A late envelope to BEF 26th June 1940

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Hello,
who can read the adress?
1447196 ***. C. Chlan
44/101 LAA/AT Regt. R.A. (T.A)
40 Army Post Office
B. E. F.

And who can identify the Unit in which town or area?

Tank you
Ingo

[Michael Dobbs]

Ingo

A partial response - the unit is

44 Battery, 101 Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery (Territorial Army)
℅ Army Post Office
(℅ = care of)

Regards, Mike  ;)

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Mike,
thank you for these information! Can you read the first Name please?

Ingo

[Michael Dobbs]

Ingo

I'm not very good with names, but I think that the word after his regimental number (1447196) is his rank - that of Driver (Drvr) - this is not the normal military abbreviation for such a rank (which is Dvr) but it is not part of his name.  As a regimental number is given it is clearly not an officer and the British do not routinely use a first name and initial before their surname (the Americans do).  For this reason I am convinced it is his rank (equivalent to a Private) and that his name is C Skelan (and not as you have suggested - but I am open to correction here).

Can anyone confirm my findings please ?

Thanks, Mike ;)

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Mike,
Thank you again Mike! I think about your coments! The word is difficult but a rank.

The envelope is used after 18th June 1940 (26th June). It is my 2nd envelope after french surrender. Why? Is the solidier missing from his Family? Make the method more persons where doesn't hear from the soldiers? The envelope goes Return to Sender very Late in December 1940.

What is the History from these unit in bef time?

Ingo

[Chris Weddell]

Hi Ingo and Mike,

                        I may be able to help a little. I can confirm Mike's info on the Regiment and reading of the name is right. The sender got the rank wrong as your man all the way though the war was a Gunner hence Mike's thoughts about the naming of the rank. There is more to find no doubt I will see what I can find out for you. As you can see the first record I found was from November 1940. I will see if i can find any more on your man I will add it to this topic.

                                                            Regards

                                                            Chris  :D

First Name: C
Surname: Sklan
Fate: Prisoner of War
Incident Details: Reported to the War Office Casualty Section for the 24 hours ending at 09:00.
Incident Date:02/11/1940
Information: Casualty List No. 350. Original source quotes "Prisoner of War (Previously reported as Missing)". Then, "The following was previously shown on Casualty List No. 265 as Missing".
Rank: Gunner
Service Number: 1447196
Duty Location: France


First Name: C
Initials: C
Surname: Sklan
Resided Town: Stalag 344, Lamsdorf
Nationality: British
Resided Country: Poland
Fate: Prisoner of War
Information: POW No. 6404
Rank: Gunner
Service Number: 1447196
records from 1945

First Name: C
Surname: Sklan
Nationality: British
Rank: Gunner
Service Number: 1447196
Gallantry Awards: Mentioned in Despatches. Note: London Gazette 6th of June 1946.
Records from 1946.

[Michael Dobbs]

Well done Chris - many thanks for the additional info.

Ingo - the rank of "Gunner" was the equivalent to the Private and this was the title given to privates who served in the Royal Artillery.

Regards, Mike  :)

[Chris Weddell]

Hi Ingo and Mike,

                       I can now give you a full name of Cecil Sklan born 1916 died 2005. In the 1946 census, he was living in Willesden, Middlesex until his death in 2005.I would say he was an Anti-Aircraft Gunner so he may be stationed at an air base. Apart from the other bit of information at the bottom of the page I cannot find anything else of use.

                                                      Regards

                                                        Chris  :)
Name: Cecil Sklan
Publication Date: 25 Jun 1946
Rank: Gunner
Service number: 1447196
Regiment or Unit: Royal Artillery
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Royal Air Force
Award: Mention in Despatches

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Chris and Mike,
this is a nice Story about the soldier. Many thanks for this!!!😋

The envelope was send few days after the french surrender and returned to sender in December 1940. Very Late!!

Where was the unit in france is the last questiton.

Ingo