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I am a product of my times,an active 81 yr old, happily retired with a lovely wife and a delightful family and ever anxious to put on record how my family served their country during World War 2.

I was born on the 16th of August 1923 and started my Army service on the 1st of October 1942.

I'm computer-literate as the result of a year's Open University (on the Fundamentals of Computing) which, in 1988, started me off on a new hobby.

In the fond hope that other folk have trod this path with me, I now give
Ron’s Grand Tour, 1942 to 1947
Aug 16,1942 I am now aged 19
Oct 1, 1942 Called up,and Posted to 53rd Primary Training Wing at Bury St.Edmunds
Nov ’42 Whitby, Yorkshire, Posted to 52nd Anti Aircraft Driver Training Regiment,Royal Artillery to be trained as a Driver/Wireless Operator
Feb ’43 Haltwhistle, Northumberland. Posted to 112th L.A.A. Regiment
Mar’43 Hove, Sussex, Congleton, Cheshire, Woolwich (Where the overseas draft REAYK assembled),London, and home for embarkation leave.
Apr’43 Liverpool, S.S.Frankonia, The ship that took us to North Africa. Algiers,( North Africa ) Posted to 49th Light Anti Aircraft Rgt. at Tunis
Cap Matifou, Ghardimeau, Medjes El Bab, (Tunisia)
June ‘43 Carthage, Guelma, Hammamet. Boarded ship for the invasion of Sicily.
July’43 Syracuse, (Sicily), Bronte, Adrano, Messina,
Sep’43 Reggio di Calabria, Invasion of Italy, Crotone, Bari, Foggia, Termoli
Dec ’43 Carovilla, Cantalupo, Agnone, Riccia, Campo Basso, Bagnolia
Feb ’44 Ortogna, Mignano, Cassino (The Regiment was responsible for smoke laying beneath the monastery), Caserta, Afragola, San Vittorio
Apr’44 Vanairo, Vanafro, Ceprano, Lake Trasimeno, Rome, Baschi, Tiber, Frosinino, Taranto Pulled out of the line. S.S.Empires Pride The ship that took us to Egypt to reform and re-equip)
Jul’44 Alexandria,(Egypt), Cairo, Ishmalia, Amiryah
S.S.Homer Lee (The American ship that took us back to Italy). Augusta, (Sicily) Assisi (Italy), Vasto, Termoli, Sangro, Pescara, Scarperia,
Florence, Firenzuolo
Oct ’44 Sienna, Tavernelle, Naples, Ancona
Dec’44 Rieti Posted to Royal Armoured Corp Training Depot for re-training on tanks
Mar’45 Posted to 4th Queen’s Own Hussars as Loader/Wireless Operator on Sherman Tanks.
Gubbio, Ravenna, Rocciano, Rimini
Apr’’45 Commachio, Traversare, Ferrara, Lugo, Santerno, Reno,
May’45 Venice, Ferndorf,(Austria) (Set up a POW camp for SS Cavalry Division), Lienz, Spittal
Paternion, Grafenstein, Trieben,Villach,
Jul’ 45 Velden, Klagenfurt,Salsburg,
Aug’45 Munich, Ulm ( Germany) (Running staging camp for troops going home on leave)
San Giorgio, (Italy)
Nov’45 Udine, Milan, Brig, Calais,Folkestone,London, (First home leave since Apr’43) Folkestone, Calais, Milan, (Italy) Palmanova, Trieste,
Jun’46 Milan, Calais, Folkestone, London, (My second home leave)Trieste, (Italy) Monfalcone,
Oct’46 Milan, Dieppe, Dover London, Dover, Dieppe, Trieste (Regimental re-union with the Colonel, Winston Churchill, in attendance)
Jan’47 Milan, Calais, Dieppe, London, Barnard Castle, York and finally DEMOB!

My army records show that I was released 0n 12/4/47 and posted to 'Y' list. My length of service is shown as 4 years 294 days
My rank on discharge was W/Corporal and my service number was 14300260.
My medals are as listed below:
1939-1945 Star
Africa Star
Italy Star
Defence Medal (I was in Civil Defence in 1942)
Victory Medal

I have posted various stories on the site. To see how they tie up with the dates above please refer to the Chronological Index in my Personal Journal

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