Hello, Lost my Dad last year, he was nearly 90 and really always avoided talking about the War, even when I was a child. I would like to know more about where his unit were if possible and wondered if anyone on this site could help me. He was in "C" (Charlie) company of the Highland Light Infantry 52nd Lowland Division, and i will tell you what I know of my Dad's war. I have his training record and identity card, and he was demobbed at the end of 1946 as I recall but could have been beginning of 1947. He trained in Wales around Neath and Kimmel Bay and also the mountains of Scotland and completed "advanced infantry training" along with a lot of other things. I believe he landed at Ostend just after D Day, crossed the Rhein and mentioned being near Magdeburg in the old East Germany at some point. I did get hold of a very short history of the HLI 52nd Lowland Division which only had about 5 pages on WW2 but it confirmed that the 52nd was landed at Ostend about 10 days after D Day. Apparently this was because they were going to be dropped by glider in support of the Parachute Regiment at Arnheim but for obvious reasons this never happened. When I mentioned this to Dad he did remember the camp being "locked down" as he referred to it due to an operation that they were told was cancelled due to bad weather, he was never told what the operation was !. The book also mentioned Walchren Island and Dad seemed to remember that, but he was always vague about the war which was deliberate I think as he preferred to forget it. Before I send for Dads war records, does anyone have more information about the HLI 52nd Lowland Division and what they did or perhaps someone has the full history of the regiment or could point me in the right direction. Thanks John
Afraid I don't really know anything about Army, however a very quick Google search has brought up With The Jocks, a little bit about the Lowland Division Unofficial records Their museum is now with the Royal Highland Fusilliers Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum 518 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LW Tel: 0141 332 5639 Fax: 0141 353 1493 Email: assregsec@rhf.org.uk Web: Intro Curator: Colonel RL Steele TD DL You will need to contact these and see if you can get any help tracking down regimental diaries, which listed where each company etc was on each day, and if they were involved in fighting, casualties etc. On top of this it is important you get your fathers records ASAP. You will have to wait a bit as surviving veterans get priority, next of kin get bumped down the queue. However when you request them, make sure you ask for photocopies of the original records, not a typed summary. I would also suggest tracking down any associations for the regiment, and maybe try Forces Reunited in case there are some veterans still around who can help. but move damned fast on that one.
Thank you for your prompt responses and help. I will order Mountain and Flood and will apply for my fathers service records as you suggest. Regards John
Hi John Not much to go on but we ran this earlier. It is the obit of an Army officer involved with the liberation of Walcheren Island. I'm afraid the island is only mentioned in passing but it might give you a name to research further. http://ww2chat.com/forums/obituaries/4236-major-acton-spud-gibbon-gm-rip.html There's also this on the liberation of the island: http://ww2chat.com/forums/allied-advance-germany/4705-liberation-walcheren-60th-anniversary.html Unfortunately, I'm hopeless with the Army so can't help much further.
Yeah mate get a full copy of his records and find out which Btn of the Division he was with. This will help you a lot with your later research. Most Scottish units have a good written history somewhere. Good luck
