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worcestshire re

PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 5:57 pm
by Lencops
Does anyone know where the Worc`s went after landing in India 1942?.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 1:36 pm
by scully
Hi Len,
The 2nd Battalion were in Madras. Below is an extract trom the Regimental History for that time.

Regards, Louis

2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (Feb. to Apr. 1942).

In February 1942, Singapore fell, and immediately the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment was ordered to Madras to join the Madras garrison. The families remained in Wellington, and in a search for some security the Colours and all mess silver were lodged with the Imperial Bank of India in Ootacamund. If the Japanese landed, "Ooty" appeared to be as remote an immediate hide-out as was available! Later, when the Battalion were to enter 19th Indian Division, one solitary private soldier was left to keep an eye on the bulk of Battalion property left in Wellington.

For the first three weeks in Madras the Battalion was housed in the spacious barracks at St. Thomas's Mount. Camp equipment hardly did justice to the enormous Officers' Mess. Later, various schools and large buildings were occupied in the town.

It was indeed fortunate that the threatened Japanese landing never materialized, for so far as the Madras coast was implicated, by sea, air or land there was nothing to stand in their way. In the local defence plan the Battalion was ordered to construct defences along the line of the Adyar river on the southern boundary of the river. With few stores available, the gardens round the bungalows of Madras merchants were exploited for wire and timber. Later, when the owners returned, the Commanding Officer received an official protest and demand for compensation! An appropriate reply was given.

It was an anxious period. To meet a force which was estimated at three divisions, two British battalions, two Indian Garrison battalions and the Madras Guards, an. auxiliary unit, were available. The Indian battalions had no automatic weapons; while the officers of 2nd Worcestershire, though in possession of revolvers, were without any ammunition and consequently armed themselves with rifles. Bren carriers were issued, but no drivers had yet ever driven them. It was therefore in the belief that the Japanese would invade the Peninsula across the Bay of Bengal that in April, 1942, the new 19th Indian Division was hurried south to the defence of the Madras coast. But the grave threat gradually evaporated and the Division was then free to set about training for a more aggressive role.

worcestshire reg

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:02 pm
by Lencops
Thanks Louis for the information in your reply, do you know if my brother Albert R Copsey No5260798 was with them?.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:00 pm
by scully
Hi Len,

Sorry I do not know but you could try get his army records from the MOD these should tell you. Check-out the MOD records website at:
ERROR://www.army.mod.uk/contacts/divisions/records.htm

Regards,

Louis

Unwanted post

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:05 pm
by Lencops
To The Moderator there is a plum site address posted please remove it. I have not posted there is a plum location address.

as soon as possible

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:20 am
by CPLCLIVE
Hi Len
The rubbish post which upset you was deleated by myself as soon as I saw it ,Louis ,Mike Jones and myself are working very hard to stop this filth from spoiling our site but it is something which is vey hard to stop completelyy we would have to be online twenty four hours of the day to do that. But you can rest assured we will continue to put evrything in to jumping on them, these foul mouthed idiots are mainly from other parts of the world thankfully very few from the UK. Meanwhile please accept our apologies for your upset but we are doing our very best.
Regards
Clive

Rogue posts

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:46 am
by Lencops
Good Morning, Louis, Mike and Clive thanks for your reply i know these perverts and scammers can be bl--dy persistant and you need to be vigilant to put a stop to them, alls well that ends well, regards Lencops.