[Mark W. Tonner]

Re: 182 - Geoff - Some thoughts on 182
October 19 2002 at 11:19 PM Mark



Response to 182?

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Geoff;

After thinking about this most of today and after doing some digging, I'm starting to wonder if maybe the vehicles in this photo are from No. 81 Artillery Company, RCASC (1st Cdn AGRA Arty Coy)?

The reason I say this, is that, when the 1st Cdn AGRA left the UK in 1943 for Italy, the the Unit Serials for the 2nd Cdn AGRA were changed to the 173-180 block due to the fact that they were now the first AGRA in First Canadian Army. I've always assumed, that when the 1st Cdn AGRA rejoined the First Canadian Army in early 1945, that they reverted back to the 173-180 block, with 2nd Cdn AGRA also reverting to the 181-187 block (the second AGRA block in an Army).

But, what if they didn't revert and 1st Cdn AGRA were assigned the 181-187 block instead, this would be more in line with Garry's dad's history and since it was a 1st Cdn Corps operation, this would mean that the 182 was for the 1st Med Regt, RCA and if thats the case, then that would mean that the vehicles themselves, again, judging by the markings, are from "B" Platoon, No. 81 Artillery Company, RCASC, who were attached to 1st Cdn AGRA throughout the war.

I've never actually read or have seen anything about the markings of the two Cdn AGRAs' after the return of 1st Cdn AGRA to First Canadian Army, only that after 1st Cdn AGRA left in 1943, 2nd Cdn AGRA were assigned the block for the first AGRA in an Army (173-180), which they were, because effectively, 1st Cdn AGRA left First Canadian Army and became part of the Eighth British Army.

Given that Garry has said that his father served from Sicily onwards and that the Cdn part of the relief was in the 1st Cdn Corps area of the Netherlands, the above is really starting to make sense.

The curator of the RCA Museum owes me a favor, I think I'm going to call it in regarding shedding some light on the markings of the two Cdn AGRAs' after the 1st Cdn AGRA rejoined First Canadian Army in early 1945.

Anything I have seen or read regarding the markings of the two Cdn AGRAs in N.W. Europe, has always referred to post May 1945 (ie, after the end of the war in Europe), with 1st Cdn AGRA using the 173-180 block and 2nd Cdn AGRA using the 181-187 block, but I know that from late 1943, 2nd Cdn AGRA used the 173-180 block, due to them being the first AGRA in First Canadian Army.

Thoughts, comments on this Geoff.

Cheers

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Thanks Hanno, knew it was in there somewhere, anyways, Garry, here it is again. Cheers