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Old 02-03-20, 16:40
NESmith NESmith is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bedford NS, Canada
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Default 3rd anti tank research

Hi, I'm new here.
Doing some research on my late fathers involvement in WW2.

My dad joined The service in Halifax, August 42. Trained in Yarmouth, Aldershot (NS) and Petawawa. Landed in UK, February 43, assigned rank Gunner. Trained throughout UK until June 6, 1944. Combat through France, Belgium, Netherlands. Back home in Canada, July, 1945.

I have his personal file and have access to the war diaries.
His name is James E Smith, regimental #f3436. He was a gun layer, with 3rd anti tank RCA.

This bring me to why I'm reaching out. As there were 4 Batteries associated with 3rd anti tank, I have not been able to confirm which battery he was with? As he was from NS, it perhaps could be 52 Weymouth??
Do documents exists, specifying regiment/battery etc with service members names included?
Would there be Regimental (or personal) photographs with names attached. Any assistance would be helpful.
Thanks...N Smith
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Old 03-03-20, 01:16
klambie klambie is offline
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Look real close at his pers file. Stuff like medical/dental records sometimes have Bty noted

In the War Diaries, I'd look for (probably in the order I'd try them):

- Part I Orders around the date he joined 3 A/Tk. Will confirm the date he came in, might show which Bty he was posted to. Could take days or weeks after the event to be propagated in orders, so keep going until you find it
- same idea if he ever left (transfer/hospital, etc.) and rejoined later. Both of those would typically generate an entry in Pt I Orders.
- A more general look day by day through Part I Orders for the time he was with them. Not uncommon to see entries like 'this list of four men of this Bty to report to the Med. Officer on this date'. Reviewing a few weeks will give you an idea if the unit was in the habit of recording things that way
- embarkation lists for D-Day (assuming he was there). Often seen in Part I Orders, might be organized by Bty. I'd search at least thru the end of July, they often took a while to get compiled
- War Diary Appendices might contain other nominal rolls, especially for big moves by ship/rail. Their overseas move from Canada would be a typical one. Did they make a move for assault training at any point? Lots of infantry units of 3 Cdn Div moved by rail to Scotland for training in summer 43 and generated lists
- probably photos around, usually done by Bty and around the same time. If you find one, hope he was there during the right period. IDs were not typical, but you can get lucky with the right industrious clerk who wrote all the names on the back
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www.reginarifles.ca
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Old 03-03-20, 17:15
NESmith NESmith is offline
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Location: Bedford NS, Canada
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Good point. I will comb through the war diaries to see if I find anything connected.
Tks...NES
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