Author Topic: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?  (Read 4855 times)

Offline newkid90

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Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« on: Sunday 15 May 11 19:55 BST (UK) »
My father was involved in Operation Battleaxe.  I have a picture of his group with a tank in the background.  Sign on the tank says 46  F Troop.  Can somebody id this particulat unit as i am trying to find out more details.
Photo is attached
Thanks any help is appeciated

Offline newkid90

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe and 153 R.A.
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 15 May 11 20:16 BST (UK) »
My father was involved in Operation Battleaxe.  I have a picture of his group with a tank in the background.  Sign on the tank says 46  F Troop.  Can somebody id this particulat unit as i am trying to find out more details.  Also have partial info indicating H.A.A. R.A. 153
Photo is attached
Thanks any help is appeciated

Offline englandphil

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 15 May 11 21:19 BST (UK) »
Newkid, is there any chance you can zoom in one one of the cap badges.

I suspect it is one of the Royal Tank regiments but cant be sure from the photo

Offline englandphil

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 15 May 11 21:38 BST (UK) »
A closer look suggest that the fomration sign is that of the 78th Infanty Division (The Battle Axe Division)


Offline newkid90

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 16 May 11 01:09 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your help englandphil.  It is a starting point, but i still need to find out what unit he was in.  His records indicate H.A.A. R.A. 153, but i am curious about the sign on the tank.

I have a badge also that is from
 Royal Artillery

Offline englandphil

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 16 May 11 07:31 BST (UK) »
If you can get a large image of the photo it may be possible to make out a cap badge or the shoulder patch on the guy's arm on the left handside of the photo.

It is quite possible that he served with a number of units, but it could relate to 153 Heavy AA Regiment RA(TA) but they never left the UK and wouldnt have been in Africa.  The 153 could be a battery number and not the regiment number

http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/haa/page115.html

The photo looks later than 42 as it looks as if some men are wearing a medal Ribbon.

Have done a bit more digging.  It could be 153 Battery, 51 HAA Regiment RA (4 AA Brigade) who where in NA in 1941.

You might want to try posting on www.ww2talk.com as there are some Arty experts and also a Veteran of the 78th Div



Offline ScouseBoy

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #6 on: Monday 16 May 11 08:00 BST (UK) »
Can anyone identify the hills in the background?      Could it be at Bovington Camp or on the fringe of Salisbury Plain?
Nursall   ~    Buckinghamshire
Avies ~   Norwich

Offline englandphil

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Re: Trying to ID Battleaxe 46 Regiment/batallion?
« Reply #7 on: Monday 16 May 11 08:07 BST (UK) »
Can anyone identify the hills in the background?      Could it be at Bovington Camp or on the fringe of Salisbury Plain?

Scouse boy, looking at the Khaki uniforms, I would suspect Italy or possibly even Austria which is where the 78th Division ended up.

Offline englandphil

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