141 Royal Armoured Corps (The Buffs) Churchill Crocodiles

Don't know if this is related to Len's post/relative;

In At The Finish - J.G. Smith, Minerva Press, ISBN 1-85863-516-0
Personal recollections of Trooper Smith who served with 141 RAC (Crocodiles) in NW Europe.

(sorry i don't have the book but thought might be relevant - is available in a couple of places online;

War & Militarism - Alexander Books (ABAC/ILAB) - AbeBooks

)

Hope it helps

 

Hi there - I am new here but my father was in RAC 141 'A' squadron...some of you guys need to look up the old playboys network I think it is called - dedicated to RAC 141 'B' sqdn - geoff kirk is your man....for those interested I have a book dedicated to my fathers squadron....also the chap who put the war diaries up thank-you ....it is amazing to read this stuff and also i can follow the events of the day my father was wounded in France on aug 14th 1944....to quote the war diaries 'A bad day for the RAC'.....the book i have is called(amazingly!).. 'The History of 'A' squadron (141st regiment R.A.C.)' it has a buffs badge on the cover - it was written by Colonel Herbert Waddell....the Imperial war museum wanted to take it off me....I also have a letter from a 'pioneer soldier' in the hospital my dad was recovering in dated aug 15th - the day after his wounding....he was operated on by the same surgeon who operated on Churchill a year earlier...cool!....he thought my fathers operation an interesting one!!My dads name was trooper Roy(V L)Roberts......would love to hear from anyone really !..

 

Hello, I've only just found this forum and this thread in particular. So many familiar names! The War Diaries provided by "Sommercourt" are fascinating
My father (George Storrar) was in A Squadron and was the author of the "The History of 'A' Squadron". He got it published in the local printers in Cupar, Fife. Colonel Herbert Waddell, a fellow Scot, wrote the forward. I've met over the years and have known of several of the individuals mentioned in this thread and Dad I know had such a high regard for them all. He made the trip back to London for the Old Playboy Association annual reunions for as long as he was able and this was a very special time for him.
Significantly the reunion and AGM of the Association (ROPA) this year is to be the last (Sat 15 October 2011 (10am)- The Union Jack Club, Sandel Street London SE1 8UJ. What a proud history and achievement those present will be able to celebrate. We owe that generation so much.
I regret not finding out more about this period of father's life, like so many he didn't go into great detail about it, but I have pieced together quite a lot of information about the Buffs and would enjoy sharing this with others similarly connected.

 

Hello all,

I've just found this thread via Google as I've been researching my grandfather's history: Tpr Alfred William Risk. He served with 'A' Squadron, 141st RAC, was killed in action on March 1st 1945, and is buried in Rheinburg cemetery. My next port of call was to be the National Archives to look for the War Diaries, but I've found what I was looking for here: many, many thanks to Paul/Sommecourt for posting them. I've managed to find the pages which record my grandfather's death, and using the information posted by Greg on converting WW2 map co-ordinates, have found a rough approximation of where he died. I never thought I would be able to find out so much.

The information I've found here has been immensely useful, and it's been fascinating reading everyone else's contributions (especially about the book 'The History of 'A' Squadron' - I think my mum has a copy), thank you all.

Pete

 

Hi Gents,

I have stumbled across this website whilst searching for info on my grandfather.

So far i have learned that H.E. COX was part of "The Buffs" regiment and left the northern beaches of france during the "little ships" evacuation.

He then later returned on D-Day with the 141st RAC (buffs) 'A' squadron as a troop sargent to sword beach and returned to England injured in September 1944.

can anyone help me with any other information on this squadron ? or any information on him personnally.

thanks

??

 

Awesome, yes Colonel Waddell only wrote the foreword. Your dad is a legend mate - wounded twice, a military cross and mentioned in dispatches....and he got this book written, that's amazing.I met a Colonel Whitchurch in Kosovo in 2000 [I am an entertainer and worked for CSE (ENSA as it once was known)] and he gave me a UN medal in honour of my dad Tpr Roberts - he also claimed that he had video of the buffs in WW11 and that the coalition forces in the first gulf 'war' used exactly the same tactics as 141 RAC. I have not looked on here for ages...I assume your pa has passed away but wonder where you think we could get any more info etc.
thanks so much for this post -

 

bless you Pete -your grandad died in Weeze !!! my dad got wounded - page 17 - he told me by the RAF[his pal took a direct hit] but its not like that in the book so maybe he was being modest.... I have a letter from another soldier to my grandad the day after dad got home to hospital - one proud son here I can tell you.

 

here you go - paraphrased - from the book.....'on the 6th july - in the crocs 'lair' [ a wheat field near Mouen level-crossing used to rest between sorties to Le Bon Repos and Esquay ] they found themselves under fire in several air raids by the enemy (near river Odon) blah blah.....during one air raid, trooper Cox challenged the Luftwaffe alone with his bren-gun and trooper 'Taffy' Jenkins did heroic work in dealing with a fire on an ammunition truck'

 

Hi, I am just looking for any information on my father, I am a complete novice at this but found a Testomonial in my mothers papers, what I can make out from it is
[SIZE=11pt]2936797 Tpr(?) Morran, John was with this regiment, 141st R.A.C. (THE BUFFS) IN ENGLAND AND NORMANDY .... "d" SQD [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]2936797 Tpr(?) Morran, John was with this regiment, 141st R.A.C. (THE BUFFS) IN ENGLAND AND NORMANDY .... "d" SQD before it become a normal part of 269 Spec Del Sqn[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The paper is signed Capt . H or A Bradley or Barclay and I did see a post on mentioning a great uncle I think, by that name. I am going to check out all the links and pictures although they are pretty old. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Thanks, I have found this very interesting. [/SIZE]

 

Hi

I am doing some research into my father in law. He served we believe in the 141Rac. His name was Eric Jones. There is a reference to him in A Wilsons book "Flamethrowers". Like most people he never spoke about the times. This is the first time I have looked for any further info. I belive also that he went by the nickname "ticker" Jones

THanks

Mike

 

Cross posted from: http://www.ww2f.com/topic/24417-funniest-funnie/

Office of Strategic Services film report on a demonstration of "Hobart's Funnies"

Very good film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTP5oBgd50

 

Hi

I am researching my father in law, whom I believe served in the squadron. He had a large model of a tank that I think was called "Hotspur" His name was ERIC "Ticker" Jones, does he show up in your records?

Cheers

Happy xmax

 

Hi,

I'm trying to research my Gt. Grandfather, Fredrick William Savill (Service No. 6283848). When speaking to my grandmother about him she was adament that he was part of the East Kent Regiment, otherly known as The Buffs". I have only recently come across his service number and the R.A.C. recently when I asked my nan to look at her birth certificate on the off chance it mentioned anything about his military career in the "occupation of father" section. I'm reading that the 7th Battalion East Kent Regiment was transferred into the 141st R.A.C.

I will be ordering service records but seeing as they take a year to come I was wondering if anyone can confirm if Fredrick William Savill was indeed in the 141st? If it helps there is a drawing of Frederick with the acronym M.O.B. which apparently stands for MISERABLE OLD B****** which his colleagues called him. The only other thing I know is his rank was Squadron quartermaster sergeant in April 1945 (the time of my grandmothers birth).

Cheers



Danny

 

By chance I've come across this site, and this thread, and wondered if anyone has any information about my Father - W/Sgt James Sydney Sykes - and what he might have done/experienced during WW2.
Like a lot of men - my Father did not want to talk about his experiences and, when he passed away on 29th June 1975 (age 55),
he left precious little documentation about his Service life in tanks.
During WW2 his home was 5 Lyttleton Road, London N8 and one of his friends, Douglas (Doug) ??, served with him, I think, and he lived across the road (literally) at 24 Vernon Road.
The Record of Service card shows my Dad was with the "Buffs" from 17th July 1940 to 7th November 1941. From the 8th Nov. '41 he's shown as with RAC 1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars until 11th September 1946.
However, in his Pay Book there's a testimonial, dated 23rd August 1945, given by Captain G Strachan (Commander 'A' Sqdn 141st RAC). It mentioned that my Father had been in the Regiment (141st presumably) for over 4 years and had served under him during the previous 2 1/2 years. So I'm a bit baffled about about the mention of RAC 1st RGH !
He mentioned briefly some comments about being in Flamethrowers as well as going through Austria [I think?] and the Netherlands. But that's about all.
I have my Father's "Old 'A' Squadron Ex-141st Regt R.A.C. Association" Membership Card [No. 305] but suspect this association has long since closed.
If anyone has details about my Father's WW2 service life I would be very interested.
Thank you in advance.
Peter Sykes, Swanage, Dorset.

 

These are the 141 'Buffs' RAC War Diary refs at the National Archives - drop me a PM or click the red link below if you want any copying.

WO 166/1430 ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS: 141 Regiment. 1941 Nov.-Dec.
WO 166/6936 ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS: 141 Regiment. 1942 Jan.- Dec
WO 166/11109 141 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 1943 Jan.-Dec.
WO 171/877 141 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 1944 Jan.- Dec.
WO 171/4718 141 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 1945 Jan.- June
WO 171/4719 141 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 1945 July - Nov.

As you mentioned the RGH here's their diaries too:

WO 166/1374 ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS: 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. 1939 Sept.- 1941 Dec.
WO 166/6894 ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS: 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
WO 166/11081 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1943 Jan.-Dec.
WO 166/14607 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1944 Jan.-Dec.
WO 166/16620 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1945 Jan.-Dec.
WO 170/7869 1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1946 Jan.-June

Cheers
Andy

 

Just thought i would post this again, as I havent got any further, I really dont know where to go to get these records. thanks

 

It's Lieutenant, Temporary Captain H Bailey. He joined the Regiment in 1941 and became the Regiments Intelligence Officer in 1942.

Regards
Andy

 

Dear member,

Do you know his role in A Squadron and do you have any photos of him? He joined a armed colomme "C" when the French town of Boulogne was attacked. Seotember 1944.

Greetings Ben

 

Hi Ben,
I noticed your posting. I'm not sure exactly who you are referring to and what information I might be able to help with.
Can you expand a little.
All the best.

 

Hello, my grandfather William Fisher was a member of the 141st Royal Armoured Corp's 'B' squadron, the 'Buffs'. I was wondering if anyone had any information about him.
What I currently know is that he was one of the driver's of a Churchill Crocodile who was incharge of the wireless radio and loading ammunition (or so I have been told). He is mentioned briefly in the book 'The Playboys' after he was shot. I also know that he spent some time in hospital in Antwerp and changed tanks as his first had to keep moving. One lf his tanks, which I do not know, was once set a blaze and he and the rest of the occupants had to escape. He spent time serving in France, Belgium, Holland amd Germany and was due to be sent to India but the war ended before they were sent.
I would be grateful if anyone had any further information on his time during the war. Thank you.