5th and 3rd battalions Coldstream Guards WW2

[High Wood]

I have a query regarding a 1944 dated battledress which has 3rd battalion badges on the sleeves. The 3rd battalion were briefly part of the 201st Guards Motor Brigade attached to the 56th (London) Division, which would suggest service in Italy. However, in a small tin which came with the uniform, there are two Guards Armoured Division formation signs and a pair of 5th battalion, badges both removed from a uniform which suggest service in Normandy.

Given that the badges on the uniform were the last worn, it would suggest a move from the 5th battalion to the 3rd battalion, presumably when the former was disbanded. To further muddy the water, the details inside the battle dress suggest service with a Supernumerary Coy. As the soldier's pay book didn't come with the uniforms and without applying for the soldier's service papers is there any way of working out if he served in Italy or Normandy or possibly both theatres?

[Rob Miller]

Isn't "SUP COY" an abbreviation for Support Company, the heavy weapons Company of a Battalion armed with Mortars, Vickers and Anti Tank guns?

Rob

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by Rob Miller

Isn't "SUP COY" an abbreviation for Support Company, the heavy weapons Company of a Battalion armed with Mortars, Vickers and Anti Tank guns?

Rob

I am sure that your knowledge on the subject is greater than mine, I was probably overthinking it, reckoning that a supernumerary Coy might move between battalions.

[Hawthorn]

The Signallers badges would also show the link with Support Company as I believe the Signals Platoon would have formed part of the Support Company establishment of the relevant Battalion.

Simon.

[High Wood]

Many thanks for that, the other spare, battledress has the signaller's badge still on the lower left sleeve but no battalion badges, presumably because they are now in the tin.

[leigh kitchen]

Looks like your man:

First Name:
L
Surname:
Weight
Incident Date:
25/05/1949
Information:
Entitled to the General Service Medal with Clasp awarded under Army Order 146 of 1947.
More Information:
Served with the Coldstream Guards during the qualifying period.
Rank:
Guardsman
Service Number:
2666637
Clasps Awarded:
Palestine 1945-48
Service:
British Army
Primary Unit:
Coldstream Guards
Archive Reference:
WO100/526

[High Wood]

Leigh,

brilliant, many thanks, I have been trying to find an 'in' to begin researching this soldier since yesterday but have got no where. The evidence would seem to suggest that he had WW2 service but was still serving in 1947.

Simon

[High Wood]

I have just checked and found that the 3rd battalion Coldstream Guards served in Palestine so presumably, the B.D. that I have was the one that he wore there. The Guard's Armoured Division Formation Sign and the 5th battalion insignia would seem to indicate service in N.W. Europe 1944-45.

As I also have his K.D. shorts and tunic I was thinking 3rd battalion in Italy, but 3rd battalion in Palestine makes more sense the way the B.D. is badged.

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, service in the war-raised 5th Bn followed by service in the 3rd Bn after the 5th was disbanded at the end of the war.

[High Wood]

Thanks for that Leigh. There is a superb thread on the WW2 Talk Forum where a member has posted the entire War Diary for the 5th Coldstream Guards for 1944 and 1945 along with the battalion's daily news sheet and casualty lists. I know know that the battalion was at Caen and also played a pivotal role in Market Garden. It is strange to think that those two Guard's Armoured Division patches and the two red felt "V"s were there.

[leigh kitchen]

There are also alphabetical lists of Guards regiment personnel on WWII Talk, I'm not sure if they'll have 3 or 5 CG (I haven't looked at the site for a long time) but they have for GG and WG as I recall. There are some photos of individuals too.
Have you checked the Nijmegen Archive site (680-odd images) re. any CG photos?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/region...57629480797400

I know what you mean re. Market Garden, I have a few medal groups to Polish paras who dropped at Driel, including a couple of para badges - those badges were perhaps worn during the drop and ensuing operations and evacuation.

[leigh kitchen]

I came across this and a couple of other IWM shorts showing GAD in Normandy.
This one shows 5 CG (as well as 1 WG - it's dated 2nd August 1944, the day after my father, with 1 WG, was wounded).

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1060019655

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

I came across this and a couple of other IWM shorts showing GAD in Normandy.
This one shows 5 CG (as well as 1 WG - it's dated 2nd August 1944, the day after my father, with 1 WG, was wounded).

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1060019655

Leigh,

many thanks for posting that superb footage. Very interesting to see the uniform and equipment as it was carried. It makes my mannequin look like a shop window dummy. It is not complete yet and will only be up until Armistice Day has been and gone.

Simon