107 Medium Regiment RA (SNH) TA, Haus "Schwickering" Germany

Hello, this is my first post and I hope I've come to the correct place. My late father-in-law was posted to the above regiment in January 1945 where, from his service records, I believe he was in RHQ. He was demobbed in December 1945 and I have a letter sent to him by one of his mates in February 1946. It comes from RHQ Haus "Schwickering" and refers to them "as usual still living like lords here with every comfort one could wish for". I've tried looking for this location but seem to come up with two different places, one in the middle of Dulmen and one in the countryside.
Can anyone tell me more about this place please. I'm trying to build up a picture of his wartime service and was doing alright until now. His family would be very interested in any information you could give me.
Thank you.

I have no information for you Rose, but welcome and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Like Jim ,I can`t help, but we have people on here who i am sure can help you.
Welcome to the site Rose

Hi Rose and welcome to the Site. Not a lot of information on 107 Med Regt I'm afraid, if you haven't already tried, this Site might be able to fill in the gaps for you:-


www.qrlnymuseum.co.uk/snhhist1.htm



Good luck!

RoseR wrote:

Hello, this is my first post and I hope I've come to the correct place. My late father-in-law was posted to the above regiment in January 1945 where, from his service records, I believe he was in RHQ. He was demobbed in December 1945 and I have a letter sent to him by one of his mates in February 1946. It comes from RHQ Haus "Schwickering" and refers to them "as usual still living like lords here with every comfort one could wish for". I've tried looking for this location but seem to come up with two different places, one in the middle of Dulmen and one in the countryside.
Can anyone tell me more about this place please. I'm trying to build up a picture of his wartime service and was doing alright until now. His family would be very interested in any information you could give me.
Thank you.

Hi Rose

Welcome to the forum if you have not yet found google 9 Army Group RA of which 107th Medium Regiment RA was part of and the Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel TH Hardy

At the end of WW2 they came under command of 3rd Infantry Division then in July 1945 the division returned to UK and command was then 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division by Jan 1946 the 9 Army Group RA disbanded their HQ was Rhede north of Duisburg so the Dulmen area is probably correct being nearby have recorded Schwickerig but the exact location and disbandment is as yet unknown

Best regards
Steve

Thank you for the encouraging comments.

I haven't looked anywhere else yet, to be honest I didn't really know where to start. I'll follow up the leads given and see what I can find. Any further suggestions or comments gratefully received!

Rose.

Rose, welcome

Steve and I are currently embarked in a joint project to try and create an outline frame work of the units (and their deployment) comprising the British Army of the Rhine in the period May 1945 - December 1948.

Steve is our expert on the topics related to the 1st and 30 Corps areas which formed the south and centre of the British Army Occupation Zone of Germany. I have concentrated on the 8 Corps Schleswig Holstein area in the north of the British Zone but do have some information relevent to your quest.

I can therefore confirm Steve's comments regarding the operational role of the Regiment.It was definitely part of 9 Army Group Royal Artillery (9 AGRA) a grouping of Medium Regiments RA designed to provide additional fire power to the British and Canadian Armies in their advance from the Normandy Beaches to the final German Surrender. Subsequently the Regiment handed in the majority of their guns and assumed responsibility for the disarming of all German Nazi troops and the creation of a civilian administrative infrastructure in Kreis Coesfeld, the equivalent of an English county, situated between the Dutch border and the University City of Munster. Dulmen is one of the principle towns of the area. My working notes also indicate the Regiment was disbanded in February 1946

My researches indicate that in the immediate post surrender period many British (and other Allied) seized/requisitioned large country houses/prestige hotels or similar buildings (particularly if the owner/occupier was a known Nazi) for use as accommodation (both living and working(particularly offices)). This would support your father in law's friend's comments regarding comfortable living.

Hopefully this information is of interest to you, I will contact you again if I find anything more, particularly if I have the opportunity to visit the Military Library in Aldershot which I think holds a copy of the wartime history of the SNH

One other minor point, I think the correct title for your father in law's Regiment was 107 (South Notts Hussars) Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, however Steve will doubtless confirm that units had the habit of changing their official title (with or without authority) to reflect a change of operational role or historical tradition or recruiting area which can be confusing to the modern researcher.

Not sure about being a expert but find this period of our history very interesting and poorly recorded JPW and myself have found numerous errors on the internet and what has been published and now finding details from what was written at the time in war diaries, newspapers and journals also have a list of all RA units...it is very long!

So need to make a small correction looks like the correct term is
107 Medium Regiment (The South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Royal Artillery

WIKI has a different unit with 107 Royal Horse Artillery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Nottinghamshire_Hussars

Best of luck with your research Rose

Thank you Steve and JPW, you've given me a lot to think about! Thank you also Shelldrake for the link to the qrlny museum which I knew nothing about. I was actually thrilled when I clicked on that link, which may seem an odd thing to say. I couldn't believe it when I saw its location - the Courtyard at Thoresby Hall. My father-in-law was actually born on the Thoresby estate where his father was a groom. We live in Somerset but have visited Thoresby on several occasions. Not for several years though, that's why I knew nothing about the museum being there.
I can see there's some work to do here but I'm keen to learn as much as I can. I'm so pleased I contacted this forum.
Rose.

Glad to be of help Rose, please keep us informed of any revelations!

steve wrote:

Not sure about being a expert but find this period of our history very interesting and poorly recorded JPW and myself have found numerous errors on the internet and what has been published and now finding details from what was written at the time in war diaries, newspapers and journals also have a list of all RA units...it is very long!

So need to make a small correction looks like the correct term is
107 Medium Regiment (The South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Royal Artillery

WIKI has a different unit with 107 Royal Horse Artillery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Nottinghamshire_Hussars

Best of luck with your research Rose

This is one of those times when you realise what a great loss it was when "artillery-friends.net" went off the air.
I think every RA unit ever since the beginning of WW2 was on it.

Rose

Had an unexpected opportunity to visit the Military Library in Aldershot today. As I hoped it does hold a copy of the WW2 History of the SNH including that of 107 Regiment which appears to have changed its title and role a number of times during the course of the war.

I will send you a PM with details of the Regiments moves from January 1945 (when your father in law joined?) till he left in December 1945.

However a synopsis for this site and other interested parties is

In mid April the Regiment moved to the area of Ramsdorf to the north of the town of Bocholt/Munsterland where they were involved in battlefield clearance of wrecked vehicles and route clearance. They were also involved in the administration (feeding) of displaced persons (forced labourers).

The Regiment celebrated VE Day there but in late May assumed new responsibilities for Kreis Coesfeld.

The Regimental Headquarters and Officers Mess was in Haus Schwickering (a large farm complex) between the villages of Lette and Rorup south east of Coesfeld with the majority of the accommodation and working areas in the village of Lette. The two Gun Batteries were deployed elsewhere (one in Dulmen)

The Regiment was to remain in these locations till disbandment and the final return to the UK in Spring 1946 (March 46 is quoted in some official correspondence).