Royal Sussex Regiment

[Jeff Spiers]

Hi all,
This is my first post to the forum but I have been reading with great interest the discussions on here, my daughter (14) has also found it very useful in her course work. Not even sure if this is the correct place on the Forum to put this (Mods, please move to correct part if I'm in the wrong place)
My father, now deceased, served with the "Royal Sussex Regiment" during the war, as with many people who served he didn't talk much about his time whilst serving, my Mother has asked if I could find anything out about what/where/when in relation to my Fathers service through the internet. Hopefully with the great knowledge I've witnessed on this Forum something can be found out (though I'm not expecting miracles ) Anyway heres what I know so far, I have his soldiers service and pay book and soldiers release book

Name: Ronald Leslie Spiers
DOB: 11-1-24
Army No: 14335595
Military Dispersal unit: 20-5-47 (Aldershot) Though saying that he did always say he entered back into civilian life at Chichester barracks!
Medals: 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, War Medal 1939-45

Training

as written in book:
EXPD D.M. CHAMBER 12 WKS SIGNAL COURSE, 9/1/43
1 WK ADDITIONAL SIG TR, 20/4/43
FIRED WAR COURSE, 1st CLASS, JULY 1943
ATTENDED DIV SCHOOL OF SIGNALLING, 3 WKS, 14/1/46 To 4/2/46

Nature of employment

27/5/43 to 17/1/46 "signaller"


A couple of things that he did reveal before he passed on were that may or may not help

He talked of being at "Monte Casino", he remembered being on a hill side in thick fog one day when a convoy of pack horses/asses went by carrying supplies, they were tied together in a long line and one of the animals lost its footing and fell off the side of the mountain/cliff/hill, as they were all tied together the one that fell dragged all the others over the side.

He also recalled a convoy of military vehicles passing by crewed by New Zealanders, these guys were giving out biscuits as they passed.

In mums photo album is a newspaper cutting of a picture of "The Reins Del Pacific" Dad says he spent weeks in this boat in rough seas travelling to and waiting for disembarkation, (don't know where from or too) he was in the lower decks of this ship and wasn't the best sea traveller, he said it was the worst time of his army life!

He remembered being under fire (possibly Italy) when an Officer he was with told him to stay down out the way, a split second later there was an explosion (artilary shell??) when dad looked up the officer had disappeared, presumed he took the full force of the explosion.

There are pictures of Dad (after the war?) in Alexandria, Egypt, he told Mum that all his mates went to see the Pyramids but he elected no to go that day but had always wished he had.


Not a lot to go on I know but hopefully some more pieces of the jigsaw of Dads exploits will be revieled

MTIA
Jeff Spiers

[Kyt]

Welcome Jeff

Your father would have been in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Sussex, which was part of the 7 Indian Infantry Brigade, which in turn was part of the 4th Indian Infantry Division.

They saw some very heavy fighting at Cassino. A good introduction to the 4th's Italian campaign is:

The Tiger Triumphs. The Story of Three Great Divisions in Italy. 1946. Foreword. Table of Contents.

A good book is (though it only gives minimal mentions of individual Regiments):

Amazon.co.uk: Cassino: The Hollow Victory - The Battle for Rome, January-June, 1944: John Ellis: Books

Have you applied for his Service Records? They will contain very similar details to the service books you have but may contain additional info.

If there's anything specific you'd like to know then ask away. Ron was a wireless operator, and I'm sure he could help on providing information on that front.

And you maybe interested in this:

BBC - WW2 People's War - The Hell of Monte Cassino

[Jeff Spiers]

Many thanks Kyt,

[Hugh]

Hello Jeff and welcome,

Regarding your father's trip on a troopship, I believe she was the ss REINA DEL PACIFICO official number 162339 built in 1931 for Pacific Steam Navigation Company, Liverpool in 1931. She was broken up at Newport on 11.5.1958.

Troopship Duties -1939-46

These included expedition to, and re-embarkation from Norway - 1940. Trips to Suez via Cape Town. Transportation of the 4th Indian Division from Egypt to Port Sudan for the attack on Ethiopia - Jan 1941. Landing craft added for North African invasion, and transported elements of 1st U.S. Division to Oran assault - Nov 1942. Transported elements of 51st Highland Division to landings at Avola, Sicily - Jul 1943.
Later trips between Britain and Bombay, East Africa, and the Pacific. Most of the 18th Division left Liverpool on this ship in October 1941

Some nice photos of the ship here Reina Del Pacifico-05
here Reina Del Pacifico-02

Regards
Hugh

[Jeff Spiers]

Transported elements of 51st Highland Division to landings at Avola, Sicily - Jul 1943.

Thanks Hugh, I have a couple of questions, what is a "Fired War Course" that Dad passed in July 1943? and is it possible that he could of been on this boat when it travelled to Avola?

Jeff

[Hugh]

Originally Posted by Jeff Spiers

what is a "Fired War Course" and is it possible that he could of been on this boat when it travelled to Avola?
Jeff

Sorry, Jeff, no idea about "Fired War Course" maybe someone else can help you on that.

I believe the 51 Highland Division were at Avola for the beginning of Op Husky which was early July 43. 51 Highland (member of this forum) may be better placed to advise on the Division's involvement.

Do you know what battalion your father served in? We may be able to point you to the War Office Diaries for the Royal Sussex Regiment at the National Archives.

Unfortunately troopships wouldn't have recorded individual soldiers names on lists but there may be mention in the official logbook of the ship detailing which regiments that were embarked.

The ship's movement card from the National Archives would tell you which ports she sailed to and from, together with dates. These are held at the the TNA Kew in file classification BT 389/24 link is here: The National Archives | The Catalogue | Quick reference

The cost for this file would be £8.50 for up to 10 document pages sent to your email address (24 hour service) on a no find no fee basis. You would have to be specific as to what period you want as these files cover 1939 - 1945.

If you need any help with National Archive files just give a shout and we will try our best to help.

Regards

[Jeff Spiers]

Thanks again Hugh, unfortunatly I have no idea which battalion Dad was with, as you can see through my first post thing are very sketchy

Kindest regards
Jeff

[Antipodean Andy]

Welcome Jeff, looks like the guys have helped immeasurably.

Thought you might be interested in something more on the tiny New Zealand angle you mentioned:

Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino | NZETC
Italy Volume II : From Cassino to Trieste | NZETC

[Jeff Spiers]

Thanks Andy, most interesting read