Territorial Efficiency Group

[Adrian Stevenson]

Ned you are a true Gent.

Cheers, Ade.

[Cameron Stockton]

Hi

Have done some more research and it is more than likely that when he was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal he was serving in one of the following Battalions:

5th Battalion
6th Battalion
7th Battalion
8th Battalion
9th Battalion

Thanks

Cameron

[Cameron Stockton]

Hi

A very interesting development from BMF.

"As Bob has mentioned, your chap's enlistment number falls within the batch of pre-1942 Army Service Numbers alloted to the Royal Artillery, and given that fact, at this stage, it is impossible to say how your chap qualified for his 1939-1945 campaign medals, and frankly, it is dangerous to speculate, as personnel got transferred and volunteered for all manner of cross-postings during the war years.

With the above wartime A&SH RA (TA) conversions aside (none of which resumed their pre-war battalion identities after the war), the parent Regiment fielded the 7th Battalion (TA), which fought in France 1940, then North Africa, Siciliy, Italy, and North-West Europe, and, the 8th (Argyllshire) Battalion (TA), which fought in France 1940, North Africa, Siciliy, Italy.

During the war, the A&S Highlanders also had other UK based infantry (TA) battalions: i.e. the 10th; 11th (Argyll and Dumbarton); 12th, 13th and 14th (Home Defence) Battalions; and, a 30th Battalion (which absorbed disbanded personnel from the 12th and 13th (Home Defence) battalions in 1941. All of these phased in and out of the regiment's strength during the war years, with the exception of the 11th, which lasted until 1947, when its personnel were absorbed into the 8th Battalion (TA).

Now, here's the thing; it is quite plausible that your chap served throughout the war years with an artillery unit which had no affinity with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders whatsoever, and after the war, when he got home, he joined his local TA unit (an A&SH (TA) Battalion), where his service continued to qualify for the EM(T). By equal measure of plausibility, he could have been drafted from a RA (TA) unit, to one of the converted A&SH RA (TA) units as an experienced artilleryman, to bolster the unit's operational proficiency. At, or near the war's end, on disbandment of his unit, he may have requested to be cross-posted over to a local peacetime TA unit, who, by coincidence..... were A&S Highlanders (7th or 8th Bns. (TA)), and similarly, got his Efficiency Medal awarded, and named-up, whilst on their strength.

Cameron, possibilities abound, and in the light of that, I would recommend that you write to the current Curator / Research Assistant, at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, to see what they can say from their AB358 Regimental Enlistment and Transfer Books about your man. If they can trace him, they may be able to tell you when he transferred into the regiment, 'from and to' which unit/battalion, and, when he was discharged/transferred out."

I will hopefully get a letter sent off soon.

Thanks

Cameron

[Tango]

Now this thread has made me smile somewhat!!!!..Firstly Mr Big that was very nice of you to give away those gongs.. A true gent..Secondly if times are that hard that you need to skip hop!!! You should should get off down to the job centre!!! lol..No only joking...Those are excellent medals, & to recieve them free is top dollar..Also an interesting thread reference the chaps medals..So well done Mr's Big Ned & C Stockton...Cheers Terry.

[big ned]

Hi

A very interesting development from BMF.

"As Bob has mentioned, your chap's enlistment number falls within the batch of pre-1942 Army Service Numbers alloted to the Royal Artillery, and given that fact, at this stage, it is impossible to say how your chap qualified for his 1939-1945 campaign medals, and frankly, it is dangerous to speculate, as personnel got transferred and volunteered for all manner of cross-postings during the war years.

With the above wartime A&SH RA (TA) conversions aside (none of which resumed their pre-war battalion identities after the war), the parent Regiment fielded the 7th Battalion (TA), which fought in France 1940, then North Africa, Siciliy, Italy, and North-West Europe, and, the 8th (Argyllshire) Battalion (TA), which fought in France 1940, North Africa, Siciliy, Italy.

During the war, the A&S Highlanders also had other UK based infantry (TA) battalions: i.e. the 10th; 11th (Argyll and Dumbarton); 12th, 13th and 14th (Home Defence) Battalions; and, a 30th Battalion (which absorbed disbanded personnel from the 12th and 13th (Home Defence) battalions in 1941. All of these phased in and out of the regiment's strength during the war years, with the exception of the 11th, which lasted until 1947, when its personnel were absorbed into the 8th Battalion (TA).

Now, here's the thing; it is quite plausible that your chap served throughout the war years with an artillery unit which had no affinity with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders whatsoever, and after the war, when he got home, he joined his local TA unit (an A&SH (TA) Battalion), where his service continued to qualify for the EM(T). By equal measure of plausibility, he could have been drafted from a RA (TA) unit, to one of the converted A&SH RA (TA) units as an experienced artilleryman, to bolster the unit's operational proficiency. At, or near the war's end, on disbandment of his unit, he may have requested to be cross-posted over to a local peacetime TA unit, who, by coincidence..... were A&S Highlanders (7th or 8th Bns. (TA)), and similarly, got his Efficiency Medal awarded, and named-up, whilst on their strength.

Cameron, possibilities abound, and in the light of that, I would recommend that you write to the current Curator / Research Assistant, at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, to see what they can say from their AB358 Regimental Enlistment and Transfer Books about your man. If they can trace him, they may be able to tell you when he transferred into the regiment, 'from and to' which unit/battalion, and, when he was discharged/transferred out."

I will hopefully get a letter sent off soon.

Thanks

Cameron

Blimey it's getting complicated!

I don't know if it has any bearing on things but the local regiment around here at the time was the South Staffordshire Regiment. They had a TA headquarters and parade ground in Fallings Park not a mile from where Cpl. Hodgson lived at Copes Crescent. It's still in use today by the Mercian Regiment that subsumed the Staffords during the cut backs and amalgamations a few years back.

Keep digging son, you'll get there eventually!

Regards, Ned.

[Cameron Stockton]

Hi

Thats what I love about genealogy!

Thanks

Cameron