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  1. #11
    Starting to feel at home
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    Thank you all so much - I really appreciate this help and I'm quite excited to finally find out where he was and what he did!

    The bits that have stuck in my mind over the years were that he drove a duck (as a child I always found that funny), he might have been in Arnhem, I know he was definately in Holland going by the photos I've got.

    As I mentioned, I've got his medals (1939-1945 star, France & Germany star, Defence medal and the war medal). I've also got what looks more like a commemorative coin for XXX Corps / Alamein. His photo album has some great photos in it and I'm so glad this has survived over the years. There are a couple of pictures showing someone that my husbands thinks could be Montgomery, but he wasn't sure. I've put a copy of the photos (pdf file) in the same folder as his records, so the link above should also show these.

    Jackie

  2. #12
    Starting to feel at home
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jenaheldd View Post

    The bits that have stuck in my mind over the years were that he drove a duck (as a child I always found that funny), he might have been in Arnhem, I know he was definately in Holland going by the photos I've got.
    Least I think some were taken in Holland......

  3. #13
    TomBen
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    Morning Jenaheldd,

    The Duck or DUKW was an amphibious version of a 2 Ton Truck built by the Americans and provided to the British under Lend Lease:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DUKW

    Those pictures of your Dad and his mates are fantastic! Quite the acrobatic trio in the first few. I'm positive that the officer disembarking from the plane is Field Marshal Montgomery, he was the only soldier I've ever known to wear two cap badges on his beret.

    As soon as I get some more time today I'll keep going over your Dad's records to see what else I can "translate" for you. We've also drafted in the help of a member of our staff who was in the British Army. He'll hopefully be able to fill in some of the blanks or provide corrections if needed!

    Regards,

    Tom

  4. #14
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    Essex
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    Morning Tom

    Wonderful - thank you so much! I can see this becoming quite an obsession trying to find out all the details!!!

    On a side note .... my uncle was in the RAF Volunteer Reserves (F/Sgt CA Green) and I know he was killed in action. I've found the records for his death on here and details on the war graves site but his service number seems to be wrong. I have some letters he sent to my dad and he's written his number as 1804043, but on the records here and on the CWGC site it states 1504043. I'm presuming what he wrote on the letters is correct and this is is probably just a typo in the records. On the CWGC site you can amend the records - do you think it worth requesting a change to the details?

    Jackie

  5. #15
    TomBen
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    Hi Jackie,

    The only record for Flight Sergeant Green I can find on Forces War Records doesn't give a service number. I've also check the list of Bomber Command Losses for October 1943 which also doesn't provide a Service Number.

    I've checked the CWGC website and they give the Service Number as 1622553?

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...ES%20ALEXANDER

    I am looking at the right CA Green aren't I??

    Tom

  6. #16
    Starting to feel at home
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    Charles died 15 October 1945, in or around Singapore I guess, as thats the memorial he's on.
    This is him: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...ARLES%20ALFRED
    and here https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/...nce=arrowlinks

    Jackie

  7. #17

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    Thanks again for sharing the service records and a big thanks for the pictures. If it one thing I do love its old WWI and WWII photos as they give a wonderful insight to the life of your military ancestor, they can show so much more than service papers like the day to day life, equipment, uniforms, actions, places, people etc etc. I love the pic of the VW Beetle as this must be a very early model

  8. #18

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    FYI here is some information of the insignia that you posted with the pictures:



    H.Q 21st Army Group – (British Army of The Rhine)

    This sign appeared on the Head Quarters of Field-Marshal Montgomery in September, 1943. The badge was worn on both arms of the battledress blouse by all members of the H.Q Staff of the 21st Army Group.
    It was the 21st Army Group which carried out the invasion of Europe in June, 1944, fighting its way from the Normandy beaches to the river banks of the Elbe, its Commander accepting the surrender of the German Army at Luneburg Heath in June 1945. H.Q 21st Army Group was redesignated H.Q. British Army of the Rhine in August 1945, the sign continued to be worn by the staff of the British H.Q. in Germany.

  9. #19

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    30 Corps.
    This battle dress badge was adopted in the Middle East and belonged to 30 Corps, a black charging boar set in a white circle on a black background. The 30th Corps was one of the Western Desert formations, where it distinguished itself in the drive to Tobruk in November, 1941 and the battle of the Omars. The Corps formed part of the Eight Army at El Alamein, where it was composed of the 50th (Northumbrian), 51st (Highland) and the 7th (Armoured) Divisions. Early in 1944 the formation was withdrawn from the Mediterranean and returned to the UK to join the 21st Army Group. Landing in Normandy the Corps fought across France, Belgium and Southern Holland to the Rhine. It was one of the assault formations in the Rhine crossing and drove deep into Germany in the final operations. 30 Corps became one of the Corps Districts of the British Army of the Rhine, covering the Province of Hanover, with its H.Q at Nienburg.

  10. #20

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    Breach Group & 8th GHQ Troop Engineers.
    Beach Groups were amphibious formations composed of specialist units of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The naval element comprised RN Signals and Commandos and the RAF component provided a balloon barrage section for the defence of the beaches and specialists in the preparation of forward airstrips. The Army provided the bulk of the force, in the form of an infantry battalion for the seizing of the beach and the defence of the perimeter. The RE element comprised Field Companies, Mechanical Equipment Platoons, a Stores Section, plus Transportation units. The RASC provided General Transport Companies with DUKWs, a Detail Issue Depot and Petrol supply unit. Also in cluded were an RAMC unit, CMP traffic control, a REME Recovery Section and Pioneer Companies. Beach Groups first operated in the Sicily landings (Husky) in 1943, at which time they may have been known as "Beach Bricks". The same badge was worn by a specific unit, 8th GHQ Troops Engineers. This unit was formed in 1940 as 8th Chemical Warfare Group RE, converting to GHQ Troops RE in 1943. They formed part of the Beach Group organization for Normandy. They later assumed normal GHQ Troops duties in 21 Army Group but continued to wear this badge.

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