1st Tower Hamlets Battalion

[Robindad]

Does anyone have/know of a diary for this unit? I am intersted in their voyage on the Scythia from Liverpool -depart 1 Nov 1940 to Durban where they were transhipped to another vessel. This was Convoy WS4.

R

[Urmel]

I only have Jan/Feb 42, sorry.

[Inselaffe]

Robindad,

You may well be aware, but in case you're not ( ), 1st Bn Tower Hamlets Rifles were converted to an RB (Rifle Brigade) Bn in IIRC 1940. They were the then 9 RB. Confusingly, they were still often referred to as 1st Tower Hamlets, however, their war diaries (if they exist) would be marked 9 RB. Have you checked Kew? Apologies if you know all this already.

Cheers,

Inselaffe

[Inselaffe]

All of which is already on this thread.... That'll learn me to check back.

[Robindad]

They are still 1 TH when moved from UK. Elements were on RMS Scythia departed Liverpool on 1 November 1940 and went as part of convoy WS4 via Freetown, Cape town to Durban .. transferred to Dunera and arrived at Suez on 23 December. They would have disembarked either at Suez or Port Said on the next day. Father in Law was Sgt i/c MT for 4th Durham Survey Regiment on this ship. Their MT was supposed to arrive before the main party (on WS4B) but due to slowness of the MT Transport ship Delius they only arrived a few days before the main party whic got there on 31 December (came in WS4B on Reina Del Pacifico). MT was further delayed as Delius went first to Port Sudan and did not get to Suez for another 10 days!..
Will get a copy of the 1TH WD for Nov Dec 1940
Robin

[Robindad]

David,
Tower Hamlets WD (WO169/367).

They embarked at Liverpool on 15 Nov 1940 and reached Suez on 28 Dec 1940 (leaving 4 riflemen in Durban! Which must have seemed like heaven after war-time UK ). After a transit up the canal, they reached Port Said at 15.30 on 31 Dec, and disembarked at 20.00 hrs.

Tom

This is the main party of the TH Battalion sailing on Convoy WS.4B. Details of the convoy ships and the trip to Egypt are in "The Winston Specials" by Archie Munro p76ff. He states "The HQ of 2 Armoured Division and 1 Armoured Brigade and 2 Support Group, together with 1Bn The Rangers, 1Bn Tower Hamlets Rifles .... were spread amongst the six remaining ships embarked at Liverpool"

He also states tha advance party of 1Bn TH were on RMS Scythia in Convoy WS.4A which sailed from LIverpool on 1 November ibid p71.

[Tom from Cornwall]

That must tie in with the war diary then as it states:

15 November 1940
Battalion evacuated Wellingborough by 0800 hrs, travelled by train to Liverpool and embarked on SS Duchess of Atholl.

17 November 1940
SS Duchess of Atholl moved out of the docks.

Cheers,

Tom

[Robindad]

The Duchess arrived in Suez on Saturday December 28th see http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/index.html? ... convoymain for more information
R

[David W]

Robindad.

1st Battalion the Rangers?

[Robindad]

Robindad.

1st Battalion the Rangers?

Tower Hamlets was a UK Infantry unit ... My interest is first hand reports of the journey out on Scythia and Dunera druing Nov/Dec 1940.

Sofar no sign of any memoirs or personal diaries covering the voyage
R

[David W]

Robindad

Look at your post #36 in this thread, it quotes 1st battalion the Rangers along with The Tower Hamlets, that is why I highlighted it and queried it.
Can you elaborate?

[Urmel]

Robindad

check this link: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/52365-2 ... mber-1940/

[Robindad]

Robindad

check this link: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/52365-2 ... mber-1940/

Yes good one ...it is there as a result of my PM's with Andy who posted it ...
Is that Andreas?


Robin aka Uncle Jack

[Robindad]

Robindad

Look at your post #36 in this thread, it quotes 1st battalion the Rangers along with The Tower Hamlets, that is why I highlighted it and queried it.
Can you elaborate?

Apologies

All I have is the paragraph as transcribed from Archie Munro's book .. I am in contact with him and he's hopefully checking his notes ...

They were an advanced party and presumably transferred to Dunera in Durban (as did our man) and arrived in Egypt disembarking at Port Said on 24 December 1944. I've tried to find out more about the Rangers but no luck so far. Some MT was on Delius which arrived later .... in fact on 31 Dec same day as our man's main party arrived.

R

[Urmel]

David

What's the question on the 1st Battalion The Rangers (oka 9 KRRC)

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 4&t=197488

http://krrcassociation.com/archives/1st ... ng_ww2.pdf