are near a ton called Nala? And in a village. I may get a job, I don’t know.
20th October - at a place called Benitoner??,
29th October - Says now in Q company

 

Would need to check 7 OBLI war diary to see if Capt McKenzie is listed .
Tried to find him on London Gazette but too many results.

 

Thanks Owen, as and when I find out more I will let you know. Thanks for renaming also.

 

Freebird,

PURSEY Reginald Arthur
Born : 12th May 1912 Wandsworth
Died : 4Q 1991 Lewisham

married : Stansell 1 Q 1943

Peter R G Pursey born 3Q 1944 Lewisham

I have found a current address for another brother which I will PM

Guy

 

Maybe I should go out shopping more often - I came back and its basically solved.

Well done (so far) guys & gals

TD