55th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, War Diary 1939 - 1944.
The War Diary for the period covering the existence of this unit was photographed at The National Archives, Kew and the images from that research remain on file within the research archives.
To read the Wikipedia entry on the Regiment please click[1] here.
As with other supporting units, the War Diary will only be included on the 70th Infantry Brigade Memorial Website for the period over which the unit was possibly involved with the Brigade - in this instance, for the time when they were Divisional Troops in support of 49th Infantry Division from 27th July 1943, until the time when 70th Infantry Brigade was disbanded in August 1944, to provide reinforcements for other units.
Any user of the Website who has queries about events included within other periods of the unit's existence is invited to contact the lead researcher and the archive of War Diary pages will be searched in an attempt to answer questions. In addition, the pages which do not feature in full on the Website have been trawled for the names of those who served in the unit, and they have been included in the list of personnel set out below.
Ivan Nunn has kindly sent some group photographs of 219 Battery from periods not covered by the link to 70th Infantry Brigade, and these are included here.
The following three images are sections of a Group Photograph of 219 Battery taken in September 1942.
55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, War Diary 1943
55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, War Diary 1944
Personnel known to have served in the unit.
Agnew G K Captain 90008
Alborough G F Gunner
Alcock D S Gunner 1458018
Asher H Lance Sergeant 1134167
Austin E Sergeant
Avenell A.Le P. Captain 0
Aylward Lieutenant
Bacon Edmund Castell Lt Col 26840
Bailey James Gunner 3862677
Baker W E Lance Bombardier 827414
Baraglia V J Gunner 6915421
Barr H Sergeant
Barton A P Sergeant 817543
Barton R B Captain 190899
Batten R H Bombardier 1134575
Bowles P Gunner 1087955
Brewster 2/Lt
Brown Arthur Gunner 1078828
Bruce Robert Gunner 1544710
Brundle D J Lance Bombardier 1460335
Bullman L A Sergeant
Burrows Ernest Gunner 1458446
Butler R B Lance Bombardier 14306151
Byford R G Battery Sergeant Major
Byram Samuel Gunner 1525789
Calnan William Lawrence Lieutenant RAMC 306094
Catling Wilfred Ernest Captain 181633
Chappell Ralph Thomas Captain 186488
Clarke William George Desmond Lieutenant 265936
Cole Harry Gunner 6293048
Compston Alfred Denis Captain 134503
Cook James Arthur Gunner 6153731
Cooper Caleb Crook Gunner 4461711
Cooper Cyril Gunner 3535921
Copsey Arthur McLellan Gunner 6293049
Corbett Jack Gunner 5615324
Cossons Arthur James Gunner 6292589
Coverdale E Bombardier
Crack William Arnold Lieutenant (QM) 216313
Creevy Ronald Alan Gunner 5622850
Crockett Major
Crook John Sergeant 793869
Curran James William Lance Bombardier 1133964
Cutting A H L Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant
Davey George John B. Gunner 4039578
Davies Vincent John Gunner 4039693
Dawson Ernest Frank Bombardier 1107577
Degg Oliver Charles Bombardier 1134197
Delahoy Anthony Gunner 1137005
Dingley Ernest Leslie Gunner 5192932
Dodsworth J Bombardier 9415174
Dolman Arthur Charles Lance Sergeant 1544661
Doran John Gunner 4468933
Dukes Bertram John Gunner 14378379
Duncan Douglas Lieutenant 226828
Dunn John Lieutenant 200557
Dunn J Lieutenant 211559
Durrant J W Gunner
Eagling F W C Gunner 1544694
Earl J W Lieutenant
Eccles A H L 2nd Lieutenant 296344
Ede R Gunner 14368068
Edwards Norman Gunner 4694727
Ellwood F J War Substantive Sergeant
Emmerson Ernest John Gunner 5771883
Evans D T Captain RAChD
Evans Reginald Robert Gunner 6291293
Everest R G Gunner 1092259
Feast Percy Albert Gunner 5193136
Finch R E Gunner 1545050
Firth J R C 2/Lt
Fletcher Henry Gunner 4461953
Foster Arnold Gunner 14371649
Fraser John Gunner 2927234
Frost Alan Claude Sergeant 1544694
Garwood Arthur Henry Gunner 1134072
Gates Norman Gunner 3783036
Gill A W Gunner 1087732
Gill John Gunner 4614642
Gillham Major
Gittens Lawrence Gunner 4461743
Goldsmith Owen Wolton Captain 165407
Gooch Brian Sherlock Major 37830
Gooch C F Gunner
Goodwin James William Gunner 4274811
Gorham Charles Edward Sergeant 1476404
Gowers F O Gunner 1461641
Grimshaw F Gunner 794377
Grist H G Lieutenant 235873
Guinness Arthur Onslow Edward, The Viscount Elvedon Major 53827
Haigh Norman Gunner 4544226
Haines C T Sergeant 4613948
Halford J Sergeant
Hall William Sergeant 7814745
Hall 2/Lt
Halliwell K H Captain 184558
Hambro Nigel Harold Scott Captain 75378
Harper A A Gunner
Harrell C W Gunner 14306954
Hartley Cyril Gunner 1607347
Hayward F G Sergeant 1454109
Heal J M Lieutenant 235858
Healing W E Lance Bombardier 1134333
Hemsley E Gunner 14220047
Henderson George Gunner 3316924
Hester L A Lance Sergeant 1545099
Heston A Sergeant 1491557
Hewitt J Gunner 1600745
Hicks C J Gunner 1645074
Hillier William Charles Gunner 14330341
Hilsdon William Horley Gunner 2064333
Himson Leslie Lewis Basil Gunner 1450936
Hinchcliff Arthur Gunner 4806840
Hobson Alfred Gunner 3532659
Hodds Thomas Gilbert Gunner 1545081
Hodge Roy Herbert Edward Gunner 14334551
Holden George Samuel Gunner 1450940
Holding John Gunner 14310624
Hole Charlie James Gunner 14248542
Holford Basil Gunner 1525844
Holliday Dennis John Lance Bombardier 1133902
Holmesdale Alfred Noel Gunner 1107603
Holyoak George Arthur Gunner 1078912
Hooker Henry Gunner 5053707
Hooper Frank Arthur Gunner 1114052
Hooper Frederick Gunner 4919435
Hooper William Thomas Gunner 836480
Hopgood Arthur Samuel Gunner 1114053
Horne Leonard Owen Gunner
Horne M F Captain 93925
Horne Thomas Richard Gunner 5117431
Houghton Oswald Frank Gunner 1447024
Howard Robert Walter Gunner 1130513
Howarth Charles Edward Gunner 3531319
Howarth Joseph Gunner 3534061
Howie J A Lieutenant 235849
Hoyland 2/Lt
Ibbotson D Lance Bombardier 1525839
Irwin J Lance Bombardier 1544698
Jackson J T 2nd Lieutenant 296865
Jones Lieutenant
Kay William Gunner 14560189
Keatings E M Major
Kelsey-Burge Lt
Kelvin R Lieutenant RAMC
Kent S Gunner 1104762
Kerrison D R Sergeant
Kirby Lieutenant
Kirby James Fearnley Battery Sergeant Major 1544671
Lewis William Gunner 1545095
Livings Victor Ray Gunner 1545121
Lockett G V Captain 951151
Lott Brian Douglas 2nd Lieutenant 302791
Lown W L 2nd Lieutenant 302801
Lovelace E G Battery Sergeant
Luscombe Arthur George Milman Gunner 4130473
Macintosh James Alexander Second Lieutenant 134925
Malechowski Lance Bombardier 1545959
Manning J Lance Bombardier
Marrington Frederick George Gunner 1114011
Martin O 2nd Lieutenant 302992
Mason G R Gunner 4855109
Mayhew G A 2nd Lieutenant 285359
McCarthy Lt
Mead Albert Richard Bombardier 802878
Mead-Kidd 2/Lt
Monkhouse R G Lt REME
Moore C E J Gunner 1461988
Morris 2/Lt
Morris Gunner
Morris William Ashley Gunner 14558784
Moss Gunner
Moss William John Bombardier 1107945
Newbury 2/Lt
Newton Edward John Gunner 1087540
Nicholls R E Gunner 1545032
Palmer Douglas Victor Ernest Gunner 1545067
Parker Richard Gunner 3608065
Parlett Captain
Pattingale Ernest Gunner 14601520
Paul W S H Major 75236
Pettit E D War Substantive Sergeant
Phelps Walter Frederick Gunner 868879
Porter H O Lieutenant 240235
Pritchard Walter Gunner 14518326
Purkiss Alfred Raymond Bombardier 1451093
Raithbone J H B Battery Quarter Master Sergeant
Reid James Gunner 3312303
Rice G Private ACC 1545055
Ridley William Cuthbert Sergeant 1115449
Robertson R B 2nd Lieutenant 296860
Robertson William Robert Sergeant 1446525
Rochford William Michael Gunner 1607125
Salmon Albert George Sergeant 1444999
Savage Gunner
Scott Captain RAMC
Sheldon George Lance Bombardier 3455635
Skinner E B 2nd Lieutenant 293663
Smith H Gunner 339628
Sparrow Leonard William Bombardier 1446529
Spurgeon F J Sergeant 327219
Staines Herbert Ronald Lance Bombardier 14329560
Stiles John Gunner 1477062
Sturgeon R A Sergeant
St John A R G Major
Stephenson Lt RAC
Stevenson H Gunner 14510581
Stockdale R J 2nd Lieutenant 273097
Stocks S G S Lance Bombardier 1545109
Sudron Thomas Gunner 1432260
Summers George Joseph Gunner 5664663
Swain E P Lieutenant 212149
Sweatman G B Lt
Taylor E Gunner 3783256
Taylor Frances Craik Gunner 14575537
Taylor Thomas William Gunner 1469827
Thwaites S E Sergeant 1545040
Toms C E J K Major 39591
Twaite D C War Substantive Sergeant
Ulyatt F Lance Bombardier
Van Houten R F Captain 184878
Vaughan William Sidney Lieutenant 285345
Wales Reginald Harry Lance Sergeant 1458394
Walker E J Gunner
Ward Sergeant
Watson Aubrey Sergeant 1544653
Whitehall Leslie Ronald Gunner 1142323
Whitehead R C Sergeant 14456658
Whittle H Gunner 3783198
Wigg J R Battery Sergeant Major
Wiseman B Sergeant 1062538
Wood G Gunner 1525754
Wood S R Bombardier
Woods C E Lieutenant 235890
Yates Raymond Gunner 14418401
Many of the Officer Service Numbers and initials are provisional as they have been drawn from Field Returns which are copies and hence the figures are relatively blurred. It is hoped that further research, as time permits, will allow these to be checked and corrected as necessary.
Thanks to Ivan Nunn, who has researched Awards made to members of the Regiment, several names have been able to be added to the personnel List, as well as the awards themselves being incorporated into the personal pages. His assistance is greatly appreciated.
For detailed and reliable information on British Artillery in World War Two, the interested reader is advised to consult Nigel Evans' Website at http://nigelef.tripod.com/
Sincere thanks are due to Nigel for his agreement to allowing this hyperlink to be put in place.
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.