Norway Liberation certificate

Hoping someone might help me understand the handwriting on this Liberation of Norway certificate.
It belonged to my father whose name appears L.Offer. Trying to understand what the abbreviations stand for.
Thanks
Keith

 

In the brackets: (Bill) Rch (Regts RoL or Y).

Somewhere they might be a list for which units went to Norway after VE-Day. What rank was your father and unit?

 

Welcome.

I think it is GNR (DM) L. Offer R.A. (Regts R.A.) - so a Gunner (driver/mechanic).


P.S. this is the second one of these certificates to have turned up recently.
British Signalman Veteran Medal Set - WW2 and Palestine

 

From: Operation Doomsday - Wikipedia

It appears the initial units from 1st Airborne included:

From: Doomsday | Operations & Codenames of WWII

This Wiki lists what units made up 1st Airborne: 1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia

It appears everyone got a Certificate:

From one of many websites: World Military Collectables

 

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.
Like many men of his era he never talked about his war experience and passed away when I was a teenager who showed no interest then.
I do not know which regiment he was in nor the timeframe he was in Norway. All I know is that he was in Norway for some period of time.
Gunner (Driver Mechanic) makes sense as he always had his head under the bonnet of his car! Well you had to in those days!
So the R.A. does that stand for Royal Artillery? Is that a regiment?
Regts.. why plural?
Knowing only his name is there a database I can search to find which regiment he was in?
Many thanks
Keith

 

Keith,

Not an uncommon experience 'never talked'.

Yes, R.A. is the Royal Artillery, I think it is called a regiment, not a corps and it's sub-units are called regiments. See for context: Royal Artillery in World War 2 - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

There is no common database to search, except Attestation Records can be found on genealogical sites (some free, some subscription based). Hopefully a member who uses them can advise. If you provide his full name, hopefully his date of birth and I assume you do not have his Service Number. An address can help and when he passed.

Caveat: In the absence of details do not assume he was a Gunner, a Driver/Mechanic could be attached to a R.A. unit and be from another corps, notably the REME.

We always advise applying for his Service Record, even if will take some time and now the record could still be with the MoD or transferred to the National Archives. Details on PM next.

 

Hi David,
I note all your points and will apply for this his service record. I have also found his two service medals, and a certificate with them which quotes the number 1763798, I guess this would be his Army Number so should make it easier to search records.
I will post further information when I have it.
regards
Keith

 

1763798 is indeed your father's Army No.. Here is his RA Tracer Card showing he enlisted 16/1/41 and was initially posted to 236 Searchlight (S/L) Training Regt which was at Oswestry Shropshire.

Tim

 

Thanks so much for that Tim, way ahead of me, still trying to find my around the different searches.
I think it will be an interesting challenge to piece together all the different pieces of information and try to build a complete picture of his war. regards
Keith

 

You have lots of good answers here already, but just wanted to add a personal anecdote. My grandad was in the 1st Airborne, so I grew up seeing that certificate regularly as he kept it proudly on his wall.

I was extremely lucky as my grandad, Sgt Major Roles, spoke regularly of his experiences during the war- however until the last few years of his life he hid the worst of the details from us. (We also convinced him to write a book at the age of 88!)

The one thing he spoke about with most pride and joy was Operation Doomsday. Up until this point the war had been pretty horrific for him- and the whole of the 1st Airborne. He had been evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk- a harrowing experience- and then went on to Operation Market Garden which to me is still absolutely unimaginable. But he spent the summer of 1945 in Norway. It was warm, the men had comfortable beds, hot water and good food. The locals loved the British so they often received treats from them. The fears that the surrendering German forces would resist did not come to fruition. He told stories of swimming in the Fjords, playing pranks on friends, and just enjoying life.

Obviously not every soldier would have had the same experience, but I hope these rambling might bring you slightly closer to you own fathers experience.