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Hi,
My name is John Davies from Llandyrnog in Denbighshire, N. Wales.I am writing to enquire if any body has memories or info regarding my father,s time in the RWF. He enlisted in Hubbelrath (where,s this place ) on 9.1.48.His service record shows he served till 1953. He served in the Caribbean from 25/3/52-12/4/52 and 13/4/52-28/1/53. We have photo,s of him playing in goal for the Hockey team.
Any info would be much appreciated as he is greatly missed since his death in 1987.
Hi John.
It would be interesting to see the pictures, we may be able to identify some of the others guys in the pictures with him. Can you post them in our photo gallery.
That period of the regiments history is extensively covered in Volume 6 of RWF Regimental Records. Which one of the members will check for you
Many thanks
Al
Some photo,s uploaded now and will do some more as i find them.
john the sec of the denbigh branch lives near you they meet last fri each month he may have some info good luck
Hello John,
As I recall "Darkie" Hutton& Sjt Bill Coakley were in the Hockey team I also Think Bill Horton and "Chalkey" White played for the Battalion hockey team.The date you list are a bit fragmented, this may be because you have different dates these may have been when your relative was posted to either Belize which was a 6 month posting "D" company went there first then B company.It could also have been Grenada when "B" company were flown in to quell the rioting that was taking place this was the 6/5/51, I stayed there for 3 months the half company stayed there for 6 months. I had a platoon Sjt Davies known as "Double Dai" in 6 platoon and Corporal "Griff 70 was my platoon corporal at this time.The other place he could have served was British Guiana when Chedi Jagan tried to usurp the official local government. A large composite party went there to arrest him and stop the rioting there. I remember Sjt Duffisey took a promonent part in this soiree.
Regards RBD. Sec Bridgend Branch RWFCA.
No mention in Regimental Records, of a Davies 74. Although there are a few Davies without numbers mentioned.
Any other detail that you can provide John, no matter how small will assist. Especially information such as locations he visited, equipment he used, type of jobs he had whilst serving in the regiment. Where was his last posting, and what was his role as a Sgt. All this will help those who may have served with him, identify him.
Also how did you obtain his army service number. If it is correct you will be able to apply to the MOD for his service records.
Also can you retry on the pictures as they have not arrived at our server.
Many thanks
Hi,
I know his nickname was "Sniper" as he was a gun instructor.I have his service record book and on the dates it has given it says he was in the Carribean. I seem to remember that he served in Jamaica. He also mentioned Belize. Some of his last duties where tp organize "shoots" for officers in Germany.
Regimental Records makes no mention in relation to the shooting. Having said that, if he was coaching as opposed to actually taking part in matches then he probably wouldn't feature.
We will see what some of our members who served during that period can recall.
The 1st Battalion was posted to Hubblerath, Germany in 1948. It was part of 4 BdeQuote:
Originally Posted by johndes
1948 Germany: Hubblerath 4 Bde
1949.04 Berlin
1950.03 Germany: Buxtehude 31 Bde
1951.01 England: Chester
1951.03 Jamaica: Newcastle
1954.03 England: Swindon
Hi,
Just looking at his certificate of service. It has the following entries,
Course No.2 (w) Div Sniping School
Course No.2 School of Infantry.
i remember that he claimed to have taught William Roach (Ken Barlow, Coronation St) to Shoot.
28 Days Bricklaying course at Higher Education centre, Catterick.
His book has been signed by a Maj Davies on the 31.3.1953
Added to above.
I,m sure he guarded the german commander Hess in Germany after the war.
Hello Johndes,
Re the courses you mentioned your father passed. I was on course 141 at the school of Infantry Hythe from the 27/10/52 until the 19/12/52. Your father would have still been in the Caribbean then. The only other RWF man on this course was Cpl Warren Titcombe we both qualified, and before this course we went to Jamaica on H.M.T.Dilwara. Re Ken Barlow he never arrived in Jamaica until probably February of 1952 he came over on H.M.T.Empire Test.He missed the hurricane and was not in Belize with B coy on our 6 month tour.You have not mentioned the conditions prevailing as to how he(your father) taught a S.S.C. officer to shoot.I am unable to give an account of what his courses would enable him to do officially, as I am not au fait with the divisions you quote.
I have a photo some where in my archives (loft) of Sjt "Double Dai" in 6 platoon in Grenada.If I see your down loads I will immediately recognise him. But "Double Dai" never took part in any top coaching or firing for the battalion. The first did send a shooting team to Guantanamo (Cuba) to compete against the Yankee marines, and they returned to Jamaica for an away shoot. The main differnce was the Yanks were using the Garand and we used the Mark 4 S.M.L.E. quite an advantage to the Marines in a competion. Hoping to see your pictures.
Regards R.B.Donovan.aka "Don"
Hello Johndes again,
I will check with "Gash" Hughes he was in the Caribbean and also done guards over Hess in Berlin.But taking in the time scale I doubt that your father would have been a Sjt in Germany, I do not know for sure.As stated I will check it out."Gash" was the brother of the First Battalion's soccer team as goalie.
Regards Don
Hi ,
Here is a full list of his record of service card.
Regt/corps. From To
GSC 12.2.42 29.6.42.
RWF 30.6.42 8.1.48
RWF 9.1.48 19.9.50
Welch 20.9.50 3.12.51
SWB 4.12.51 12.4.52
RWF 13.4.52 1.5.53
Service with colours
RWF BOAR 9.1.48 18.9.49
Home 19.9.49 19.9.50
Welch Reg Home 20.9.50 3.12.51
SWB Home 4.12.51 24.3.52
SWB Carribean 25.3.52 12.4.52
RWF Carribean 13.4.52 28.1.53
RWF Home 29.1.53 1.5.53
On the 1st May 1953 he was transfered to Sec B Royal Army Reserve
Where he served until 8 Jan 1960.Ranked a Corpral
Hello John,
I have made a few phone calls. The first trace of your father he was in Brecon in early 1951 this fits in with the time scale as the first did not leave the UK until the 3/3/51. A small anecdote re Sniper was told to me by Len Watts another Sjt from the First.It appears that whilst on parade with W.O.1 Visick (EX Coldstream Guards) a woman was seen peering over a fence in the married quarter accomodation adjacent to the square voicing her comments to Visick. He shouted out who does that woman belong to, Sniper said Me sir, Visick then promptly said find her some thing to do and get her out of my sight. (this was presumably your mother, Sorry but it appears to be true.) Sjt Watts then phoned me back after 10 minutes and said your fathers photo is on the August page of the 1953 regimental calendar. It is a photo of the Sjts mess. The C.O. is on it (Col "Jimmy" Johnson). and "Tara" Lewis. It appears your father is above and to the right of Capt "Gurkha" Goad.The photo also has Connybear on it and Connybear shot for the Battalion. I then phoned 79"Gash Hughes he remembers your father flew from Hubblerath to Berlin to form a 4 power guard in Spandau for Hess in April 1949. "Gash" is not sure if your father was Guard Commander (Cpl) or a Sjt at this time but he remembers him with fondness as does Len Watts both said he was a good soldier and friend.I hope this info is of use to you.
Regards Don
Hello Again,
Looking at your fathers service record he was in Brecon longer than I thought and he would not have been on the Dilwara. It also lists him as being in the SWB in the Caribbean on the 25/3/52, this cannot be true as the RWF were the only (Welsh) English battalion in the Caribbean this means he must have been badged RWF during this period and came over on the Empire Test which Ken Barlow arrived in Jamaica in early February. So he may well have taught Ken to shoot the custom and practice in this period was to hold clay pigeon shoots over the stern of troopers it was also the practice to shoot at empty 45 gallon drums etcetera regards Don Also known as R B Donovan.
Hi,
Many, many thanx for your replies.
When I left school I went to work with my father on the building sites and if we wanted an bit of extra break time we would mention the army or the war just before break ended and we would be there for at least another half hour while he reminised !!!!.I will try again to upload some photo,s. I think he mentioned that someone called Gerald Wills was with him in the Army. Does this name ring any bells ?
Also, Don, Is it possible to get a copy of the photo of my father from Sgt Watts ?.
Another satisfied customer :smile_xmas:
Well Done Don
John,
I have received a further update from Don Donovan:
"In an e mail I stated Sniper may have taught Bill Roache(Ken Barlow/Coronation St) to shoot over the back of a trooper. I was wrong.
I have done more research and found out Bill Roache flew to the Caribbean in Jan of 1953. He (Bill Roache) states that later on he was sent to British Gyana to quell the rioting caused by Cheddi Jagan. On the riots settling down a bit, Bill states he went shooting cayman crocodiles and was accompanied by a Sjt and two fusiliers. This was in all probabilty when Sjt "Sniper" helped out"