Middlesex Yeomanry

Hi All,
Been trying to find out some info on the Middlesex Yeomanry, as my late Uncle served with them from their arrival in North West Europe and finishing up at Itzehoe at the war's end.
The internet isn't that forthcoming, only giving brief history of their lineage through to their presence in the Middle East. Bur their service Through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany is scant to say the least. There isn't much info either on their association except dealing with the recent activities with Royal Signals etc.
I remember my Uncle telling me about their experiences with their armoured vehicles and the fact that they used the Middlesex Yeomany cap badge and as a Cpl had two stripes and a crown, but were affiliated to Royal Signals.Think their unit was part of the 22nd Armoured Brigade.
Would oblige any further info.
Jimsigs

Jim

From the “History of the Royal Signals circa 1800 to 1955” your uncle’s unit was all that was left of 2nd Armoured Divisional Signals that was disbanded in the Western Desert and Greece early 1940s and the remaining signal squadron was allocated to 22nd Armoured Brigade but thanks to your copy of the Coppage know the term was 22nd Armoured Brigade Signals

JPW and myself have tracked the Brigade HQ to Warendorf east of Münster very briefly then on to Oxford Barracks Münster Jun 46 back to Warendorf Jan 47…the brigade was renamed 7th Armoured in 1947 and the Royal Signals Troop would have lost the Middlesex Yeomanry connection

In 1947 the 16th Airborne Divisional Signal Regiment (Middlesex Yeomany) TA was formed

If required will scan the page with history from 1797 to 1953 and send to you on the private line

Hope this helps
Steve…not seeking a BAOR medal

Many thanks to you and JPW for the research you've done. There isn't a lot of bumph on the internet but I will certainly track down the history you mentioned. The make up of his Regiment were mostly prewar territorials, but he got on OK with them and they treated him as one of their own as he was only a war time soldier.

Jim

I can add a little to Steve's earlier comments

In late April 1945 22 Armoured Brigade, as part of 7 Armoured Division, would have been heavily involved in the capture of Hamburg city with their start point south of the Elbe. probably in the Harburg area..

I have yet to establish exactly where the Brigade Headquarters was on VE Day but an approximate is the North West Outer Suburbs of Hamburg in the Pinneberg area

By the 13 May they were definitely in the small farming community of Salzbuttel south east of Heide.

A significant part of 7 Armoured Division were selected to take part in the final Victory Parade in Berlin and then become the first British Garrison in the City. 22 Armoured Brigade were left behind in Schleswig Holstein with the Brigade Headquarters moving again to an as yet unknown location.  

In July 1945 they moved to Itzehoe before finally settling in Kellinghusen, a small market town, just to the east of Itzehoe in early September 1945. There they were to remain till, having reorganised and re equipted, they moved south to rejoin the Division in early Summer 1946, as Steve has described.

Hope this is of interest.

JPW,
That's absolutely fantastic information you have obviously carried out a lot of research.
I am going to dig out some photos of my Uncle as he moved across Germany etc. I also have a laod of letters he wrote to his Mother (my Grandmother), telling her as much as he was allowed to of his exploits. In one letter, he describes the cease fire and the unconditional surrender of Germany. Hh had a sigh of relief and was glad that it was all over.
Looking at some photos, there are only three that are marked with a date/location. It appears he was in Brussels on 3rd Nov 1944, 3rd April 1945 Someren, Holland, SE of Eindhoven, and on Victory night somewhere in Schleswig Holstein. So it all seems to tie in.

Jim

Jim

Thank you for your kind words

The behind the scenes research into the early days of BAOR is very much a team effort. Steve and I may be the team leaders but there are many others involved in identifying and forwarding evidence. Sadly ongoing technical problems with the original main pages prevented us publishing this new data

However queries such as yours in the Forum pages enable us demonstrate what is in the can

What a pity there is no location given on the back of the VE Day photo!!