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Army Records

L

lesr1

master brummie
I live in Australia I am filling a form to send to Glasgow to request my late fathers army records. As some items are not known and others are conflicting, I thought I would ask for input from the forum if it is possible.
This is what I know:

1…. My father was born in Aston, raised in Kingstanding and was living with my mother and brother in Great Barr when called up. I always was of the opinion that he was enlisted in The Royal Warwickshire Regiment backed up by photos of him in uniform around Warwick Castle. I am not sure what year maybe 1941-1942

2….My father was sent to Burma but I believe The Royal Berkshire Regiment came into the scenario but I do not know why.

3…Whilst in Burma my father was fighting alongside Gurkhas when shot (possibly 1943….not sure) and it was they who managed to save him and eventually he was sent to India for convalescence. He returned to the UK from there after hostilities ceased with Japan.

4…My father sent for his medals shortly before his death in 1995 at the request of his grandson. The Burma Star is amongst these. There is no army number on the four medals which I believe is regular practice. None of the family know his army number.

5.…Last year whilst in the UK I had a wonderful day at the National Memorial Arboretum. At the Burmese memorial I entered my fathers name (Arthur Ernest Robinson) into the computer. On the wall opposite glowed Arthur E. Robinson 4978107.

6 …Of course I thought I had found his army number but I have since found that number was issued to the Sherwood Foresters and I know of no history between them and my father.

I think I have enough information from when he was called up to substantiate a successful search such as full name , address ,date of birth, next of kin at that time etc. together with all relevant certificates, but it is the conflicting items that I would appreciate input from forum members before applying with what I do know. Thanks Les.
 
Hi Les
You mention filling in an Army service record request to be sent to Glasgow, I might be wrong here but I dont think you have the right form as the army service records address is not in Glasgow.

The Veterans UK website will give you more info and the right service record request form from the Ministry of Defence. The Veterans UK site has a helpline and you may be able to e-mail them for further guidance of info.

https://www.veterans-uk.info/recordsmedalsbadges.htm
https://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/ServiceRecords/
https://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/ContactUs/ServiceRecordsEnquiries.htm

Regards
Louisa
 
My dads cousin in Australia applied for her fathers WW1 records from Veterans:UK in Cleveley, Lancashire, they were really helpful, if you follow Louisa's link above they will process what you need.
Good luc,
Sue
 
Louisa and Sue thanks for your replies. The form I have to fill out has the address to send "Army Personnel Centre,MS Support Unit,P & D Branch,Historical Disclosures,MP 555,Kentigern House,65 Brown Street,Glasgow G2 8EX"
together with relevant certificates and a 30GBP cheque.However I will definately enquire on the sites you have given me before I post anything off.Thanks again.
 
Hi Les

I sent for my father's medals, including the Burma star a few years back. I recently applied to the Historical Disclosures Section in Glasgow for my father's service records in the Royal Artillery in WW2. My reply said there is between a 9 and 12 month waiting time. Here's a bit of info from the documents included with their reply.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps the former records of members of our Armed Forces for administrative use after their discharge.

The Army Personnel Centre - Historical Disclosures Section - has access to Army records dating back to the 1920s and can supply copies of documents to the next of kin of deceased former soldiers and officers and to other enquirers providing 25** years or more has passed since the subject's death.

There is not as much detail held on Army personal files as people think. Army files are paper-based records that follow the career of the individual and, in most cases, make little mention of theatres of operation or action seen.

Medals and awards are recorded but citations are never included. Only very rarely does a file contain a soldier's photograph and photographs are not held in the Archive.

Some files contain more information than others and we have no way of knowing what any particular file holds until we have looked at it.
We will not accept an enquiry unless there is a reasonable chance of locating the file in our archive. Ideally we need the full name, date of birth, Arm number, regiment and year of discharge of the individual.

As I got a reply presumably they have decided there is a chance of finding the records (I do know his reg no.) but if they don't the £30 is non-refundable. Good Luck.

**the 25 years refers to non kin.

Suzanne
 
Normally army numbers in the United Kingdom,are not issued to regiments only to the soldier attestated at that time whatever regiment he finally serves, in war time, especially with the great citizen army's of, 1914/18 1939/45, men are sent where needed what ever regiment they actually join, for instance, my next door nieghbour, Len joined the Suffolk's. but served in the Royal Scots.
paul
 
lesr1 said:
I live in Australia I am filling a form to send to Glasgow to request my late fathers army records. As some items are not known and others are conflicting, I thought I would ask for input from the forum if it is possible.
This is what I know:

1…. My father was born in Aston, raised in Kingstanding and was living with my mother and brother in Great Barr when called up. I always was of the opinion that he was enlisted in The Royal Warwickshire Regiment backed up by photos of him in uniform around Warwick Castle. I am not sure what year maybe 1941-1942

2….My father was sent to Burma but I believe The Royal Berkshire Regiment came into the scenario but I do not know why.

3…Whilst in Burma my father was fighting alongside Gurkhas when shot (possibly 1943….not sure) and it was they who managed to save him and eventually he was sent to India for convalescence. He returned to the UK from there after hostilities ceased with Japan.

4…My father sent for his medals shortly before his death in 1995 at the request of his grandson. The Burma Star is amongst these. There is no army number on the four medals which I believe is regular practice. None of the family know his army number.

5.…Last year whilst in the UK I had a wonderful day at the National Memorial Arboretum. At the Burmese memorial I entered my fathers name (Arthur Ernest Robinson) into the computer. On the wall opposite glowed Arthur E. Robinson 4978107.

6 …Of course I thought I had found his army number but I have since found that number was issued to the Sherwood Foresters and I know of no history between them and my father.

I think I have enough information from when he was called up to substantiate a successful search such as full name , address ,date of birth, next of kin at that time etc. together with all relevant certificates, but it is the conflicting items that I would appreciate input from forum members before applying with what I do know. Thanks Les.
Click to expand...
My late wifes uncle Fred, served with the Sherwood Foresters, they landed at Singapore, which was already in Jap hands, and spent the rest of the war as a Jap POW.
When he came home he weighted 3and ahalf stone, he refused to talk about the war, and did not even claim his medals. They really
did have an awlful time under the Japs. Bernard
 
Bernard,My Dad also rarely spoke of his time in the war.He did not claim his medals until he was 80yo and once confided to my mother that he had been better off shot in the back(which came close to killing him) rather than ending up a POW on the Burma railway.Les
 
Les
Here are a few links which may help you to understand more about what your father and others endured in the Burma POW camps, we could not even begin to imagine the terrors they saw and endured and I can well understand your father not wishing to speak of it all.

The Australian Government seems to have researched and obtained a lot of information about the Burma POW camps so you may be able to find some info on the conditions etc nearer home.

https://pow.larkin.net.au/2011/06/12/military-photographs/https://www.gunplot.net/photsection/thumbnails.php?album=24
https://www.ww2australia.gov.au/behindwire/burmaG.html
https://www.pows-of-japan.net/guestbook2/guestbook.php
https://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Signalman_Waders_Diary/html/thai_burma_railway.htm
https://www.ww2talk.com/forum/burma-india/32248-any-help-appreciated-thanks-burma-railway-pow.html
Louisa
 
Just to clarify what Glasgow holds, in their words:-

"The Ministry of Defence holds the records of soldiers who left the Army in January 1921 or later and officers who left the Army after March 1922. Any earlier records are held at the National Archives (formerly known as the Public Records Office)."

Maurice
 
I recently found my father's service record card,he is recorded as being discharged from what appears to be the Loyal R. I have never heard of that Regiment/organisation. Anyone here who knows? I would be grateful for any help.

Nodd the baffled.
 
Eric Gibson said:
en.wikipedia.org

Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Click to expand...
Hi Eric,
Thanks for that link.Very interesting but just adds to the confusion of my fathers service. According to his service record he started in the GOC.The next 2 entries are unreadable,only the last entry,Loyal R is readable. I have a photograph of him wearing a beret, the badge is a dragon with one foot in the air and appears to be winged so not the Loyal R badge. Time to write to the Army I think.
Once again thanks for your help.


Nodd K-D
 
NoddKD said:
Hi Eric,
Thanks for that link.Very interesting but just adds to the confusion of my fathers service. According to his service record he started in the GOC.The next 2 entries are unreadable,only the last entry,Loyal R is readable. I have a photograph of him wearing a beret, the badge is a dragon with one foot in the air and appears to be winged so not the Loyal R badge. Time to write to the Army I think.
Once again thanks for your help.


Nodd K-D
Click to expand...
If the cap badge has the word The Buffs underneath the dragon, it is the East Kent Regiment. Is there any chance you can put the cap badge on the theme.

Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
If the cap badge has the word The Buffs underneath the dragon, it is the East Kent Regiment. Is there any chance you can put the cap badge on the theme.

Bob
Click to expand...
Hi Bob,
Not the Buffs,very near but my father's badge has no banner below the dragon's feet. I shall try and get the picture on site. May take awhile,it's in Brum I'm here in Devon.

Nodd K-D
 
 
The only badge I can find, (a winged dragon, no scroll), is for the 2nd & 3rd Battalions, The Monmouthshire Regiment, The South Wales Borderers.
The Monmothshire Regiment became part of the South Wales Borderers in 1929.
The 1st Battalion transferred as a Searchlight Regt., (I bet that went down well !) while the 2nd & 3rd Bns retained their infantry role.
 
It may help if you could give us an idea of dates for his service. A lot of regiments merged and changed badges. Thanks
 
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