大象传媒

INTRODUCTION: This story has been written by Nicholas Palmer eldest grandson of the late Harry Palmer (4 September 1914 to 6 February 1996). The story has been based on the stories told by my grandfather, by my late father Ralph Palmer (14 October 1942 to 31 July 2001); together with grandad's photographic record of his time in India for the period June 1945 to June 1947.

Grandad was a dispatch rider in India during WW2: he rode hundreds of miles around India during his time there. He was very proud of his motor-bike; maybe it is from him that I have got my love of motor bikes.

From June 1945 to June 1947 he was based at Meerut, near Delhi; and at Clement Town in the foothills of the Himalayas. I have a photograph of Grandad as a player in the Gentleman's Football Team in 1945/46; the team was made up of men from the L.A.D. and the Signal Section based at Meerut.

I have several photographs of grandad fishing in the River Jumna, complete with his pipe. In fact in nearly all the photos of Grandad he has his pipe in his mouth.

As a family we still have several things that he sent or brought back from India. A dinner gong - engraved with a map of India; a carved table (that is one of a set of three) and a pair of wooden book-ends.

Grandad did not wear his medals and unfortunately I do not know what happened to them. Given the length of time that he was in India he must have received the British War Medal 1939-1945 and the Burma Star. I am hoping to find out more about Grandad's War service before he was posted to India.

I plan to write to Army Records at Glasgow to request a copy of Grandad's Service Record. I, also, plan to request that I be issued with replacement medals which I can then wear in Grandad's memory on Remembrance Sunday. My mother, Muriel Palmer, wore my Grandad Vaughan's medals this year for the first time. Grandad Vaughan died on the 19th March, 2005.

Grandad Vaughan's War Story "The War Diary of a Royal Engineer with the Forgotten Army" has been submitted in 2 parts and can be found at A6955815 & A6990069.

Photographs of Grandad Palmer's time in India can be found at:

* A8768046 "Dispatch Riders India 1945-47"

* A8768659 "Drivers and Mascot - Signal Section, 208 Field Regiment, RA"

* A8768460 "Off Duty - India 1945-47"

* A8852295 "Signal Section - 208 Field Regiment, RA"

* A8768244 "Gentlemen's Football Team - Meerut 1945-47"

* A8852448 "Clement Town" (Photograph of Signal and RHQ Lines"

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