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#21
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Hi Burton Descendant, thanks for the info, i'm looking forward to getting stuck in and finding out about dad. My dad joined up in 1943, he was in the 1st Battalion of the Manchesters . i have some army pics and his discharge details, he left in '46. I know he was in Holland and Belgium as i have post cards etc he sent to family.
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#22
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The original 1st Battalion of the Manchsters was lost in the fall of Singapore a brief history o of the Regiment has
***The New 1st Battalion A new 1st Battalion was formed in June 1942 by the renumbering of the 6 th Territorial Army Battalion as the 1st. After two years intensive training as a machine-gun battalion the new 1st Battalion, commanded by Lieut Colonel Charles Harrington of the Cheshire Regiment, took part in the invasion of Europe. Bren gun carriers, equipment and men moved on 18 June 1944 from Faversham station to West India Docks in London where all was loaded onto the SS Samneva. The battalion landed at Arromanches on 26 th June, D-Day plus 20, as the Machine Gun Support Battalion of 53 rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. The battalion took part in the general British and Canadian attack on the German positions in the eastern sector, designed to pin down the enemy armour while the US Army in the western sector was staging its breakout from the beaches. **** They were kept busy after that... There is another daughter of a veteran of the 1st Battalion who initiated a discussions at http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/2567...t-machine-gun/ Would be worth joining that forum and posting your information ...it is an old thread but the contributors are still active and like many on this forum very happy to share their knowledge Robin |
#23
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The battalion was split company wise across four Brigades as well. When you get his service records you should find out which company he was in, and thus which Brigade he was attached.
They were 3 Machine Gun companies and a Mortar Company, so he could have been a mortar man rather than a machine gunner. During the North West Europe campaign they had 44 other ranks and 3 officers killed. (The statistics for the original Battalion that went in the bag at Singapore are a whole lot grimmer) Medal wise for the reconstituted battalion it would be for most of them:- 1939-45 Star, The France and Germany Star, and the 1939-45 War Medal. Here's a pic of the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment in action, April 13 1945 east of Rethem. |
#24
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I don't have a WW2 'other ranks' cap badge to show you but I do have a pair of officers collars - exact same design as the cap badges, but these officer badges are in what is called 'OSD' finish that's 'officers service dress' - it's an applied colour to give a patinated bronze appearance, in fact many just call these 'officers' bronze'.
The men in WW2 would wear this badge in brass. This Fleur-de-lys design was worn from 1923 to 1958. It was completely different from what they wore in the Great War. ![]() |
#25
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..... the book you need is this one:
![]() It will probably be expensive to buy unfortunately (not sure if it has been reprinted?). I do use my copy from time to time because of what I do, but if you get his service papers and need some 'event' looking up, that would be no problem. |
#26
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The big 'reprinters' of military books are the Naval and Military Press, I've just had a look for this one and they've reprinted it. It will be paperback, physical quality of the book won't match the original volume, but at least it is available.
http://www.naval-military-press.com/...1922-1948.html |
#27
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Thank you so much ever body for all the work you've done for me, it's quite touching reading and looking at phots of the regiment, my dad did'nt talk much about what he did or what happened, i have a cpl photo's i want to try and put on. I did try and register on that site but for some reason i can't, i'll keep trying though, and thanks again everybody, Coquet i intend buying the book.
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#28
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Hi i have this info on my dads release book,........ army no 1450836
rank pte arm of service inf/mmg. release date, 28 nov 46 York. |
#29
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#30
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Hi, It
looks very much like it could be my grandad, he lost a leg in Arras France . I noticed 1915 when he was discharged so yes i think it's him , Thank you so much . |
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