TA info about 4th Bn. King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)

[Michelle Oakfield]

Im assisting a lovely gentleman trying to trace his grandfather Joseph P Devlin. Joseph was born 25th November 1910 in Newry, Northern Ireland. Joseph served in the TA and was an ARP Warden in Barrow-in-Furness before signing up for the Royal Artillery in 1939/1940. It is the TA part of his life story he is trying to find. There is some evidence to say Joseph was in the TA in the King's Own Royal Regiment. Can anyone help piece this part of the story together? Thank you in advance. The reason I want to help this man find his grandfather is because he is a wonderful human being who has raised millions for charity. helped countless people and asked for nothing in return. I want to do this for him. Thank you

[Andy J2022]

His service record will be at the National Archives, along with around 9 million others which are in the process to being catalogued and, eventually, digitized by Ancestry. However if you initially address your request to the MOD (on behalf of the 'lovely gentleman') then you should receive a reference code to give to TNA which will speed up their search for the record. Start here: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service/apply-for-the-records-of-a-deceased-serviceperson
and once you have the reference code, apply to TNA here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/mod-closed-foi-request-step1

[Andy J2022]

The Royal Artillery unit he joined was probably the 56th (King's Own) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, which if he stayed with them was sent to India in 1942 to fight in the Burma campaign. If he fought in Burma he would have received the Burma Star and so you could also contact the Burma Star Association to see if they have any information about Joseph P Devlin. He doesn't seem to have been a member of the association but that doesn't mean that they won't hold any information about him, if some of his mates joined and he featured in any of their accounts.

However after it was formed the 56th AntiTank Regiment split off some of its men to create the 66th Anti-Tank Regiment which remained in the UK and acted as a reserve pool of trained manpower to reinforce other units as required. The only way you are likely to get the full story of what Joseph did during the war is through his service record.

[Kiltaglassan]

...his grandfather Joseph P Devlin. Joseph was born 25th November 1910 in Newry, Northern Ireland.

Transcribed on IrishGenealogy as born in Magherafelt S.R.D.

Born 25 November 1910 at the Workhouse, Newry. His mother Lizzie Devlin, a servant.
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1910/01553/1628122.pdf

[Michelle Oakfield]

Thank you so much.
I see that one of you specialises in Co. Cavan! A young Joseph was sent age 16 straight from St Patrick’s Industrial School in Belfast to a John Bannon who had a farm in Ballyconnell in County Cavan. Any idea how I can gain info on that? It would have been around 1926

[pogo99]

Checked through the WW2 Medal and Royal Artillery tracer cards for a Joseph Devlin but no joy. Good luck with your search.