question Royal Artillery & 8th Army Photos - Help please with Grandads history

[Wolfy]

I’d be very grateful if anyone can help me with my Grandfather Henry Dance RA history as I’m no expert on this.

 

I would really like to paint my Jeep in his units markings if possible. I’m trying to piece it together, below are service photos of him.

 

 

5th AA Div School of Gunnery Course H1. I think this is Reading where he was from.

 

 

Bedford QL I think. Whats the filled in 'P' on the door and S2B ?

 

 

B IHQ 24 Whats this? What would the colours on the board be?

 

 

8th Army shoulder badges, desert clothes, photo taken in Bologna?

 

 

Desert clothes again.

 

 

Grandad has 8th Army badges, others dont?

 

 

Known Facts –

 

• Served in the Royal Artillery from 39-45
  
• Went to Anzio and was in Italy in 1944
  
• Drove a truck towing a gun.
  
• Born and lived in Reading, Berks.
  

.

 

My assumptions (but could be way off) –

 

• He stayed in the 5^th Light Anti Aircraft Division and was aligned to the 24^th Field Artillery Unit in Alexandria – Sub HQ
  
• In the 5^th LAA he drove the Bedford QL and towed a Bofors 40mm AA gun.
  
• An Artillery division would have had several Jeeps?
  

.

Has anyone got any ideas on this and what markings would be suitable for my Jeep, any info at all would be fascinating and gratefully received.

 

Many Thanks

 

Colt

[Degsy]

The only bit I can help you with, I think it would be THQ, Tactical HQ rather than IHQ.

[woa2]

I live in Reading. If you can give me any details of where he lived and any other details about Reading, I will see what I can find out. Also, my Uncle, Charles Sage, was in the Royal Artillery in HAA and served in Italy as a Lieutenant after being in the Cadets at Reading School.

I noticed that the photos show the 1939-45 star, which was issued before the other campaign medals and before the end of the war (can't remember the exact date, but I can find out).

[Wolfy]

Degsy, thankyou I already learnt something :laugh:

 

Robert - I had seen your posts previously and would love to see your Ford utilities some time. Thanks for the offer to help, I will get some information from my Mum.

 

Colt

[Keith Brigstock]

Hi There

 

A little bit of info for you

 

5 AA Division is a UK based division part of Ack Ack command from 1939 until 1943 and coverded Bristol, Cardif, Swansea, Newport, portland, Portsmouth, Gloucester, Southamton, Plymouth and airfileds of 10 Group. The divison was disbanded in 1943 but teh Brigades becam apart of a Group. The division had 5 Brigades 35, 45, 46, 47, and 55. The different Regiments that served in each brigade veried through out as units were sent of to the feild army and new ones replaced them. All the Light Anti Aircraft Regiments in the Division were in 55 Brigade in 1939 and they were 23, 24, 34, 35, 36 LAA Regts RA. By February 1941 this had shrunk to 4 Brigades 27, 35, 47, 65. 65 Brigade covering Southamton had the Divisions three LAA regments 23, 43 and 58 LAA Regt RA.

 

The LAA Regiments in the 8th Army Changed a lot from 1941 to 44 and it would be difficualt to track his War with out knowing what Regiment he was in. But if he was in 5 AA Division at the Start of the War some 34 LAA regiment was part of the 8th Army at Alamein and could be his regt.

23 LAA Regt RA Far East

24 LAA Regt RA Far East

34 LAA Regt RA 8th Army

35 LAA Regt RA Captured at Singapore

36 LAA Regt RA Far East

43 LAA Regt RA Far East

58 LAA Regt RA UK and Northern France

 

The Colours would be Red over Blue and the Sign is "B Troop HQ" not sure what the 24 is I am sure there was no 24 LAA Battery. You said he was attached to a 24 Field regt RA that could be it I will do a bit of digging at work tommorow. 24 Fd Regt RA was part of the 8th Army from Jan 1943

 

I hope that helps I will try and find out more for you

[Wolfy]

Fantastic Keith thankyou, lots to take in. Why would the LAA divisions break up mid war, because of air superiority?

 

If he trained as an AA guner I assume he would have stayed in that role rather than say firing a 25 pounder?

 

It was just an assumption that the 24 on the picture stands for 24 Field Artillery regiment as I think that regiment was in Egypt and Italy. I think your assumption about 34 LAA Regt RA 8th Army is the closest yet.

 

Thanks

 

Colt

[Wolfy]

Hey All,

 

I have gone through my Grandfathers war records and he served mainly in -

 

31 LAA Regiment - 224 LAA Battery. Can anyone advise where I can get more info on this please as the internet isnt showing me much.

 

What would vehicle markings for this be??

 

Many thanks

 

Carleton

[woa2]

 

5th AA Div School of Gunnery Course H1. I think this is Reading where he was from.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]57723[/ATTACH]

 

This is just a thought. Could the location be Artillery House, Tilehurst Road, Reading? The building is still there, but I think it is now flats after it was used as a court room.

Robert

[AlienFTM]

Fantastic Keith thankyou, lots to take in. Why would the LAA divisions break up mid war, because of air superiority?

 

Most likely. My deceased uncle served in 25 LAA Regiment in the Western Desert, then three D-Day beaches into Sicily, Italy and Normandy. He actually volunteered in September 1939 for the Nothumberland Hussars and was posted to A Squadron, who were promptly converted to be a light anti-aircraft battery. This was common for Yeomanry regiments (which the Northumberland Hussars were, not being a regular cavalry regiment. You may wish to read the history of the South Notts Hussars who followed exactly the same route, ending up being destroyed after being ordered to fight to the last round during one of the retreats across the Western Desert (if memory serves, it was at Knightsbridge).

 

25 LAA survived until the end of the war because they were in an active role, but the breakout from Normandy cost so many infantry lives that many other units were disbanded to provide more infantrymen for the meat grinder.

 

If you are interested, feel free to PM me and I can send copies of the booklet issued to all members of the battery at the end of the war, describing the wartime history of 25 LAA (not the regiment you are looking for, but it might give you a flavour of the life. I'll warn you, I grabbed these with the scanner during a brief visit to see my cousin. There is a lot of it, in single pages rendered as JPEGs because that was what the scanner defaulted to.

[Wolfy]

Most likely. My deceased uncle served in 25 LAA Regiment in the Western Desert, then three D-Day beaches into Sicily, Italy and Normandy. He actually volunteered in September 1939 for the Nothumberland Hussars and was posted to A Squadron, who were promptly converted to be a light anti-aircraft battery. This was common for Yeomanry regiments (which the Northumberland Hussars were, not being a regular cavalry regiment. You may wish to read the history of the South Notts Hussars who followed exactly the same route, ending up being destroyed after being ordered to fight to the last round during one of the retreats across the Western Desert (if memory serves, it was at Knightsbridge).

 

25 LAA survived until the end of the war because they were in an active role, but the breakout from Normandy cost so many infantry lives that many other units were disbanded to provide more infantrymen for the meat grinder.

 

If you are interested, feel free to PM me and I can send copies of the booklet issued to all members of the battery at the end of the war, describing the wartime history of 25 LAA (not the regiment you are looking for, but it might give you a flavour of the life. I'll warn you, I grabbed these with the scanner during a brief visit to see my cousin. There is a lot of it, in single pages rendered as JPEGs because that was what the scanner defaulted to.

 

I will pm you thanks it sounds like useful info.

 

Rob I think youre right about Tilehusrst road, it has to be that location or possibly the Oxford road location thats now the TA?