Hi all, My nan's brother died as a "gunner" very late in the war and as far as we know it was in a training accident of some kind. Whether he was training or being trained not quite sure! http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2716764/MERCHANT,%20LESLIE%20STUART Does anyone happen to know if Royal Artillery 162 (M) H.A.A. Regt. was a part of either/or: 53rd (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/53rd_%28City_of_London%29_Heavy_Anti-Aircraft_Regiment,_Royal_Artillery 54th (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_%28City_of_London%29_Heavy_Anti-Aircraft_Regiment,_Royal_Artillery And if training on (or just before) 30/05/1945 what they might have been training for? A partial understanding of this on our part was that it might have been for something in the Far East? But not knowing as yet exactly what Royal Artillery 162 (M) H.A.A. Regt. was/is I thought I'd ask here. If someone can unpick this code? There's some detail of this kind of thing in the wiki above that came up first from a google search with "Royal Artillery 162 (M) H.A.A. Regt." but it might just be a tenuous google link - (as there's one or two "162"'s in there) so I thought it best to ask first here just to be sure and try to get some clarity there! All the best, Rm.
It was a regiment in it's own right. (M) in the title mean't it was was mixed, male and female serving in the same unit. UK based, so more likely an accident of some type. It may be listed in the war diary, but you have to look yourself or pay someone to do it.
There is a diary at Kew which might be the right one. WO 166/16739 Home forces war diaries Royal Artillery Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiments 162 Reg-1945 Diane
I had a look at his casualty card on "Find My Past" and interestingly there is no entry in the box for either "place of death" or "cause of death". This is the first one I`ve seen like that. Under the section headed "Theatre or country where fatal wound or where death occured" the entry looks like UR or perhaps VR? I`m guessing you may have already seen this? Obtaining his service record or perhaps a copy of his death certificate might give more details as to the cause. John
While 162 (M) HAA would seem to most likely to indicate the regiment, there was indeed a 162 Bty as part of 54 HAA Regiment. Probably best to get a copy of the service record to eliminate any possible confusion. Attached is a page from a 1st AA Division diary from August 1941
You can apply for a death certificate, as his death was registered in Pembroke. At least you can find out the cause and carry on from there. Death not registered until the next quarter in 1945. Go to the Government website page:- https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate
Thanks all, Sorry I have left this for a while, I now have a pic and a newspaper cutting to add: Leslie Stuart Merchant news by Ramiles posted Jan 14, 2016 at 10:23 AM [sharedmedia=gallery:images:29483] Leslie Stuart Merchant by Ramiles posted Jan 14, 2016 at 10:23 AM [sharedmedia=gallery:images:29482] Thinking back I think my primary query was whether or not they were training in preparation for a deployment out East but I think ramacal's post #2 helped clear that up. All the best, Rm.
The picture above was possibly taken soon after he joined the army, the one below was taken almost at the end of the war... Gunner Leslie Stuart Merchant | War Casualty Details | CWGC GUNNER LESLIE STUART MERCHANT Service Number: 11420816 Regiment & Unit/Ship Royal Artillery 162 (M) H.A.A. Regt. Date of Death - Died 30 May 1945 Age 34 years old Buried or commemorated at CAERPHILLY (PENYRHEOL) CEMETERY Plot E. Cons. Row T. Grave 199. United Kingdom Country of Service - United Kingdom Additional Info - Son of Frederick George and Ethel Jane Merchant, of Caerphilly; husband of Winifred Merchant, of Caerphilly. Personal Inscription - IN MEMORY'S GARDEN WE MEET EVERY DAY Gunner Leslie Stuart Merchant (unknown-1945) -...