1947 FPO 121 MELF

[Marc Parren]

I have a cover dated 30 AP 47 FPO 121 MELF from British HQ 69/6 Field Regt RA. For 1947 Proud and neither Derek Ransom provide any info for that year only as from 1949 that the location is Aqaba, Jordan under MELF 18. I tried to figure out where 69/6 Field Regt RA was based in 1947 on internet but wasn't successful. Has anybody an idea? 

[Michael Dobbs]

The location of FPO 121 in 1947 seems to be a bit of a mystery - I have the following notes:

1.  In an unattributed typewritten listing (carbon copy) of FPO Locations WW2 it is shown as 12.I.46 S.253 MEF

2.  Proud Volume III shows it as PALESTINE Rafah A.P.O. S253 (P.44) datestamp still held on 12.1.46  - the next recording is:
TRANSJORDAN - S215 Aqaba (20.7.48) - (22.6.53).

3.  Alistair Kennedy Card Index does not show any location for 1947.  He reports that it is listed in FPHS newsletter No 26 (July/August 1957) as being held at APO S.215 Akaba, Jordan (sic) on 1948

So, no nearer to answering Marc's query - we have no listing after 12 Jan 1946 and before 20 Jul 1948 other than Marc's recording.

Sorry Marc

Mike

[Marc Parren]

Dear Mike,

Thanks for this clarification. Actually I have another cover from the same correspondence with FPO 121 dated 21 sp 46. In the meantime I have written to the archive of the Royal Artillery Museum. Hopefully they are able to tell more about the movements of the 69/9 Field Regiment Royal Artillery in the Middle East at the time. He also wrote a number of letters with FPO 123 dated between 04 my 46 and 29 no 46 that was used in Egypt and 2 covers with FPO 257 dated 13 & 16 ju 46 that was used in Palestine. It would be good to get a better idea of these post-WWII days.

Marc

[Michael Dobbs]

Marc

I've tried to find out more about the unit - BHQ 69/6 Field Regiment RA; this I take to be Battery HQ, 69 Field Battery, 6th Field Regiment RA. 

However, despite spending time trying to search for such a battery or details of the Regiment, I still cannot come up with anything online.  If I get to The National Archives early in the New Year - a search on that site provides the following:
WO261/232 (Quarterly Historical Report - Jan-Mar, Oct-Dec 1947) which also states:

[color=maroon]On 1.4.1947 6th Field Regiment became 67th Field Regiment and on 10.10.1947 6th Regiment RHA became 6th Field Regiment. [/color]

So, was there a 6th Field Regiment by name between 1/4/47 and 10/10/47?

The mystery continues !!

Mike

[Marc Parren]

Mike
I hope the Royal Artillery Museum will come back to me and provide some clues
Marc