1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

Discussions on all aspects of the The United Kingdom & its Empire and Commonwealth during the Inter-War era and Second World War. Hosted by Andy H
Tom from Cornwall
Member
Posts: 3211
Joined: 01 May 2006, 20:52
Location: UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#16

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 13 Jun 2012, 21:31

Gents,

As promised here is the May 41 war diary:
1 May 1941 BUQ BUQ
Nil.

2 May 1941
Nil.

3 May 1941 MERSA MATRUH
0400 Bn relieved by Coy of 2 R.B. Moves to MERSA MATRUH. Hand over vehicles to 2 KRRC. Night period at Leave & Transit Camp.

4 May 1941 ALEX
0600 Bn proceeds by rail to ALEXANDRIA. Night at L & T Camp.

5 May 1941 GENEIFA
0600 Bn moves to GENEIFA by rail. Night at GENEIFA.

6 May 1941 TAHAG
Bn moves to TAHAG by road (RASC transport). 1 officer & 70 O.Rs already at GENEIFA rejoin Bn & come to TAHAG. Bn under 2 Sp Gp.

7 – 9 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.

10 May 1941 TAHAG
9 officers & 216 O.Rs rejoin Bn from TOBRUK having travelled by sea & rail. Bn strength with unit now 23 officers & 435 O.Rs.

11 May 1941 TAHAG
Field Return of Officers & O.Rs attached. Appx 1 & 2

12 – 13 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.

14 May 1941 TAHAG
Leave starts.

15 – 16 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.

17 May 1941 TAHAG
Field Return of Officers & O.Rs attached. Appx 3 & 4

18 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.

19 May 1941 TAHAG
Draft of 123 O.Rs report for duty from I.B.D. GENEIFA.

20 May 1941
Nil.


21 May 1941 TAHAG
Bn placed under comd 1 ARMD BDE (Brigadier R.S. CHARRINGTON). 2 Sp Gp disbanded.

22 May 1941 TAHAG
Junior Section Leaders Course (Mortar & Scout) & Signals Course commence.

23 – 24 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.

25 May 1941 TAHAG
Field Return of Officers & O.Rs attached. Appx 5 & 6

26 May 1941 TAHAG
Orders for move to Alexandria on 28/5/41 received. Bn re-organised on 4 Coy basis i.e. A. D. S & H.Q. Signals Operational Orders attached. Appx 7, 8 & 9

27 May 1941 TAHAG
2150 Move orders cancelled. Signals Ops attached. Appx 10 & 11

28 May 1941 TAHAG
Bn organisation of 3 fighting coys and small Bn HQ proposed for Anti-Parachute and/or Airborne Troops. Bn stood to 0430 / 0530.

29 May 1941 TAHAG
Above organisation completed. Bn acting together with remainder of Brig. Rankins force as part of Mobile Reserve to G.H.Q. Operation Order No. 1 attached at Appendix.
Appx 12 & 13

30 May 1941 TAHAG
Leave resumed.

31 May 1941 TAHAG
Nil.
No complaints about naughty Australians this time! Other things to worry about coming back through Cyrenaicia I expect. I hadn't realised so many came back through Tobruk.

Regards

Tom

Tom from Cornwall
Member
Posts: 3211
Joined: 01 May 2006, 20:52
Location: UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#17

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 14 Jun 2012, 21:48

And for all the OOB specialists out there, here is the Appendix from the 9 R.B (T.H.R.) Op Order No. 1 dated 29 May 41 when they are back in TAHAG Camp:
Bn HQ.
C.O., 2 i/c, Adj., S.O., L.O., M.O.
Sig. Sgt., 12 signallers (6 available for coys) 2 NCOs and 12 D.Rs (in 2 15-cwts)
S.B. Sgt and 11 S.Bs. and medical orderlies
Protective Platoon.
RSM & 30 Rfn (to include HQ officers’ batmen) under cmd RSM.
L/C Cheshire 6914791

3 Coys – each
Coy HQ.
O.C., 2 i/c, CSM, clerk, runner, 2 batmen.
4 Plns – each
Pl. HQ.
Pl. Cdr. Pl. Sgt. Batman, runner.
3 sections – each
Sec. Cmdr, 8 Rfn.
No entirely sure why the illustrious Lance Corporal Cheshire gets a personal mention - clearly his was a very important role!

Cheers

Tom


User avatar
David W
Member
Posts: 3516
Joined: 28 Mar 2004, 02:30
Location: Devon, England

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#18

Post by David W » 14 Jun 2012, 21:57

Thanks Tom.

Perhaps it's L/C Clark Kent from Cheshire!

Alanmccoubrey
Member
Posts: 3370
Joined: 19 Sep 2008, 14:44

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#19

Post by Alanmccoubrey » 14 Jun 2012, 22:00

I bet he was the "Water Duties NCO" .
Alan

Fatboy Coxy
Member
Posts: 874
Joined: 26 Jul 2009, 17:14
Location: Essex, UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#20

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 15 Jun 2012, 09:36

Very wild guess, battalion mascot, Cheshire the cat, rat catcher extraordinaire, now if only they had something for the flies!
Regards
Fatboy Coxy

Currently writing https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/ ... if.521982/

Tom from Cornwall
Member
Posts: 3211
Joined: 01 May 2006, 20:52
Location: UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#21

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 15 Jun 2012, 19:15

Wasn't it normally a goat?

Tom

Tom from Cornwall
Member
Posts: 3211
Joined: 01 May 2006, 20:52
Location: UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#22

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 15 Jun 2012, 21:19

Final part of war diary that I have (I'll try to get rest of Dec 41 next time!):
1 December 1941
SUTCLIFFE COLUMN remained in observation at Pt 193, 486356. The 4 IND DIV attack on LIBYAN OMAR was successful, but no enemy were seen leaving LIBYAN OMAR to the WEST by SUTCLIFFE COL.
1600 The Bn receives orders to move to 62 F.S.D. area 462343.
2030 The Bn with supporting troops leaguered in this area.

2 December 1941
0600 The Bn took over positions vacated by 3 C.G. in its role of defending 62 F.S.D.
1230 The Bn receives orders to move to area 444341, in a concentration area of 22 Gds Bde. 436 Bty, 51 Fd Regt, and 3 Bty, 73 A/Tk Regt RA were detached from O.C. 9th Rifle Brigade’s command.
1600 The Bn reaches its destination, where its role was one of self protection.

3 December 1941
22 Gds Bde moved into a reserve position. The Bn moved at 1400 hrs and was in its allotted position at Pt 178 426346 by 1600 hrs. ‘B’ Coy rejoined the Bn at this position.

4 December 1941
1730 The Bn moved to BIR DUEDAR, 482362, so as to be altogether with 3 C.G. to 11 IND BDE on the following morning [relieving 3 C.G.??].
1600 1 Tp L.A.A. and a detachment of R.Es were attached. 22 Gds Bde came under command of 7 Armd Div.
Regards

Tom

Trackhead M2
Member
Posts: 1004
Joined: 24 Mar 2012, 17:48
Location: North Utica, IL

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#23

Post by Trackhead M2 » 27 Jun 2012, 22:29

Dear DW,
Forgive an ignorant American, but how did the Battalion get such a unique name?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2

Clive Mortimore
Member
Posts: 1288
Joined: 06 Jun 2009, 23:38

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#24

Post by Clive Mortimore » 28 Jun 2012, 00:17

Trackhead M2 wrote:Dear DW,
Forgive an ignorant American, but how did the Battalion get such a unique name?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
Hi TH -M2

Tower Hamlets is an area of East London outside the city wall. It was from this part of London that men were recuited. Many of the London territoral battalions had their own name see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Regiment for other examples.

Clive
Clive

Trackhead M2
Member
Posts: 1004
Joined: 24 Mar 2012, 17:48
Location: North Utica, IL

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#25

Post by Trackhead M2 » 28 Jun 2012, 16:41

Clive Mortimore wrote:
Trackhead M2 wrote:Dear DW,
Forgive an ignorant American, but how did the Battalion get such a unique name?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
Hi TH -M2

Tower Hamlets is an area of East London outside the city wall. It was from this part of London that men were recuited. Many of the London territoral battalions had their own name see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Regiment for other examples.

Clive
Dear CM,
Thanks, the name was not as obvious as some other British Units like the South Wales Borderers of Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
P.S. Are the Olymipic preparations causing difficulties for the folks around the venues?

User avatar
Urmel
Member
Posts: 4896
Joined: 25 Aug 2008, 10:34
Location: The late JBond

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#26

Post by Urmel » 29 Jun 2012, 14:29

Yes.

Apart from the above, Tower Hamlets today is the poorest borough in London, and very heavily populated by South Asian immigrants. At the time of the war there were a lot of Jewish immigrants still, but they became wealthier and moved to other parts of London. It used to be quite a rough area (the Cray brothers were based there), but is now gentrifying from the west, and another suitable name for the regiment would maybe have been 1st Battalion Cockney Bruisers, I guess.

Are you having a Giraffe?
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41

The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42

User avatar
Andy H
Forum Staff
Posts: 15326
Joined: 12 Mar 2002, 21:51
Location: UK and USA

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#27

Post by Andy H » 04 Jul 2012, 10:33

Several off topic posts have bee removed

Regards

Andy H

Trackhead M2
Member
Posts: 1004
Joined: 24 Mar 2012, 17:48
Location: North Utica, IL

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#28

Post by Trackhead M2 » 07 Jul 2012, 15:42

Andy H wrote:Several off topic posts have bee removed

Regards

Andy H
Dear AH,
The coversation may have strayed but we weren't getting offensive. Couldn't a simple direction to move our discussion of the upcoming Olympic games be moved to the Lounge have been given?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2

Fatboy Coxy
Member
Posts: 874
Joined: 26 Jul 2009, 17:14
Location: Essex, UK

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#29

Post by Fatboy Coxy » 11 Jul 2012, 19:41

Oh Andy, I've never had a post removed before, is there some kudo's for me here? :lol:

Trackhead, my critisism of the Olympics could be construded as "Political" so I don't have a problem with what he done.

Steve
Regards
Fatboy Coxy

Currently writing https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/ ... if.521982/

User avatar
Andy H
Forum Staff
Posts: 15326
Joined: 12 Mar 2002, 21:51
Location: UK and USA

Re: 1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

#30

Post by Andy H » 12 Jul 2012, 00:38

Evening All!

The posts were removed because the thread had strayed for several posts from the original subject.
I understand that it happens and I usually allow a couple because that's how conversations develop but we were getting for a fair few more than that. This isn't social media and it doesn't lend itself to well to social media chit chat. So if something completely off-topic is that interesting then please PM each other, after a initial Q&A

Regards to all

Andy H

Post Reply

Return to “The United Kingdom & its Empire and Commonwealth 1919-45”