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Help needed please

PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 9:46 am
by Alexander
I am a collector of British ww1 and ww2 militeria and recently aquired a 1937 pattern battledress uniform grouping to a Worcestershire regiment captain. The blouse has a mentioned in dispatches ribbon along with 1939-45 star, France and Germany star and defence medal ribbons attached.
I have been unable to research the identity of the captain, despite searching the various sections of your website, he wasn't killed in action, he wasn't a POW, he is probably amongst those in the mentioned in despatches section, but if he is, his number isnt listed. His number 14540301 is stamped into the trousers and blouse of the battledress. Among the grouping was his berret and his field service cap. Did the Worcestershire regiment wear berrets during the later stages of ww2?
Any help anyone can give identifying the captain would be greatly appreciated. I like to put a name to the uniforms I own and if possible find a photo of the soldier to go with the display in my little museum.

Thanks

PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:08 pm
by scully
Hi Alexander,

The battledress uniform you have belonged to Lieutenant Ronald Henry Jauncey. He was originally a soldier with the K.S.L.I. (King's Shropshire Light Infantry) and at that time his army number was 14540301 as a officer cadet he continued to use this number until he was commissioned as an officer on the 15th January 1944 (with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant). He was commissioned into the K.S.L.I. His army number changed to 304660 once he became a commissioned officer.
On the 29th August 1944 he was transferred to the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (with the rank of War Substantive Lieutenant) who were at Pressagney L'Orgueilieux, France at that time. He joined D Company as a Platoon Commander and commanded 17 Platoon from 29th August 1944 to 17th March 1945 when he was evacuated back to the U.K. (I think due to a battle accident - at the time the 1st battalion were at Afferden, Holland carrying out battle practice for the Rhine crossing - they were there from the 12th to 27th March 1945).
Ronald Henry Jauncey was born on the 22nd July 1918. He died in 1984 (age 65) in South Glamorgan, Wales.
He married Frances Rosamund Kilgour at Hereford early in 1944 and after the war they eventually moved to live in Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales. She died in 1978 and Ronald Henry Jauncey remarried Alberta D. Sutherland in 1979.
He had three children with his first wife. They were:
Margaret A. Jauncey born at Hereford in 1949.
Elizabeth Jauncey born in Cardiff in 1950.
Caroline Jauncey Born in Cardiff in 1953.

Yes the Worcestershire Regiment did wear berrets during WW2.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Louis (webmaster)

PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:28 pm
by Alexander
This is superb information! Thanks very much for taking the time to provide such a well researched reply louis. I can now put a name and possibly a face to the uniform. Its interesting R H Jauncey moved to Cardiff as thats where I aquired the unifom, at a car boot sale of all places!

Re: Help needed please

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:12 pm
by Imms
Hello

I've been given a link to this page by my sister who was doing a bit of family history research. Ronald Henry Jauncey was our Grandfather and it is great to be able to find out more about him. I have a fascinating newspaper article that I could forward to you both if you would be interested? It gives a little of his background and then an account of one of his patrols -also has a photo of him but the quality isn't great. I believe he was nicknamed "Monty" due to a likeness to Field Marshal Montgomery.
Regards,

Sorrel

Re: Help needed please

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 5:26 pm
by scully
Hi Sorrel,

I would welcome any information on Ronald Henry Jauncey and also a photograph if you could send me one. I will send you an email about this.

Regards,

Louis (webmaster)