Hymers Douglas Lance Sergeant 896764
Personnel Entry
Name Hymers Douglas
Army number 896764
Rank Gunner
Decorations None known beyond Service Awards
Date of birth Born 19/4/1920. Birth registered West Ashford, Kent. Mother's maiden surname Harris.
Age 74 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in the 97th Duke of Connaught's Own Kent Yeomanry (TA), Royal Artillery aged 19 on 26/4/1939. Basic Training carried out at Okehampton Camp, Devon. Passed Laying Test - First Class - July 1939. Transferred to 143rd Field Regiment September 1939. Served Iceland 1940 - 1942. Based at Pontypridd, Wales from April 1942 on return from Iceland. Transferred to 185 Field Regiment 21/12/1942. Posted to 3 Field Training Regiment 10/5/1943. Posted to 180 Field Regiment 18/4/1943. Posted to 173 Field Regiment 28/8/1943. Posted to 117 Field Regiment 18/12/1944. Based at Cromer. Struck off Strength on posting overseas (Middle East). Posted to Draft RAJOM 27/10/1945. Posted to X List (1) Middle East 2/12/1945. Posted to Sidi Bishr Transit Camp - on staff. Returned to the U.K. Y Release 8/4/1946. Relegated to Z. T. Reserve 27/6/1946 and demobilised.
Company/Battery 386 Battery - 143rd Regiment. 138 Battery at Cromer.
Platoon or other sub-unit "A" Troop 386 Battery.
Task or role Gun number, No.1.on gun, Gunnery Instructor. Quartermaster in Egypt.
Joined Brigade When 143rd Regiment was first in support of the Brigade in Iceland at Alafoss.
Promotions Lance Bombardier. Bombardier. Lance Sergeant. Sergeant.
Wounded Deafened during a live-firing Exercise in Iceland on 10/4/1942 - caused some permanent deafness.
Prisoner of War No.
Died/Killed in action Died 5/2/1995. Death registered Ashford, Kent February 1995.
Home address Married Dorothy E. Dagless in Ashford. Marriage registered January 1959. Lived at 229 Newtown, Ashford, Kent.
Source table
Information on this Page has been extracted from the Royal Artillery Tracer Card found for this soldier on Ancestry.co.uk and also material and photographs submitted by his son, Paul Hymers, to whom we are very grateful.
Various photographs featuring Sgt Hymers, or taken by him, have been included on the Website - on this Page, on the War Diary for 143rd Field Regiment and on the Alafoss Page in the Iceland section.
