Researching Grandad (Eighth Army)

Well. I was given a box of my grandfathers stuff, which contains items from his time as a soldier. I am trying to trace his regiment, so i can perhaps find out where he went and what he was doing on various dates, and perhaps if possible what vehicle he was allocated to.

I have the following items:-
Army book 64.
Field Compass
Field Binoculars
Stable Belt
Glen Garry hat (which has wrong badge on)
currency from various countries (Libya, Egypt, Italy)
Letters from home
loads of photos.

My grandad served as part of the eighth army in the dessert (against Rommel's lot) he was a bren gun carrier driver.

In his army book 64 his army number was 3133174, Kenneth Joseph Harrison (DOB 25/04/17) and the regiment states (the KOYLI) however he lived in Stirling as a youth, and this makes no sense him being in a Yorkshire regiment ? also on his letters from home are addressed to 2nd Bat Royal Scott's Fusiliers (Op Avalanche 10/10) ???? I know he got the Mumps when he was out there and spent some time in hospital (this is covered in the content of the letters)

I have photo's of him, and he appears to have three types of hat, the first is the tartan Glen garry, the second is a green derivative of the glen garry, and the third is a flat cap style hat with a pom pom in the middle at the top. the badge is like a bomb / grenade with a flame coming out the top, however on his glen garry now it has a star with a thistle laurel and a horn at the bottom (my dad reckons he borrowed his hat to his mate when my dad was young, and it came back with the wrong badge on)

there is also a photo of my grandads regiment on parade, they are all filed up behind a line of motor bikes, then behind them are the carriers, i can see two serial numbers on two of the Bren's T.10829 and T.1148 (last number obscured)

can anyone help me trace my grandfathers regiment, I am literally after as much info as possible on him.

he was a great man, and I feel that i have been robbed by not being able to show my appreciation toward him and share his experiences during the war.

once i have completed his history, I can move onto my other grandfather who was a landing craft driver.

Thank you all in advance

Richard

 

As Owen says, try and post some of the photos and perhaps some of the key pages from the AB64. We should be able to help put it all together. More on the 5th Division here:

5th Division

 

thanks guys, iam waiting for the camera to charge up i have completed the SAR already, but it says i need a court order ? is this the case ? i have his death certificate etc. will post the pics up asap.


Richard

 

i have completed the SAR already, but it says i need a court order ? is this the case ? i have his death certificate etc. will post the pics up asap.
Richard

No, you don't need a court order if you're the next of kin.

 

ok appologies if there are too many, but i have tried to photograph the right bits. photos of photos dont really work too well, despite my camera.
AB64 stuff










Grandads portrait


Regiment photo's



Grandad and pal's






correspondance







Grandads Glen Garry and stable belt.

 

Cheers Owen ! at least i can get info. any reason why he would have moved regiments ? or was it a case of the 2nd RSF's numbers got so low they combined regiments ?


Richie

 

Nice photos - from the look of the photos and documents he was in the Carrier Platoon of Headquarters Company of 2nd RSF. Reasons why many transfer are many and varied; it was possibly following a period away from 2nd RSF due to sickness or wounds? Found himself at a Casualty Replacement Centre and got posted to whoever needed men.

 

wow that would suck ! he was ill with the mumps the letter from his dad was quite heartfelt when reading it perhaps he wasdown at the prospect of being re assigned? we will never know i guess. me old man was saying that Ken got the desert star, the africa star, he landed at salerno in scicilly going through italy to monte cassino then he went through north africa to el alamaine and then to burma where he was shipped home to become a fish merchant

thats all he knows.

 

2 RSF were in 17th Brigade with 2nd Northamptons and 6th Seaforths so plenty of reading to do there following their travels. He would presumably have been with the Battalion for the landings in Madagascar which gives him the distinction of having fought the (Vichy) French !

You might find some reference to his time in the Middle East by looking up Paiforce.

My Grandfather was with 2nd Northamptons and he always said that they had to be positioned between the Scottish Battalions to stop their rivalry turning into punch-ups .

 

Richard,
2 RSF were not involved in the Desert war.
5th Div, were involved in Madagascar, their fighting war started with Sciliy,

Hey Owen, watch your tone or I'll set my Mum on you Their "fighting war" started in France in 1940 and there was some opposition on Madagascar.

There was a Far East connection (although not Burma) because they went to India after Madagascar where they were quarrantined on the plains because of the form of malaria that many of them had picked up.

Cassino was not on their list of engagements but they were engaged in hard fighting on the Garrigliano and as Owen says at Anzio.

Richard, if you can come up with a decent scan of the motorcycles, I'd love to have a better look at them !

Rich.

 

hahahaha thanks guys, remember i have not heard this from him, and iam sure things get distorted through the years

will try and get better pics of the bikes for ya Rich.


Richard.

 

the AB64 has transfer date in the back transfer to army reserve ?. 8th September 1945 ? and his enlistment date in the front is 15/02/40. The AB64 has no reference to the RSF but does state in hand writing on the inside cover "LME copy of old book destroyed 07/05/44"

the letters i have from his parents to hi are all addressd
Fus. K Harrison
Carrier Platoon H.Q COY
2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers
MEF

these latters are dated 6th and the 14th August 1943 both letters have Op AVALANCHE written in red, and also
ADM.HOSP GN 28/07/43 - 18/8/43 perhaps this was when he had the mumps.

Owen, i have nothing else which can provide any provinence or date i am affraid.

cheers

Richard.

I also found out regarding the cap badge, he leant the hat to my uncle Jimmy Lawson who was in the cameronians so it all makes sense. I have bought an original RSF cap badge to go back on