Capt William Cochran - WW2

Some additional info (from CE Lucas Phillips, "Alamein"):

76 ATR had one battery (ZZ Bty, Major R Crouch) armed with 6-pdrs on lightly armoured vehicles ("Deacons"). The other batteries used Austin lorries ("portees") with a high profile.

76 ATR was attached to 2nd Armoured Brigade. It fought in the attack on the German strongpoint coded "Aberdeen" in the sector of 51st Highland Division and took part (239th Bty, Lt AF Baer) in the famous stand at "Snipe" (27/10/1942) where 2nd Rifle Brigade held off a counterattack by a large number (more than 30) of German tanks and self-propelled guns.

John

Excellent stuff John. Im sure Red Dragon will have a small piece on the unit. Although they were re-roled under the RA, they were certainly considered to be RWF by the men and the regiment.

Although looking through the Roll of Honour in the Vault(lifted from Red Dragon), I don't think there casualties are included, I may be wrong.

Hi All.

Hope all's well with you and yours.

I made some enquiries a year ago about my late father's service and received some helpful replies for which I was most grateful.

Basically it was recommended I should contact Army Personnel Centre Glasgow, which I did and received a pile of photocopy documents from 1938 to 1946 plus his ORIGINAL "Officer's Record of Service - Army Book 439" which was fantastic.

Renewed thanks for your help.

At last, I have typed-up 7 pages of Notes covering his enlistment with 2/RWF in Shanghai 29/1/1938, transfer to 30/RWF 4/8/1942, that he may have been at El Alamein(?), posting to 31/RWF 4/1/1943, Officer Training Barmouth 1943, his Commission 25/6/43 into 18 Welch (attached 4/RWF) and transfer to 9/RWF 15/10/1943. It seems that as a War Substantive Lieutenant he was then assigned to The Royal Fusiliers (not Welch) upon arrival in the Italian Campaign. He sustained a shrapnel injury at Monte Cassino, was made "Acting Captain" 2/8/1944 and Adjutant on extra 3/- per day - not as I thought within The RWF - but of 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers and that there was another injury before release date 9/1/1946 and the award of The Honorary Rank Of Captain.

The Name was William Cochran Cochran (that's not a mistype by the way), his Army Number 4192639 and his Commission Number281796. His 100th birthday would have been last year, but he passed away in 1985.

Would anybody be interested in my 7 pages of notes? If so, I have them available as a "PDF Document" but am unsure where and how to post it on The Forum.......

All the best.

His youngest son, Dennis Cochran.

Thanks for the update Dennis. Its good to get feedback. If you can forward the PDF file to me I will ensure it is placed into our on-line archive "The Vault"

Thanks again

ap1,

Thanks for the reply.

I'll try and get it onto your page ( not very good with these things, but one for the Regimental historians methinks!).

God's blessings to all at WRF,

Sincerely.

Dennis.

Hi ap1.

I've tried all sorts of things, but can't get through on your Facebook page(!).

You'll have to excuse my ignorance I'm afraid.

However, I'm hoping the PDF will be attached to this message.....

I think I've netered it under "Additional Options" below....fingers crossed.

Dennis.

Thanks Dennis, I have combined the threads.

Couple of interesting things there. Firstly unless i'm reading it wrong. He was attested and went straight into the Bn at Shanghai. The fact that he was already on a Section Commanders Cadre 7 months into his service, indicates he had already proved himself to his peers. It may also be worth digging around to see what the Bn were up to in the Sudan in 1938. Some of our guys might be able to assist.

He had a run of minor discipline issues in 41. He was dealt with by the CO Lt Col HC Stockwell. I'm not sure how much you know about the regiment, but he commanded the Suez Operation in the 50's and later become Dep Supreme Commander Europe. Like your father, I also met him, but fortunately for me not on CO's Orders, but as a young fusilier, when he visited the 1st Bn in the early 80's.

WIKI

"In 1960, on the advice of Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Stockwell was appointed Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO, a post which he held until his retirement in 1964.[15] Stockwell was described as a "surprise choice" for the position because he had never attended Staff College, Camberley, and had "spent his whole career as a fighting soldier."[16] As Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, he worked to promote the creation of strong conventional forces, and advocated "the use of tactical nuclear weapons only as a last resort."

Thanks for the PDF, very interesting. A great example of wartime service and how people quickly move up the chain of command. Similar in fact to Stockwell. Who was a Major in 1940 and a Major General in 1945!!!!

Hello Baconwallah,
I will have a quick shufti at my copy of the Red Dragon asap, and come back if I find any news.
Regards RBD aka jungle1810

Hello All,
5th Battalion (60th Anti tank Regiment, R.A. (R.W.F.)
In November 1938 the 5th Battalion Flintshire Battalion (R.W.F. was converted to an Anti Tank Regiment, A new type of unit. mainly through the efforts of the then Honorary Colonel Sir Randle Mainwaring and of the Adjutant Captain C.H.V. Pritchard the privilege of the continued wearing of the Royal Welch uniform (Flash) was secured, and the transfer took place with a minimum of disturbance. The title of the new unit was 60th (R.W.F.) Anti tank Regiment.R.A. (T.A.) but this was changed many times in the next 10 years.
Hugh Mainwaring son of the Honorary Colonel who joined the Battalion in 1936 as a Company Commander after 10 years service with the 10th Hussars. leaving the regiment in early 1940 he was appointed to a succession of of Staff jobs, ultimately becoming G.S.O.1 (Ops) to the 8th Army. where he helped plan for the battle of El Alemein. Whilst still at Fleet the Regiment was honoured by being selected from amongst all Anti tank Regiments for conversion into a new type of unit for inclusion in the 1st Armoured Division at that time the only Armoured Division in the British Army.Information taken from "The Red Dragon" By Commander P.K.Kemp and John Graves.
More later
Regards RBD aka jungle1810

Thanks very much, Don.

The unit later became 76 ATR and as such fought at Alamein. They were the only Welch Fusiliers to serve with the Eighth Army in the desert.

John