National Service

[Fee]

Hello!
I don't know if I'm posting in the right place but I came across this site while trawling the internet for information and thought some nice soul may be able to point me in the right direction!

My father passed away in January and at the time we had finally reclaimed my grandfathers WW1 medals and found copies of his service record. After my dad's funeral we thought it would be nice to see if we could get hold of his National Service record (I assume they actually exist?!) The problem we have is, my dad didn't know his service number, never mentioned which regiment he was in and, apart from tales of being sea sick, gave us very little information in general!

I'm sure my dad said he was actually in the navy. He was born in 1932, so should have seen his service 1950-1952ish. He was born and living in Carlisle at the time and talked endlessly about being stationed in Osnabruck. Apparently he worked in the "stores" and used to tell us tales of particularly choppy waters when crossing the Rhine. But this is all we know!

I was wondering if anyone could offer any help at all... Would anyone know if the Royal Navy were in Osnabruck in 1950-1952? And if he was with the RN would he have worked in the "stores"? Or does it sound more like he could have been with the army? And does anyone know if records from National Service do indeed exist and if so, where on earth do I get them? Is it a job for the MOD?

Many, many thanks in advance!

Fiona

[Wholley]

Hi Fee.
You might try this.
http://www.royal-naval-association.co.uk/
They will be able to help I believe but the Royal Navy did not take many national servicemen.
Most went to the army.
Tab was a national serviceman in the Parachute Regiment.
Maybe he could help more than I.

Hope this helps.

Wholley.

[Tdivers]

Fiona you could also Try this site.

http://bfg-locations.editboard.com/

Its a Germany specific site and mainly Veterans there is a font of knowledge on this site and i am sure someone will point you in the right direction.

Well worth a try.

[timex]

Fiona, I cannot see any RN being based at Osnabruck more than likely he was RAOC. If not then he may well have been in a local Regt, my dad also from Cumbria was with the Border Regt who were based in Cyprus, Egypt and Aden around that time. May be worth trying the Border Regt association who I think are at Carlisle Castle. Did your dad attend the British Legion, if so may be worth giving the Carlisle Branch a call.

You may be able to use your dad's NI number to get his medals from the Medals Office.

Good luck.

[Fee]

Thank you all so much - you've all been very helpful!

I've had some success after finding a phone number for my dad's cousin. I thought it may be out of service as my dad hadn't seen him for about 10 years BUT I rang it anyway and found out that my dad was in fact in the army with the Kings Own Border Regiment (which makes much more sense as my uncle saw his National Service with them out Egypt way and we have his medal). After completing his National Service my dad then worked at an army depot at Longtown for a while... So not sure where the Navy thing came from - his tales of being seasick must simply have come from his travel to Germany!

Will get in touch with the Border Regiment now and see where I can go from here. If I'd known he was in the army I could have made progress sooner as I only came home from Carlisle yesterday and had in fact made a trip to the Border Regiment Museum at the castle and spoke to the assistant curator about my grandfathers WW1 records! Typical!

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions - much appreciated!

Fiona

[Pilgrim Norway]

Just spotted this - a bit old (me too)

Fi - you ought to try the Buffs in Carlisle

Most ex servicemen in and around Carlisle, Harraby etc were active and staunch supporters of the Buffs

I did my first "Sea Service" in Hammonds Pond

[timex]

Hammonds Pond, now that brings back some memories....

[Tab]

I never knew any one that was in the forces that could not remember your service number as it was branded into your brain. You had to shout out every time you got paid and often when you where addresed by a senior rank. Even on our first day in the forces if you could not repeat your number when asked you where doubling around the parade ground or sent of on some other task, but by the end of your first day you knew that number and you became that number.
Also if you have his medal then his name, number and unit should be engraved along the edge of the medal, as this is done on all official medals

[Pilgrim Norway]

Good point that Tab - Strewth - the obvious, unless it's a replacement medal

I can just about remember my hat size, 6 and 7 eighths and my boot size 10 and a half - we all took the same size back then - at least that's what was handed out I seemed to have the same measurements as our "Right Marker" who was five foot fifteen and my oppo from Welsh Wales who was a head shorter than me .... Strange thing that ....

Good luck with the search Fi -

RM15537 See, I remember.....

[Wholley]

I read that as he could not remember his Grandfathers service #
Not his own.

[Pilgrim Norway]

Please do pay attention Wholley - read the entry again lad ... Huh...

Many good leads on the National Service periods here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscripti ... ed_Kingdom

Ancestry .com do a fair show too - I'll take a look there

[Wholley]

Please do pay attention Wholley - read the entry again lad ... Huh.

Well,it's not like English is my first language.
I just missed an emphasis or two

[Fee]

Thanks everyone!

I don't recall my dad ever mentioning the Buffs and neither does my mother but that doesn't mean anything so I'll check it out anyway!

After speaking to a chap at the Border Regiment museum we don't think Dad would have been entitled to a medal. My uncle got one but that was simply because he was in the Suez during the crisis. According to the museum my dad might be listed in one of the Old Comrades Books and, if he is, his service number will be included in the entry. I'm going back to Carlisle in August to visit family so will visit the museum and see if it gets us anywhere.

Some years ago my had was hospitalised for some time with a ruptured aneurysm - miracle he pulled through at his age really. After that his memory was all over the place - to the extent of him sometimes forgetting family members' names. So when it came down to his service number things became difficult as he genuinely couldn't remember it. I assume up until that point, had he been asked, he could probably have rattled his number off no problem. Sods law that we realise we need these details about him AFTER the fact! It's one of those situations where you wish you'd paid more attention when you had the chance!

Will check out that Wiki link now! Thanks!

[Tab]

I cant help but wonder what the Buffs have to do with Scotland as they are, or should I say were a East Kent Regiment.
Now if he was a National Service man and on the Suez Crisis in 1956 his first three numbers would have been 231.

[Fee]

I cant help but wonder what the Buffs have to do with Scotland as they are, or should I say were a East Kent Regiment.
Now if he was a National Service man and on the Suez Crisis in 1956 his first three numbers would have been 231.

I haven't had much luck with the Buffs as yet - not been able to find much online with regards to ex-servicemen from the Carlisle area. It isn't something I can say I ever heard my dad talk about but I'm open to exploring all avenues at present!

Yes, my uncle was on the Suez Crisis and, from what I can remember of his medal (it lives at my brother's house) his number started with 231. My dad was in service from 1950 and was over in Osnabruck.