Can anyone tell me what Battalion of the RUR was stationed at Trieste around July 1946? I've just got hold of a some photos of my grandad after he transferred from the York & Lancs to the RUR A couple are portrait type ones with 'Trieste July 1946' written on the back and a couple show him outside a camp with 'Displaced Persons Camp (ineligIble No) - Trieste 1946' on the back of these I've found a few histories of the RUR during WW2 on the net but they all seem to stop at 1945. Also on the portrait type photos he has a black cat shoulder patch if thats any help Thanks in Advance Scott
Scott More than likely the RUR replaced the London Irish in 168 bde of 56th Div at Trieste as that bde was made of London Scottish - Welch and Royal Berkshire all representing the National countries of the UK Cheers
Scott, Did your picture show your granddad wearing a caubeen and the cap badge/hackle over the right eye, and with no lady on the cap badge...a tell tale sign of the London Irish Rifles (LIR). As you will know the LIR were the TA adjunct of the RUR from 1937 onwards, so there is sometimes a little confusion about the regimental connections therein - exemplified by the rather dubious mistaken entries of a well marketed armed forces database... they were quite distinctly different regiments. Of course, some of the LIR officers were RUR commissioned. By 1945, 1 LIR formed part of 167th Brigade with the Jocks and 9 Royal Fusiliers - this brigade was disbanded in late 1946 at Pula (Pola). best
Hi Bexley I think you could be right. i've attached one of the photos for your confirmation. Which now leaves me slightly confused, as all the other information i have (like his Record of Service Army Form W5258) state he was in the RUR. Were the LIR and RUR considered the same for an administration basis? Also, when he left the York & Lancs he was a sergeant, but when he moved to the LIR/RUR he is noted as a W/Cpl? Cheers Scott
Bingo...indeed it's LIR and if Trieste in 1946 would be their 1st Bttn. My Dad was the "last man out" of Villach of the disbanded 2nd Bttn in March 1946 so that would have just left 1 LIR in the field. Administratively the LIR would definitely be linked to the RUR - you'll note Gazette entries would always show RUR, not LIR for medals etc. The CWGC shows the men who died whilst serving with the LIR as "Royal Ulster Rifles, 1st (or 2nd) Bn London Rifles". My father, who served with 2 LIR from Oct 1939 to Mar 1946, had no direct linkage with the RUR, either through training or other means, no mention was ever made of the RUR in his army service record and would not have in any way recognised any sort of connection with the (very fine) RUR apart from any officers commissioned within the RUR. Perhaps they made an individual's "connections" with the RUR more explicit late on. No idea why there was a diminution in rank from Sgt to Cpl after his transfer to the LIR. best
Perhaps he was a local sergeant with Y&L and reverted to his war substantive rank of Cpl on transfer. Chris
Thank You Bexley That now explains it, and also why i was struggling to find anything for the RUR at Trieste. Chris What is a local seargent? His 'Record of Service' form also shows as a seargeant when he left, but his other LIR 'portrait' photo only shows him with two stripes. Maybe when he transferred they already had enough seargents, so he temporarily dropped down to Corporal? Cheers Scott
http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/london-irish-rifles/the-london-irish-at-war-1939-1945/the-1st-battalion-london-irish-rifles-during-the-second-world-war.php This is the 1st Bttn's Second World War history. best
Scott A local sergeant is exactly that; he is given the 'local' rank (and rank badges) because, for whatever reason, a sergeant was needed at that location. However, the number of paid sergeants in a unit was,limited by the establishment which laid down the number of men at various ranks, so a local sergeant was probably not being paid as a sergeant. He would have had 'local' (i.e. within his unit) authority, but his rank would not necessarily be recognised outside his unit. Much like Acting Unpaid Seregeant! Chris
