Fusilier Kenneth Harrison (pictures included)

[RichardT10829]

My inspiration towards carriers !

Well. I was given a box of my grandfathers stuff, which contains items from his time as a soldier. He was part of the 2nd Batallion Royal Scots Fusiliers 5th Division (Carrier platoon) but later he was re - badged to 2/4th Batallion Kings Own Light Yorkshire Infantry, both regiments he was a Bren Gun Carrier driver, and with the KOYLI he served in some harsh fighting at the Garigliano Straights, Anzio, amongst others.



I have the following items:-

Army book 64.

Field Compass

Field Binoculars

Stable Belt

Glen Garry hat (which has wrong badge on)

currency from various countries (Libya, Egypt, Italy)

Letters from home

loads of photos.



My grandad served as part of the eighth army in the dessert he was a bren gun carrier driver.



In his army book 64 his army number was 3133174, Kenneth Joseph Harrison (DOB 25/04/17) and the regiment states (the KOYLI) however he lived in Stirling (Scotland) as a youth, i beleive he was re badged after a period of sickness (this is covered in the content of letters which was send from his father (a WW1 survivor who was an air raid warden during WW2 but unfortunately died during a bombing raid)



I have photo's of him, and he appears to have three types of hat, the first is the tartan Glen garry, the second is a green derivative of the glen garry, and the third is a flat cap style hat with a pom pom in the middle at the top. the badge is like a bomb / grenade with a flame coming out the top, however on his glen garry now it has a star with a thistle laurel and a horn at the bottom This is due to him lending his cap to My uncle Jimmy who was in the Royals Scots Cameronians, i have since replaced the badge with my grandfathers regiment. The stable belt is very interesting and a point of conversation i was pulled in before my company commander (when i was a Sgt in the Territorials) and given a real dressing down, reason being i was wearing the belt as part of my working dress on the aneversiary of my Grandads Death, it did not go down to well when i explained the devil himself would not remove the belt from me that day !

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1035-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1036-1.jpg

there is also a photo of my grandads regiment on parade, they are all filed up behind a line of motor bikes, then behind them are the carriers, i can see two serial numbers on two of the Bren's T.10829 and T.1148 (last number obscured)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1033-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1022-1.jpg
he was a great man, and I feel that i have been robbed by not being able to show my appreciation toward him and share his experiences during the war.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1041-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1040-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1048-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1050-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1051-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...DSCF1053-1.jpg


I was so close to him as a child, he was my hero always a happy man but sadly around 9am on 1st April 1989 I came down stairs only 9 years old, my dad was stood at the bottom of the stairs and he stopped me half way down and said Grandad had gone, i laughed and said "HA April fools !!!" but his face said it all, and I knew from that point one of the most significant characters in my life was gone forever, I never saw my dad so crushed i knew he was putting on a brave face, being a cop he hid his emotions well, but i knew inside he was torn up, it was his birthday on the 2nd And Grandad (his dad) had left him his last birthday card in his kitchen He knew his time was short.

this is my reason for wanting to restore a carrier as in some very small way it brings my grandfather back, everytime i see one it reminds me of him.

Richard

[RichardT10829]

Well today has been an unbelievable day for me, I have just come off the phone with a carrier collector from Norfolk here in the UK (Shaun Hindle) who has the same regiment photo as me (one with the carriers) his grandfather is the lad halfway down the ranks stood back facing the camera !!!! what a small world i am totally blown away !

Richard