100 Comments

1. Thomas Uttley 12th May 2015 at 10:51 pm

   my Grandpa was Edwin James he served in Crete where he was evacuated by the Royal Navy, he then served in North Africa, he mentioned the 8th Army, I have his Africa star, he fought at Monti Cassino and ended up being based in Vienna where he met my Grandma! I do not have his Army number and we thought he was in the Lancashire Fusiliers but have found out they did not serve in Crete!

   Would anyone know him or be able to shed some light on what Regiment he was in? He was from Eccles which was part of Lancashire at the time so I thought maybe he could have been in The Yorks and Lancs Regiment! I’m clutching at straws at the mo!

   Any help would be greatly appreciated!

   Tom
   1. Robin Hollamby 14th May 2015 at 8:18 pm

      Nice to hear from you.
      Do not be disheartened by what the records may or may not say.
      From my own point of view my fathers regiment was not supposed to be in Italy but I have his medals and the war office records so do not doubt what you have been told by your family.
      We are in the process of setting up a lost trails page which I hope will help finding the missing links in this kind of situation.
      I am also looking for information regarding the gaps in my own fathers history in Italy.
      So I am keen to get the ‘Lost Trails’ page operational as soon as we can.
      Obviously your Grandpa also had the Italy Star, had you thought of joining the association?
      Please keep checking the web site as things are changing from week to week and I hope that some one will be able to help you via our web site.

      Regards

      Robin.
   2. Robin Hollamby 19th October 2015 at 8:28 am

      Hello Tom, I am pleased to say that the log awaited ‘Lost Trails’ page is now operational. If you could please resubmit your request using the form on the ‘Lost Trails’ page I can post it on the site and I hope that someone may be able to provide the information you have been looking for.
      Robin
   3. Robin Hollamby 19th October 2015 at 8:33 am

      Hello Thomas, We now have the ‘Lost Trails’ page on the web site operational. If you could resubmit your request using the form on the ‘Lost Trails’ page I can get the details posted and hopefully we will be able to find some one with the details you have been looking for.

      Robin
2. Lesley 17th May 2015 at 7:11 pm

   In reply to Thomas Uttley’s request above regarding his Grandfather. If I may suggest he applies for his service records from the MOD. They may take a while to arrive but the cost of 30 pounds is well worth the money. You don’t necessarily need his Army number, just his name and his date of birth.
   https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

   Hope that helps

   Lesley
3. Trevor Johnson 22nd June 2015 at 8:45 pm

   My late father served with Combined Operations during WW2. Any Italy Star holders/members of this association have any knowledge of Commando involvement in and around Adriatic/Yugoslavia? Of particular interest would be 2 Special Service brigade.
   Thank you in anticipation for any help or advice offered.
   1. Robin Hollamby 23rd June 2015 at 9:46 am

      Hi Trevor,
      We are at present working on a lost trails page which I hope we will have working in a week or two.
      I am in a similar position regarding my fathers involvement in Italy.
      In the mean time have you got your fathers service records?
      Have you tried contacting the regimental associations or museums?
      Are you a member of the Italy Star Association because there might be a local branch near you that you can pop along to and speak to some of the veterans there.
      In the mean time please keep a track on the web site as soon as thee lost trails link is working it will be on the home page as a button on the top line under the parade photograph.
      I hope this helps and good luck with your endeavours.

      Robin
      1. Trevor Johnson 2nd July 2015 at 9:14 pm

         Dear Robin,
         Thank you for your reply. I have tried virtually every association/organisation under the sun in the hope of finding something – anything to do with Commando operations in Italy and Albania/Yugoslavia during the years 1943 to 1945 and in particular the involvement with Tito’s partisans. I have very little information; I do however have a photograph of a group of servicemen (the majority are “loosely” dressed in uniform although there are three Naval Officers present – one I think is a Lieutenant and the remaining two appear to be Petty Officers. They are holding a captured Kreigsmarine flag – on the reverse of this photograph and in my father’s handwriting are the words “Albania 1944”. Apart from his campaign medals I only have memories of some his exploits within this theatre of operation, some of which are quite harrowing. Apart from that- zilch, bu**er all! Hope you can assist and with thanks in anticipation,
         Yours,
         Trevor Johnson
4. Lesley 7th July 2015 at 6:00 pm

   Hello Trevor

   May I suggest that you register and put your request on a WW2 forum?
   I am a member of ww2talk.com, and I am sure some of the members there will have knowledge of Commando Operations in WW2. Worth a try if nothing else
   http://ww2talk.com/forums/index.php

   Lesley
5. Trevor Johnson 8th July 2015 at 9:40 pm

   Dear Lesley,
   Thank you for your reply. I will certainly give ww2talk.com a go – as you say, it might be worth a try.

   Grateful for any help/suggestions,

   Trevor
6. Rowland Jordan 22nd July 2015 at 11:10 am

   My father recently passed away and I have been left some family WWII medals, which include the Africa Star & Italy Star. The details I have of him are…..
   Arthur Haynes. Died 1945 just north of Syracuse in Sicily & buried in Syracuse War Cemetery.
   That’s all I know.
   Anyone who can help with any information for me would be most helpful.
   1. Robin Hollamby 19th October 2015 at 8:20 am

      Hi Rowland, WE now have the ‘Lost Trails’ page up and working. If you could resubmit your enquiry using the form on the ‘Lost Trails’ page hopefuly somebody may be able to give us some information for you.
      Robin
7. Lesley Littlewood 23rd July 2015 at 5:26 pm

   Hello Rowland

   I have looked on the CWGC website and the date of death appears to be 1943 not 1945 if this is your man. He was in the Dorset Regiment.
   http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2066350/HAYNES,%20ARTHUR

   You could apply for his service records and they will tell you more about him
   https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

   I am a member of a WW2 forum and if you so wish, you can register with them and put your query to them and I am sure they may be able to help you more.
   http://ww2talk.com/forums/

   Hope this all helps

   Lesley
8. Paul Anderson 5th August 2015 at 5:52 pm

   My father, George William ANDERSON, served in the RN from 1932 to 1948 and amongst other Campaign Stars he was awarded he received the Africa Star and Italy Star. These Stars are both recorded on his Discharge Card which summarises his medals awarded. According to his RN Central Record Card, he served at HMS Quebec from 12 Sep 42 before being assigned to HMS Daedalus on 2 May 43 (and again to the same ship on 21 Jul 43) then HMS Victory on 18 Mar 44 and thereafter he served aboard HMS Wager from Apr 44 onwards. Some of the above detailed ‘ships’ may have been ‘stone frigates’ or pay accounting organisations. I understand that HMS Quebec was a Combined Operations training establishment and my father no doubt went there to train in the lead up to OP TORCH (hence being later awarded the Africa Star). My key question is: Is it conceivable that following OP TORCH he would have given service that earned him the Italy Star? The dates he moved to HMS Daedalus and HMS Victory (a pay account location) may of course be rough dates. At the time of OP TORCH he was a Petty Officer of the Gunnery Branch. Any advice or insight on how I could establish his likely movements between Sep 42 and mid 43 would be appreciated.
   1. Robin Hollamby 19th October 2015 at 8:17 am

      Hi Paul, We now have the @Lost Trails@ page up and working, so if you could resubmit your enquiry using the form on the ‘Lost Trails’ page I can get it posted and hopefully somebody will be able to help you.
      Robin.
9. Lesley 7th August 2015 at 12:38 pm

   Hello Paul

   If he earned the Italy Star he would have seen service in possibly Sicily and then Italy.
   http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/media/7863/wwiiribbons.pdf

   Unfortunately service in the Royal Navy is not my area of interest, but if you would like to post your query on a ww2 forum I am a member of, they would most definitely be able to help you. Also war diaries should be available for the unit he served with.
   http://ww2talk.com/forums/index.php

   Good luck with your research.

   Lesley
   1. Paul Anderson 12th August 2015 at 5:13 pm

      Hello Lesley,

      Thanks for responding to my query. I’ll re-post it on ww2talk.com.

      Regards,

      Paul
10. Colin Stephens 30th August 2015 at 6:16 pm

    I am trying to find any information on my great uncle Harold Munro.

    I unfortunately don’t have his service number, but I know that he was in the Royal engineers. First in North Africa, then Greece, and into Italy where he was at Monte Cassino.

    Sadly he died some years ago now, and my auntie is now in a nursing home suffering from dementia, I have been able to get some information from his daughter but I hope that someone will see this post and be able to share any memories that they have of a true gentleman and one of my favourite uncles.
    1. Lesley 5th September 2015 at 1:42 pm

       Hello Colin

       I suggest in the first instance that you get his service records from the MOD in Glasgow; that is where they hold the copies. They will tell you which particular unit he was in and where he served.
       https://www.gov.uk/guidance/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

       When you get them, if you would like to register on the ww2 forum I am a member of and they will fill in the gaps for you.
       http://ww2talk.com/forums/index.php

       Hope that helps

       Lesley
    2. Robin Hollamby 19th October 2015 at 8:14 am

       Hi Colin, We now have the ‘Lost Trails’ page working. So if you could resubmit your request using the ‘Lost Trails’ page I can get your enquiry up and hopefully somebody will be able to help. Robin

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