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Adrian,

The cap badge is definitely that of the Royal Artillery (RA) but unfortunately that is one of the largest regiments in the British Army. If your father joined the army as a member of the RA before 1943 his army number would have fallen in the sequence 721,000 to 1,842,000 as that was the block given to the RA.

The arc at the top of his arm is a what is known as a shoulder title for the "Royal Artillery" which would have been those words in red on blue. Below that he has the formation sign of 148th Independent Infantry Brigade which is the letters NM joined. This was originally a brigade of Territorial units from the North Midlands hence NM as their badge.

In July 1942 the Brigade was withdrawn from the active army to become a training formation. Its job was to train potential officer cadets before they were sent to Officer Cadet Training Units or OCTUs. It was located in South East England.

By 1944 the NM sign would only have been worn by those doing the training (not the potential officers) so it seems likely that your father was one of those involved with the training. He has no visible rank badges so was either the RA equivalent of a Private - known as a Gunner - or he has a rank badge on his cuff which we can't see.

Because the Brigade was a training unit the units in it would have been a strange mixture so its is likely to be quite hard to be exact as to which regiment of the RA he was serving with. Without that it's not going to be possible to take this further

Each formation of the Army was required to keep a diary known as a War Diary, but none appears for 148 Brigade on the National Archives website.  There is one file which covers the conversion of the Brigade to a training role which may help. Its reference is WO199/585. I can recommend researchers if you'd like it looked at but of course they charge.

Have you tried to get his service papers as next-of-kin?

Hope all that helps. Shout if anything is not clear.

Any chance of a 300 dpi jpeg for my files please?

Jon
Postwarden

Hello,

I've just arrived as a member and I've seen your medal question.

Awarded Africa Star + 1st Army Clasp  AuthyGRO 632/43     (dated 15/5/43) - Means that the authority (Authy) for the issue of the Africa Star and bar to your Father-in-Law was published in General Routine Order 632 of 1943 on the date given

Awarded 1939-45 Star
Awarded Italy Star
Authy GRO Y93/45            (All dated 28/6/45)

Means the same thing for the issue of the 1939/45 Star and the Italy Star.

General Routine Orders were issued in all theatres of war and were the official approval for soilders to wear a medal. You will not find any copies of these in the archives as they have not generally survived. However an entry in a soldier's paybook was his official authority to wear campaign stars like these so if you have the medals listed he is entitled to them.

The War Medal was issued to anyone who served for more than 30 days in the army so if he has the campaign stars he is entitled to a War medal. The France & Germany Star is more problematic. 11 LAA Regt did not serve in either France or Germany and it was unusual for someone who ended up serving in Italy - as he must have done if 11 LAA was his final regiment- to have previouly served in France. But the fact that he does not have this entry in his paybook is not proof that he did not qualify for it! The final authority would be his service record. Have you obtained a copy of that?

Hope that helps
Jon - Postwarden




I would like to know what these mean....
Authy GRO 632/43     &     Authy GRO Y93/45