8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

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RobUSA
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8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#1

Post by RobUSA » 04 Jun 2009, 01:07

Just curious if anyone knows of where I might gain some information for the 8th Royal Irish Hussars during the Normandy period. I've searched the web, but I couldn't find anything definitive.

Any help that you could provide would be greatly apprecaited and thanks in advance.

Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#2

Post by Alanmccoubrey » 04 Jun 2009, 14:45

Try "8th The King's Royal Irish Hussars" and see what you get. Just to start you off this came up when I googled them. You will find that they were the divisional armoured recce regiment of 7 Armoured Division from December 1943 until the end of the war. They were equipped with Cromwell tanks which carried 45 on the recce corps Green over Blue AOS square.

http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ance ... /index.htm
Alan


RobUSA
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#3

Post by RobUSA » 04 Jun 2009, 23:19

I've got all that down pat. I was hoping for regimental commander name and squadron leader information.

Here's the story..I've got a unit, 14 cromwells, painted up, but I want to label them correctly with as many historically correct names. I was hoping to find regimental commander and 2nd in command. Then find the squadron leaders names along the way.

Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#4

Post by Alanmccoubrey » 05 Jun 2009, 20:40

8 H used the same system of naming its tanks from the Western Desert until Korea.

RHQ used the names of famous racehorses beginning with "H", for example the C.O.'s tank was "Hurry on".

A Sqn used Flat race horses starting with "A", "Abbot of Chantry" and "Allandale" (this one a Challenger)

B Sqn used the names of fox hounds starting with "B", "Boxer" and "Bellman" being two.

C Sqn used racehorses starting with "C", "Captain Cuttle", "Coronach" and "Call Bay" are examples.

Gogling "British racehorses of the 1930's" might give you some ideas and I think you could just about make up the B Sqn names, I mean just how many "famous" dogs are there ?

The details are from B. T. White's book "British Tank Markings and Names"
Alan

Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#5

Post by Alanmccoubrey » 05 Jun 2009, 20:47

A little bit more for you, you'll find links on here to the regimental museum so perhaps an email or even letter to them might produce the names of officers. The regiment's war diary is also there, along with the "roll of honour" listing all deaths in 1944 so you'll find at least the name of the A Sqn commander I notice.

http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paters ... our.htm#H8
Alan

gjkennedy
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#6

Post by gjkennedy » 05 Jun 2009, 21:03

If you're after names, then a book like "Churchill's Desert Rats; from Normandy to Berlin with the 7th Armoured Division" by Patrick Delaforce is likely your best immediate bet. An example, page 32 has a quote from Lieutenant-colonel Cuthbert Goulburn, CO of 8th Hussars in June 1944. A good look through should turn up a number of Squadron commanders, and probably Troop leaders also. If you wanted more detail then it would be a case of obtaining a copy of the regimental war diary, (noticed the June entry is available on the site previously recommended) which tend to mention officers by name. There would've been a great deal of turnover in terms of personnel for both officers and ORs, so probably the best you can hope for is a snapshot. Squadron commanders were typically Majors (though due to casualties Captains could get the job), with a Major as 2-in-C at RHQ. See a Major mentioned in connection with a particular Squadron, that's your CO.

RobUSA
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#7

Post by RobUSA » 07 Jun 2009, 04:32

I appreciate that info everyone! That's perfect! Exactly the information that I needed to know. I'll check out that book as well. I've been reading "Troop Leader" as well.

Thanks again and I hope everyone is having a great weekend

Detsandsquibs
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Re: 8th Royal Irish Hussars 1944 OOB

#8

Post by Detsandsquibs » 27 Feb 2017, 00:41

The 4 Troop, A Squadron, Challenger tank name was Annandale (rather than Allandale). The WD number of this Challenger was T271978.
Other A Squadron tank names included Abbot of Chantry, Athasi, Abbots Pride and Arctic Star. All these vehicles were Cromwells.

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