James (Jim) Viner Manchester Regt

[pierce09]

ok, so i've just been informed of a relative (my great uncle) who served with the Manchesters during WW2. i know nothing about him, not his number, location, dates or anything. so i was putting this on here to ask if anyone knows where a good place to start is!
i will eventually search the Manchester Regt archives but i'd like to narrow down a bit first, maybe his service number and battalion first. i have no relatives to ask other than my grandfather (his brother) but he knows nothing of his service. there was another brother in the Royal Engineers during the war too (Wilf or William) Viner but again, nothing about his service is known.
i'm still learning about my family in the 1914-18 war and think there may have been at least one Viner from my side in the Manchesters then but as yet, i'm still searching.
any help whatsoever would be gratefully appreciated
Thank you

[Wendi]

Hi Rhys and Welcome to our forum

Sadly there is not too much openly available to the WW2 researcher, on individuals in the war due to Data Protection, but the good news is that with a copy of their death certificate, £30 and a lot of patience you can obtain a copy of their service record from the MOD via this link scroll down to "Apply for Service personnel service records"

Wendi 

[pierce09]

Wendi,

yeah i had to do this for my Grandad who was in the Merchant Navy.

Sadly, i'm a serviceman myself, and i'm out in Nevada on a posting here. i have no access to his death certificate.

i mentioned it on here in the hope someone would know a website or something so i could look online form here.

thanks anyway!

[pierce09]

is it possible or practical to find out James Anthony Viner's service number from any papers kept at the Manchester Regt archives and museum? i understand without going through the MOD records in Glasgow i won't be able to find out much but at least his service number would be a start for any future research i do.

i see WW2 service records aren't due to be released until 2020!! i find this a bit excessive!

[Robert Bonner]

All you have to do is send a request by email to the Archivist, pointing out that you cannot get to the archives.  She or one of her colleagues will be pleased to look it up for you.

[pierce09]

Thanks Robert. fingers crossed!

[pierce09]

Archivist was very helpful and i think my great uncle's service number is 3535131. it looks like he possibly enlisted 30-5-40 and was transferred to the reserves (Z class) on 4-5-46

question is, still trying to find out his battalion. i'm back in the UK from mid April but if anyone has any further info, i'd be very grateful!!

thanks Robert by the way, archivist sent a very nice email. i'll be visiting the archives as soon as i return

Rhys

[pierce09]

So, an update. I'm no longer overseas and i've got a bit further with this soldier.

I've narrowed it down to possibly being 6th Manchesters from 1940 through to the re-numbering in 1943 and then being in the 1st battalion.

Family say he spoke of meeting his brother (an RE Sapper) post D-Day in Normandy. He was allegedly in a mortar section and possibly part of 51st Div (probably 53rd Div and either misheard or forgotten)

How long did basic training take back in 1940? if he signed up just after the outbreak of war, how long would it have been until he was at his unit? are there any training records available to Manchester around this time? and where was Basic Training conducted?

Any info would be gratefully appreciated.

R

[RAFling]

Same person, new name.

UPDATE: applied for service records but it's likely a 6 month wait. Service number was passed from the museum incorrectly, maybe due to handwriting. It should read 3535731 Pte/Cpl J Viner.

Still haven't found details of basic training for the soldiers joining up in 1940. What i'm really looking for now is some personal accounts of 6th/1st Bttn in NW Europe from the UK to the end of the war. Does anyone have anything or know of any books written from this point of view?

R

[RAFling]

**Update**

Jim’s service records arrived yesterday. It’s confirmed most of what I’d found out and added a few new bits of info.

Joined 6th Bttn Manchesters and was with them when they became 1st Bttn.
Served until 1946 when he was discharged as a Cpl.

As I pour through his records, I’ll add more and probably ask questions!

[RAFling]

**UPDATE**

after going through his service record:

James (Jim) Anthony VINER 3535131 enlisted on the 20 May 1940 into the 6th Bttn The Manchester Regiment and was sent to ITC The Loyal Regt for training.
June 1940 he was sent to 66th Driver Training Unit and whilst there broken his big toe. This didn't impact his training.
Sent back to the 6th Bttn on 4 Oct 1940, he joined the 55th Div HQ.
Pte Viner was with the 6th Bttn when they renumbered to the 1st and joined D Company in November 1942.
was with the 1st Manchesters when they entered the NWE theatre of war in June 1944.
Promoted to LCpl in Nov 1944 he stayed with the regiment until the end of the war. Promoted to Cpl in Nov 1945, he headed back to teh UK in Feb 1946 and was transferred to the reserves in May 1946.
He was awarded the 1939/45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the 1939/45 War Medal.

I will continue to add to Jim's service with whatever research i can find in future but getting this far has been nearly 15 years in the making but it's been worth it!

R