My Great-Grandfather

[Alex Adkins-Langen]

Hi everyone! Sometime lurker first time poster
Been doing some research over the past few months on my great-grandfathers military record, and while I have learned a great deal over the course of many accidental all-nighters, I have now come to you for help filling in some gaps remaining gaps in my knowledge.

First, a quick run down of my great-grandfathers time in WWII.

His name was Ivan S. Adams and he enlisted in the 102nd Coastal Heavy Battery in Prince Rupert BC, on the 12 October, 1939. He would spend the next 3 years stationed at Fort Barrett in Prince Rupert, during which time he would be promoted to Bdr.

At the end of August 1943 he travelled from Prince Rupert to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, NS, where he remained for a week. On either the 13 or 14 September he embarked for the UK, arriving 20 September 1943 (the service record won't tell me WHERE).

Upon arrival in the UK he was initially transferred to 1 C.I.R.U, before being transferred a couple weeks later to the more appropriate 3 C.A.R.U.

He took ill shortly after he arrived in the U.K., in October 1943, and spent about a month in hospital, first in the No. 2 CGH in Bramshott before being transferred to No. 1 CGH in Hellingly.

In January 1944 he was "SOS to Y5 list" only to be "TOS from y5 list" in February '44, all the while his service record states that his unit remains 3 C.A.R.U (I have some idea of what different lists are re. reinforcement units but I don't know what these signify).

In May 1944 he is transferred from 3 C.A.R.U to 2 C.A.R.U (I think, the handwriting is a bit difficult to read).

Then in June 1944, he is transferred to the X4 list, 12bn 2 C.B.R.U.

On the 25 July 1944, he embarks in the UK and disembarks in France on the 26th. (again, service record won't tell me WHERE)

Then he is finally transferred to the 3rd medium regiment RCA, officially at least, on the 8 August 1944, where he remains for the rest of his time in Europe.

I've got the Europe part mostly figured out (shout out to those digitized war diaries and the fun lil regimental poem at the end). If you want to read a first hand account of his time in Europe, check out this newspaper article that interviewed him shortly after he returned home here


SO, now for my questions:

Based on my limited knowledge of the Canadian forces in the UK during WWII, and the hospitals he attended, I think it's safe to say he spent his time in southern England. Unfortunately his service record has been less than helpful and refuses to tell me anything more specific than "UK." (I'm sure this was for some security reason but I still find it very inconsiderate towards future family historians, don't know why they didn't take us into account in the middle of a world war smh). I'm assuming he must have initially been near Bramshott, since that's where he first went to hospital.

Along those same lines, is it at all possible to know which ships he was on from Canada -> UK and from UK -> France, and where he might have embarked and disembarked? Will I have to bribe some friends in Ottawa to check out some records for me?

Thanks
Alex