9th Army WW2

[Marmite!!]

Can anyone tell me anything about the British 9th Army in North Africa during WW2...can't seem to find anything online:confused:

[Snapper]

Hadn't heard of a British 9th Army. 1st 2nd 8th 10th and 14th I know of. But not a 9th.

 

However - Wikipedia tells us

 

The British Ninth Army was a Second World War formation formed on 1 November 1941 with the re designation of the HQ of the British Troops in Palestine and Transjordan. The Ninth Army controlled British and Commonwealth land forces stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

So...presumably this was the force keeping an eye on the Vichy French in Syria and Lebanon, who were a threat.

[Marmite!!]

That's all I could dig up.. my Grandfather was with the 8th but in his pay book there a piece of paper attached with a stamp that reads

 

Headquarters Ninth Army Camp 21 May 1945

 

I think this was part of a travel warrant...

[Marmite!!]

Come on some one must know something about the 9th or have I stumped the Experts... where's Tony B? he normaly has something to say even if it's nothing to do with the thread :coffee:

[Richard Farrant]

Come on some one must know something about the 9th or have I stumped the Experts... where's Tony B? he normaly has something to say even if it's nothing to do with the thread :coffee:

 

I think this refers to the US Ninth Army.........do you know the location of HQ Ninth Army Camp, Lee? Towards the end of the war, Monty had control of this army as I understand it, so that is the closest link I can come up with.

[Marmite!!]

I think this refers to the US Ninth Army.........do you know the location of HQ Ninth Army Camp, Lee? Towards the end of the war, Monty had control of this army as I understand it, so that is the closest link I can come up with.

 

The only thing I can find that is relevant to that date is the photo below which is dated 20th May 1945 the day before the stamp...

 

My Grandad Tom is on the right

 

[Richard Farrant]

Lee,

I am assuming he was in Germany by that time. His unit might have been linked to US Ninth Army at that time, but it is the only clue I can find. Those ambulances are in a very light paint colour for NW Europe, unless it is strong sunlight on them and trick of the camera.

[Marmite!!]

All the photos I have are in North Africa, nothing in Germany, there is another insert in his pay book... 37COY RASC Ambulance 3rd Jan 1945 any idea where they were at the beginning of 1945?

 

I have applied for his service records but that will take some months to come through

[Richard Farrant]

All the photos I have are in North Africa, nothing in Germany, there is another insert in his pay book... 37COY RASC Ambulance 3rd Jan 1945 any idea where they were at the beginning of 1945?

 

 

 

All a bit odd, would have thought we would have pulled out of N. Africa by then and that uniform is not normal for that climate. Looked up RASC history, list some units, but not that one, will keep looking.

[Marmite!!]

All a bit odd, would have thought we would have pulled out of N. Africa by then and that uniform is not normal for that climate.

 

Yes & the uniform looks a bit clean... from what I can remember he was with the Cheshire's...

[Degsy]

Richard, the Army was still in Egypt, Palestine and Transjordan and probably other parts of the Middle East until well after the end of the war.

[Degsy]

Lee, the Cheshires had a battalion fighting in Italy at the end of the war, they had been in N. Africa and Sicily. They were withdrawn to N. Africa for rest in July 1944 and returned to Italy some time after the Anzio landings.

If it's any help to you the reg't'l museum is-: Cheshire Military Museum, The Castle, Chester Tel 01244 327617.

[LarryH57]

The 9th Army was formed in the Middle East at the end of 1941. It was raised in The Levant (Lebanon), as the HQ for all forces which might have been used in that area against a German thrust which it was anticipated might follow further enemy successes at the time, in South Russia.

 

The badge of the 9th Army was a charging elephant, and on its back was a castle from which flew the red and black flag of an Army Commander. The design was in red on a black circular background. The elephant was chosen as General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson as GOC was known by the nick name 'Jumbo'. Earlier in 1941 Maitland-Wilson had been GOC of Persia & Iraq Command (Paiforce) which used a Elephant head badge for the same reason.

 

BTW - I think the K2 actually in the photo has the Jumbo badge on the nearside front

Edited December 4, 2008 by LarryH57

[Marmite!!]

The 9th Army was formed in the Middle East at the end of 1941. It was raised in The Levant (Lebanon), as the HQ for all forces which might have been used in that area against a German thrust which it was anticipated might follow further enemy successes at the time, in South Russia.

 

The badge of the 9th Army was a charging elephant, and on its back was a castle from which flew the red and black flag of an Army Commander. The design was in red on a black circular background. The elephant was chosen as General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson as GOC was known by the nick name 'Jumbo'. Earlier in 1941 Maitland-Wilson had been GOC of Persia & Iraq Command (Paiforce) which used a Elephant head badge for the same reason.

 

Thanks for that..

 

I have some photos he took in the Lebanon... I know it's the Lebabnon as one of the pics are of the "Hotel Lebanon"

 

Just waiting for his service records to come through..

[Adam Elsdon]

The 9th's formation sign:

[Richard Doherty]

Ninth Army was formed at the same time as Eighth and Tenth Armies and was intended, as noted in an earlier reply, to meet a German thrust through the Caucasus. This seemed possible in mid-1942 after the fall of Tobruk and Ninth Army was reinforced at the expense of Eighth with units in M E Forces deploying to Palestine/Syria.

As for the photo of the soldiers in BD with the ambulances in 1945, BD was worn in the Middle East and its presence shouldn't be taken as an indication that the photo may have been taken elsewhere. I have many photos of soldiers, including my father and Monty (not in the same pic), in North Africa wearing BD.

Of course, we hadn't pulled out of North Africa by 1945. It was a huge logistical support base as well as a training area with formations being withdrawn from Italy to rest, re-form and train in Egypt and Palestine. Then, of course, there was the small matter of our involvement in Palestine after May 1945 when, among others, an airborne division deployed there. And we were in the Canal Zone until the 50s.