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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: julieanne001 on Thursday 30 April 09 14:03 BST (UK)

Title: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Thursday 30 April 09 14:03 BST (UK)
i have a picture of my grandad in his uniform. we are trying to find out what regiment he was in,
, all we know he was in the army and based in india? can anyone understand the badge on his cap? would this be his regiment?
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: sheena58 on Thursday 30 April 09 14:14 BST (UK)
Hi Julieanne
Welcome to Roots chat.  :)
Could you post the photo of your granddad? It would generally be the case that his cap badge would indicate his regiment. There are lots of very knowledgeable folks on here so I'm sure if you can post a clear image someone will be able to help.
Regards

Sheena
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Pete Keane on Thursday 30 April 09 20:03 BST (UK)
Looks like the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, but India doesnt fit.

The cap is just covering the bottom of the badge!

Any other photo's?
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Friday 01 May 09 11:00 BST (UK)
hello.
we only have one other photo, this is a picture of him in India in khaki coloured shorts and short sleeved uniform, unfortunately we have misslaid it and are continuing to look for it.
we know he was shot and sent back home patched up so to speak and then sent back out to India.
there is another photo of a ww2 soldier on this site and looking at the badge looks the same, but not sure?
julieanne001
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Friday 01 May 09 11:20 BST (UK)
hi pete.
just found this site; www.northeastmedals.co.uk/british_regiment/oxfordshire_and_buckinghamshire_light_infantry.htm
which was very interesting they say 6 battalions were sent aboard one of them being india, i looked at the badge on the site and it could be the ox and bucks regiment.
thank you for your help
julieanne001
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Pete Keane on Friday 01 May 09 18:09 BST (UK)
Its a type of badge used by several regiments - I'm under the impression it signifies either a Rifle or Light Infantry Regt.

I think what is unusual about the Ox & Bucks is that they have no number on the badge, hence my suggestion.

The easiest answer will be to apply for his service history, then you can trace his postings etc.

There were about 60 battalions on iinternal security duty in India during WW2, plus the battalions training/recuperating from Burma.

Regards

Pete
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Friday 01 May 09 18:20 BST (UK)
pete.
thank you.
would you know how to get hold of army records? if so is it costly?
i was told that for ww2 we had to wait for x amount of years as they are still with the m.o.d.
julieanne
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Pete Keane on Friday 01 May 09 20:37 BST (UK)
Follow the below link, it takes you to the page for applying for your grandads service record.

It costs £30, and you need to enclose a copy of his death certificate.

It is taking about 2 months for them to send the records out.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

I was going to ask if he was from either of the counties, but as he was probably drafted he could have been from anywhere.

They will ask for his regiment and service number, which may be a problem, but his date of birth may suffice.

Regards

Pete
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: scrimnet on Saturday 02 May 09 01:06 BST (UK)
Looks like the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, but India doesnt fit.

The cap is just covering the bottom of the badge!

Any other photo's?

Of all the Rifle Regts, only one has neither anything in the middle of the bugle horn, nor anything across the top...

Pete is quite correct, and spot on...It can only be Ox and Bucks LI ;) ;D
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Pete Keane on Saturday 02 May 09 18:19 BST (UK)
I do believe - in all honesty - that it was one of your threads that I saw the information on.......

Next time I'm having all the glory ;D

Cheers

Pete
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Saturday 02 May 09 21:45 BST (UK)
dear scrimnet
thank you for that.
that's reasured us now.
thanks
julie
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: julieanne001 on Saturday 02 May 09 21:47 BST (UK)
pete.

thank you for all your help.
all the information has been most useful.
julie
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: scrimnet on Saturday 02 May 09 22:28 BST (UK)
I do believe - in all honesty - that it was one of your threads that I saw the information on.......

Next time I'm having all the glory ;D

Cheers

Pete

No probs!  ;)

Pse do mate! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Mickf1 on Saturday 09 May 09 00:05 BST (UK)
This is my Dad , I am his son Michael, he enlisted in the Army on 1st January 1934. His service no. was 5381486  He did tell me that he spent quite a few years in india prior to the outbreak of ww2 but I dont know if it was with the OX AND BUCKS, at that time , but I know he subsequently was in the OX AND BUCKS  light infrantry during the war and was shot in the foot during the D Day landings. As a boy I dont remember him saying too much about his service, so I hope with help of my neice Julie we can obtain his service record at some time in the future.
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: scrimnet on Saturday 09 May 09 00:48 BST (UK)
Hello Mick and welcome to Rootschat!!

His service records are with the MOD...

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

2nd bn Ox And Bucks Light infantry were part of 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div. The went in by Horsa Gliders...And landed just after midnight 6th June 1944...

Their mission was to take and hold the bridge over the River Orne...Now known as Peagsus bridge...until relief arrived.

It was portrayed in the film "The Longest Day" with Richard Todd as the CO...
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: scrimnet on Saturday 09 May 09 01:11 BST (UK)
2nd bn Ox and Bucks were in India prior to WW2...in Uttar Pradesh..From 1934-1940

  1928 Calcutta   India
  1929 Maymyo   Burma
  1931 Rangoon  Burma
  1934.Nov Bareilly INDIA! 
  1940.July 31 Inf Bde UK
  1943.May 6 Airborne Div UK
  1944.June  6 Airborne Div NW Europe
  1945.Oct Palestine   
 
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: Mickf1 on Wednesday 13 May 09 01:12 BST (UK)
thanks scrimnet thats very interesting information. I have the film longest day and so I will view it again with renewed interest, as I remember, it does seem fairly authentic, and so I can imagine what my father must have gone through, it really makes you appreciate what men like him and thousands of others have done for us.
Title: Re: ww2 photo help needed
Post by: scrimnet on Wednesday 13 May 09 08:46 BST (UK)
Richard Todd was actually there with the Ox and Bucks, he was playing his own CO!!!

The British sections had some very heavy input from the Vets...Mind you so did the Yank ones...It's just the so called "109s" that buzz the beaches that get me throwing things at the TV!!

There are ooodles of books on the Pegasus Bridge operation....DO look them up!