Researching my grandfather 113th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Glorious, May 19, 2016.

  1. Glorious

    Glorious Member

    I want to find out what I can about my paternal grandfather.
    My dad and I have very little information as my dad did not know him. (That's another story!)
    This is what I know:
    His name: Jim McLennan (probably James or John, but I'm not sure)
    His Regiment: 113th Light Anti Aircraft The Royal Artillery.
    369 Battery.
    Regimental number 11425219

    Can anyone tell me if and how I can do further research based on these details or perhaps his regimental number. I have no idea where he was born, where he lived or who his parents were.
    He doesn't appear on The War Graves Commision as far as I can see.
    I don't know much about applying for Records of Service but I am under the impression that I would need to be next of kin or have next of kin permission ?

    Is there anybody out there who may have relatives who were in the same regiment/battery?
    Is there anybody out there who may be able to guide me as to where to go from here?
    Here's hoping!!!!!
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello and welcome to the forum.
    The best place to start is to apply for his full service records. You have his service number and his unit, so you should be able to receive them within a few weeks.
    They are only available from the MOD in Glasgow, link here:
    https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

    If he didn't die during ww2 he won't be listed on the CWGC website.
    Your father would be able to apply as next of kin. If it is over 25 years since your grandfather died, anyone can apply for them.

    We have forum members who know more about Royal Artillery units than I, and I am sure they will be along soon.

    Lesley
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Do you know the date range he was with this unit?
     
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    If you have any further details - when and/or where he died??, his wifes name little bits of info like this help put the pieces of the puzzle together

    TD
     
  5. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

  6. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    The old 5th DLI ! 5th DLI reformed 1920.Transferred to the Royal Engineers and converted into a searchlight battalion in 1938, becoming Royal Artillery in August 1940 the number you have is a Royal Artillery enlistment so perhaps he enlisted 1940 onwards else he may (possibly)have had a Royal Engineers or DLI (if earlier) number?)
    The 5th DLI were split forming two battalions the 1/5th and 2/5th, became respectively the 54th and 55th (D.L.I.) Searchlight Regiments (the 55th became the 113th (D.L.I.) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in January 1942). They both deployed to North West Europe in 1944 as part of 21st Army Group. 113th L.A.A. Rgt would help liberate Bergen-Belsen and aid the survivors.
    The Padre wrote an account of its time;-

    http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/TranscriptTheStoryofBelsen.aspx

    Kyle
     
  7. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

  8. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    I took a party of relatives of one of 113's Officers to Normandy and Belsen last year. http://www.theobservationpost.com/blog/?p=1508 They have a file qwith lots of ionformation about 113's story. Send me your email address, telephone number and address and I will put you in touch with the family.
     
    Nick P likes this.
  9. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    You will need a death certificate to support an application for his service papers.

    His RA attestation should be available online (on FMP?) so you may be able to discover his enlistment date.

    Good Luck

    Steve Y
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Once you've definitely confirmed that he served in 113 LAA Regt, let me know. I have the war diary from June 1944 to Dec 1945 and can let you have a copy.

    The Regiment moved to Tilbury and started loading onto MT Ships Cyrus H.K. Curtis & Empress Celia on 15 June. Due to the storm which hit the coast of Normandy, the final offloading did not start in France until 24 June and was completed on the morning of the 26th June. They were living on hard tack rations after having used up their 5 day emergency ration packs.
     
    Guy Hudson likes this.
  11. Hi my great grandfather was in the 113th LAA as well, name Sargent William Jackson, have you found anything
    out about the regiment since
     
  12. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    Gents i'm currently researching the 2/5th DLI / 113 LAA Regt RA during WW2 for the DLI Archive together with 7 DLI who became 112 LAA RA . In particular their campaign in Normandy and NW Europe ,i have already quite a bit of info produced by Officers of the Regts in 1947 including the liberation of Belsen but if anyone has any further info i'd very much appreciate it .

    Frank can you recall the Officers name ?


    Many thanks

    Paul
     
  13. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Send me a PM with your email name and phone number and I will put you in touch with a descendant with a large file about 113.
     
  14. TheFos

    TheFos Member

    Hello,
    I have seen some excellent information on 113 LAA Regt on this site but my father, 4448111 Gunner Alex Gallagher served with 112 LAA Regt from Jan 1942 to Oct 1945. I have obtained his Army service records from the MOD but they are very sketchy. I would appreciate any detailed information about this regiment, particularly the War Diaries.
    Thanks,
    Bryan
     
  15. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Brian

    Welcome

    It would probably be worth starting a new thread for your father and 112 LAA Regt to distinguish from this thread. If you go here - Royal Artillery then there is an option to 'Post new thread', add your tags so others are notified or can find it when searching, would also be worth scanning and then uploading the service records you have so others can help decipher them. Don't forget to add a request for War Diaries as we have seberal members who provide a Kew copying service at very good rates

    TD
     
  16. TheFos

    TheFos Member

    Thanks TD,
    Will do once I find out how to use the site. I am ex-military so I understand the service records but they give no detail about how units moved about and what they were up to?
    Bryan
     
  17. sichapman

    sichapman New Member

    Hi all,
    Bit of a latecomer to your posts...

    there's some cracking references and links offered and I've been reading with great interest.

    Ramacal - do you have the war dairies for 113 LAA for 1945?

    My grandfather was with 113 LAA - Sergeant Arthur Roberts 1516030 and I'm trying to find out exactly what he did back then. It was his second time in Europe having narrowly escaped with the BEF at Dunkirk.

    Arthur returned to England after the war and had a successful career finding oil in the North Sea for BP - I guess there are similarities in finding German aircraft using Radar...

    Thanks for any help that anyone can provide.

    Simon Chapman
     
  18. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Post no 2 provides the link to the MOD for service records - if you dont already have them - they provide the military skeleton on which to pin all the other associated material

    TD
     
  19. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Simon do you have the service records because as I stated on the other thread his BEM awarded in Nov 44 was for service with
    146 HAA Regiment RA GHQ AA Troops (Passed 24 November 1944) not 113LAA??? 146HAA were disbanded in April 1945 so he may have been posted between nov 44- march 45 but as TD has said its better to check those service records?

    Kyle
     
  20. Nick P

    Nick P Active Member

    Hi could I please send my details, if the offer still stands?
    Reg Price. 113th LAA 369 Battery
     

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