Another Poser...

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Any input appreciated (Mark, thismay be up your alley). I received this email:

Hi

I have two questions for you. My father died Jan. 20 2006. During WW2 he served in the follow units.

RCAMC
14th Hussars
GGHG in Italy and Holland. 3rd Recce

We are now doing a medal search (DVA) since we know he served in North Africa. On his service records it shows that he was attached to the 15 Canadian Field Hospital. Can you tell me if this unit was in North Africa?

We also know that when he was returning from North Africa to England his group was rerouted to Italy where he joined the GGHG. Here's the problem his records show that he transferred from the Medical Corps to the 14 Canadian Hussars and then transferred to the GGHG. Since my father never returned to England we are wondering if it possible that there is an error. We believe that he tranferred from the RCAMC 15 Canadian Field Hospital to the 14 Hussars (British Army) which was in North Africa and then rerouted to the GGHG in Italy.

At present his service records are in the mail from Ottawa what should I be looking for when they arrive? I know he always said to me that he was a driver for the Medical Corps and when he arrived in North Africa he was put in a pool with the British 8 Army and that's when he learnt to drive Tanks.

Hope you can Help

Bill Stewart

[Mark W. Tonner]

Geoff/Bill;

My comments are in red throughout the text:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Any input appreciated (Mark, thismay be up your alley). I received this email:

Hi

I have two questions for you. My father died Jan. 20 2006. During WW2 he served in the follow units.

RCAMC
14th Hussars
GGHG in Italy and Holland. 3rd Recce

We are now doing a medal search (DVA) since we know he served in North Africa. On his service records it shows that he was attached to the 15 Canadian Field Hospital. Can you tell me if this unit was in North Africa? - No. 15 CGH (1200 beds) was located at El Arrouch, Tunisia

We also know that when he was returning from North Africa to England his group was rerouted to Italy where he joined the GGHG. Here's the problem his records show that he transferred from the Medical Corps to the 14 Canadian Hussars and then transferred to the GGHG. Since my father never returned to England we are wondering if it possible that there is an error. We believe that he tranferred from the RCAMC 15 Canadian Field Hospital to the 14 Hussars (British Army) which was in North Africa and then rerouted to the GGHG in Italy. - there was no British 14th Hussars, but there was the 14th/20th King's Hussars - which were a British Regiment that served on the Indian War Establishment (2nd Indian Armoured Brigade, redesignated 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade, who saw service in Iraq-Palestine-Syria (1943-45). The 14th/20th King's Hussars left the Indian War Establishment in January 1945, becoming British Eighth Army Troops in Italy (Jan 1945). The 14th Canadian Hussars, whose designation from 1942 to 1945 was 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C., were the divisional reconnaissance unit of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division

At present his service records are in the mail from Ottawa what should I be looking for when they arrive? I know he always said to me that he was a driver for the Medical Corps and when he arrived in North Africa he was put in a pool with the British 8 Army and that's when he learnt to drive Tanks. - when his service records arrive look to see if perhaps your father was Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC), not RCAMC

Hope you can Help

Bill Stewart

Where are you located Bill?

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

There were the following, named Stewart, who served with the GGHG (1939-1945):

Stewart, G.
Stewart, G.A.
Stewart, J.H.A.
Stewart, N.V.
Stewart, R.M.
Stewart, W.A.

Cheers

Mark