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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: AthenaGr on Monday 19 March 12 13:18 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I wonder if someone would be able to help me find out some more information regarding my father's time in the British Army in WW2. I just received my father's service papers and it states that he was wounded 16th July 1944 in Tilley France. I believe he may have been with the South Staffordshire Regiment but I know that he finished up his service with the Royal Norfolk Regiment. I would be delighted if anyone could let me know what battles etc were happening in Tilley at that particular time.
Thank you very much in advance for your assistance .
Kind regards
Athenagr
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Hi Athena,
At the date given that wouls almost certainly be Tilly-sur-Seulles in the bocage country of Normandy. The Allies were still a bit pinned down then just about to break out in the Normandy campaign.
Alan
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Thank you very much Alan for taking the time to reply to my post.
Kind regards
Athenagr
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The 50th TT Division (specifically the DLI) and the 56th Independent Infantry Brigade (specifically the 2nd Essex) both fought at Tilly.
Unless you are referring to Tilly-la-campagne and not Tilly-sur-seulles.
Do you have any more information?
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Hi Combover,
Thank you for taking the time to help me find information regarding my dad. I don't have a scanner so I have taken some photos of the section that mentions him being wounded in Tilly (Tilley as it is spelt in one section)
I would apprciate any help that you can offer me.
Thanks again.
Athenagr ps the date of the 1st entry/photo says 16th July 1944
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It's likely he was in 177 Brigade of the 59th Staffordshire Division during Operation Pomegranate. The 5th South staffs were one of the assualting Battalions within that Brigade.
Probably wounded whilst fighting towards Noyers-Bocage from the Tilly-Sur-Suelles area.
Have a look at this website:
http://59div.morssweb.com/
Best wishes,
Tom
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Hi Tom,
Thank you very much !!! I'm delighted with that bit of information and I will definitely check out the link you have sent me. I have attached a photo of my father taken whilst in the army (1st on the left of the screen). He would have only been about 19 years old in that as he joined up when he was only 18 .If anyone recognises any of the other men in the photo I would love to hear.
Thanks again for all you help.
Regards
Athenagr
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According to that photo he was in a Scottish regiment at some point too. Do you know his service number?
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Hi Tom,
Yes I have his service number it was 14436075 and he was a private. I believe he was also in the following regiments
GSC General Service Corps
KORR King’s Own Royal Regiment
KR King’s Regiment (I think)
S Staffs South Staffordshire Regiment
R Norfolk Royal Norfolk Regiment 1st Batt
He enlisted in Ballymena Belfast 17th July 1943 aged 18 and was from Dublin .
Regards
Athenagr
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144 service numbers are 'General Service' or more commonly known as 'General List' which you have rightly identified.
The cap badge appears to be Royal Scots Fusiliers though...
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Hi Tom ,
Yes Tom my mother did mention many years ago that he was in the Royal Scottish Fusiliers . I have checked his papers and have only found 1 reference to them in the section for "Regiment or Corps' but is not mentioned anywhere else. It mentions 6 regiments each crossed out apart from 1 which I guess refers to him being transferred from one regiment to another.
R.S.C 039 (CROSSED OUT)
THE KING'S R 051 (CROSSED OUT)
KING'S OWN R. 050 (CROSSED OUT)
S STAFFORD R. 074 (CROSSED OUT)
RS FUS 031 (CROSSED OUT) I'm assuming that this is the Royal Sottish Fusiliers
R. NORFOLK R. 111 (NOT CROSSED OUT)
Unfortunately my father never spoke about his time in the army even when throughout the years myself and my brothers and sisters (all 14 of us ) were studying WW2 in our history lesson at school we'd ask him about his time and he'd just refuse to discuss it , any tiny pieces of information we had we got from my mother who really didn't know a lot herself.
I believe this is very common among many soldiers returning from war that they don't like to talk about their experiences. I think that what may have also added to my father's silence is that he was an Irish man from the Republic of Ireland fighting in the British Army and when he returned to Ireland after the war there was no hero's welcome for men like himself , in fact life was made very difficult for them.
So Tom any help you or any other rootschat members can do to help me find out information about my Dad ,I and all my family really do appreciate it.
Thank you.