Newbie help please

[Bazza61]

Hello.
       I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction to find out about my Dad's time in the regiment.
The only information I have comes from his marriage certificate.

VINCENT JOYCE
22006064
Lance Corporal
Manchester Regiment

He used to talk about being stationed in Wuppertal in Germany, but thats all I have.

Thanks

Barrie

[timberman]

Hi Barrie
Welcome to the forum.
I'm sure someone will be along that may be able to help. Have you got the date of your dads wedding?
Also the next of kin can apply for his service records. Free for the soldier
You need a death certificate and it costs £30?

 :-[This is the link to download the SAR form and it explains it a bit better than me!

 http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html sorry about the mistake Barrie

Timberman

[Bazza61]

Thanks for the info Timberman.
The date of the marriage was 08/10/1949

[Wendi]

Hi Bazza !

There are a couple of chaps around the site who were in Germany around the time of your parents marriage, I'm sure you'll here from them soon......in the mean time

It's not the SARS form you need - that's for service personnel who are applying for their own records

What you need is the kinship form for Army it's here http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

Wendi 

[Bazza61]

Thanks Wendi.

[Wendi]

Forgot to say Welcome to our site ! Glad to have you aboard !

Don't forget to let us know how you get on if you do apply for the record

Wendi 

[Bazza61]

I will.
I've printed the form and I'm going to get my mum to apply she is the next of kin and it's free 

I'm new to all this and don't really understand much about the army and such.
I've been looking through the website and all the links and I understand there are different sections within the regiment, I keep seeing things like T9 and battallions and 1st regiment, 2nd regiment being mentioned.
Do you know what information I might receive when I get my reply?
Is being a Lance Corporal a promotion? and would that be a common promotion or what would he have been most likely to be promoted for.
Sorry I'm going to stop now I have so many questions. I'll wait and see what I get back, though looking at their site I might not get a reply back for some months.
Anyway thanks again for the help.

Bazza

[Wendi]

Humm.....not sure about 9T but this might help with your query regarding Battalions etc (see the bit about: Hierarchy of modern armies) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_organization

Private is the initial rank of a non-officer, this is followed by the rank of Lance Corporal, which is the first step on the ladder.

As far as his record is concerned, you should get details of his joining up, medical history, education, conduct, tours of duty, while in service.  Details of next of kin at the time, stuff like that.

Wendi 

[Robert Bonner]

1st Bn The Manchester Regiment moved to  BAOR (Briish Army of the Rhine) in mid-summer 1948 and was stationed in the garrison town of Wuppertal Elberfeld. The battalion remained there until April 1950 when it moved to Berlin. I suggest that you should read the1945/1958 section of 'Difficulties Be Damned' to find out a little bit more or alternatively find your way to the Regimental Archives in Ashton-under-Lyne and look at the copies of the Regimental Journal of that period which will give much more detailed information. If your father was a sporting person or a marksman then he is more than likely to be mentioned

[Bazza61]

Thanks for the link Wendi.
and thanks Robert, a trip to Ashton-Under-Lyne is definately my next move.
Thank you all that have helped you are all very kind.

Bazza

[rafboy]

Hi Bazza
I should have woken up sooner and asked if you had looked at the "Photos and Postcards By Battalion" then " Photos From Germany".  There are a few of 1st Bn taken in Wuppertal and Berlin. 
Cliff

[Bazza61]

Hi Rafboy.
             On the subject of photos my Dad had a photo taken in wuppertal. I remember him showing it to me when I was very young. I remember that photo so well because in the background was what looked like a monorail or some sort of train that was suspended in the air. I was mesmorised it looked so futuristic to a young boy, like something out of Flash Gordon. He also had a group photo with all his army mates. I wish I could find them. My mum's lost them.....she loses her glasses everyday so it doesn't surprise me 
Maybe one day they will turn up.

[rafboy]

Hi Bazza
Your overhead railway is the Schwebebahn and is still going, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwebebahn_Wuppertal  I remember riding on it several times.
There are several photos of Wuppertal including some old ones of the Schwebebahn here: http://images.google.co.uk/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SKPB_enGB290GB290&q=wuppertal&um=1&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=5&ct=title
This site has lots of information and photos:
http://schwebebahn.com/
Enjoy.
Cliff

[Bazza61]

Thanks Cliff. That makes me more determined to find those lost photo's.

[saintconor]

Good luck with the search Bazza