Capt William Cochran - WW2

[Bob Bacon]

Welcome captainadjutantrwf, Please take a moment and introduce yourself to the Royal Welch community in this forum. Just share a bit about yourself. For instance, whether or not you are/were a serving member of the Regiment or Armed Forces, what your interests are and how you plan to use the site.

[captainadjutantrwf]

Thank you for the welcome Bob Bacon and all RWF Forum Members.

Can I firstly say my thoughts are with your people serving overseas at the moment; may your God protect you in the discharge of your duties, which the Nation knows you will discharge with maximum bravery and professionalism and bring you safely home to your loved ones soonest.

We were not at all surprised to hear that The RWF are at the forefront of operations.

So to my ulterior motive; I believe my late father, Capt William Cochran Cochran, who would have been 100 this year had he not succumbed to Parkinsons' Disease 25 years ago, was Adjutant to The RWF circa 1939-45.

I understand also he was at El Alamein before a shrapnel evacuation to Loutraki, Greece, sustained at Monte Casino.

Does anyone have any records they could post here, please; I would say memories of him but it seems unlikely any Member of this Forum would have those!

I have one or two photos of him in Uniform/ with pals in Greece if they would be any use to anyone.

Thanks again for your attention; being not a Military Man myself, I hope I have the right Regiment and am not mis-understanding the purpose of this site.

Best wishes.

[ap1]

We need someone to do a look up please(I'm out of the UK at the mo) in Red Dragon.

I think he must have been in one of the RWF independent units if he served at Alamein and Monte Cassino. I know the 6th (RWF) Parachute Bn fought in Italy and I seem to recall that an RWF unit served in the desert. If its not RWF, then it may be The Welch Regiment.

[captainadjutantrwf]

Thanks ap1.

Your kind attention is very much appreciated.

Dad never mentioned parachutes!

However, "independent" may be more like it; he was born in Shanghai, China and (family) legend has it that he joined the British Army in India direct from there pre-WW2, being then called "home" in 1939 when he was 29 and (seeing England for the first time in his life) was posted to Worthing Sussex on the South Coast, where they were building defences against invasion.

Of course I do not have his Service Record and do not know whether that was as part of The RWF or not, although I have to say he only ever talked of "The Royal Wels(c?)h Fusiliers."

Sorry we don't have any more information, but any facts anyone's research may unearth (including a "nil return") would be most useful.

Thanks again and very best wishes.

[ap1]

Ok, I think possibly the 2nd Bn may have been abroad at the onset of the war, but that will need verifying. Although in 1942 the 2nd Bn sailed to Madagascar and eventiually ended up in Burma. The regiment has The Middle East 1942 on its battle honours, so someone was there. Until we can check Red Dragon or That Astonishing Infantry we won't be able to get any further.

Incidentally the 6th(RWF) Parachute Bn served in both Italy and Greece!!!!!

Do you have his medals or his service number?

[captainadjutantrwf]

Hello again ap1 and renewed thanks for your help.

In view of your location, I now feel really guilty bothering you with these "idiot boy" questions.

I'm sure you're right; let's put the research on the proverbial back-burner for now.

Perhaps in the meantime I'll be able to do something useful and try to find out my late father's Service Number etc - I'm sure we used to have some papers in our safe, but we had a burglary a year ago and it was emptied........

Unless of course any other helpful people who may read this thread have any further thoughts......

Meanwhile also please take very good care.

Sincerely.

[Baconwallah]

The 6th (RWF) Para Bn landed at Oran after the defeat of the Axis forces in North Africa, so would probably not have qualified for the Battle Honour. No other RWF infantry was there, certainly not in 1942. Perhaps we should look at the converted Territorials who became AT and LAA Regiments. Will take a lot of digging as they rarely made it into the official histories. And of course we're still waiting for RRRWF vol V!

John

[ap1]

No other RWF infantry was there, certainly not in 1942. Perhaps we should look at the converted Territorials who became AT and LAA Regiments.
John

Thats what I was thinking John. The reference I made about the RWF being in the desert related to one of those converted units.....

captainadjutantrwf Please don't feel guilty, Im here in Kabul by choice, and very happy to try and assist. I should point out my experience over here is very different from the young guys serving in my old regiment. We all wish them a safe tour and speedy return.

The info we are looking for will be in Red Dragon and That Astonishing Infantry. Its possible your father may even get a mention in Red Dragon if he was Adj at the time of conversion. Every RWF battalion has a short history of their WW2 experiences in that book.

[captainadjutantrwf]

OK ap1.

Thanks anyway. Red Dragon sounds a promising one for the future.

I'll now go away and research Service Number etc and will get back a s a p.

Hopefully my comeback will be every bit as good as the Welsh lads on Saturday!!

Cheers for now.

[Baconwallah]

Bore da everybody.

Found it.

According to the Rev Frederick's Lineage Book 1660-1978 the 5th RWF was converted to 60th (RWF) ATR on 16/11/1938, then redesignated 101st (RWF) LAA/ATR on 15/08/1940, then again redesignated 76th (RWF) ATR on 01/11/1940. (Interestingly, this information is not in "That Astonishing Infantry" which only mentions 60th ATR. I do not have "Red Dragon" so could not check that. A scanned copy in The Vault would be very useful indeed!)

Col Joslen in his Orders of Battle 1939-1945 says that the 76th ATR served with 1st Armoured Div from 22/09/1942 to 31/03/1944.

In other words, 76th (Royal Welch Fusiliers) AT Regiment fought with 1st Armoured Div (X Corps) at El Alamein, armed with 64 6-pounders. A well deserved Battle Honour "North Africa 1942", I'd say.

The other converted units (ex-5th RWF and ex-12th RWF) were 60th ATR (reconstituted), 70th ATR, 71st ATR and 116th LAAR. None of these qualifies for this Battle Honour.

For the uninitiated, just to be sure: ATR = Anti-Tank Regiment, LAAR = Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. Both belonged to the Royal Artillery.

John