Info 537th AAA HQ Battalion

Hi everyone, it's been a while since i've been on here. Happy New Year!

I'm looking for info about the 537th AAA HQ. When did they arrive in France? I seem to be able to find a lot about Company B on the net but not HQ. Any help greatly appreciated, thanks

 

The 537th AAA (AW) Bn closed in France on 17 June 1944, but that is not necessarily when HQ & HQ Battery landed. Battery A landed on 14 June. I can dig out the AAR's if you like, my Dad was an assistant Platoon Leader in Battery A.

 

Hi, thanks for replying. Yes please if you could pass on the AAR's. Battery B also landed on the 14th I think but i'm not sure about HQ. Do you want my email address?

 

The AAR's I have are paper copies, so I can't email them. What information were you looking for exactly, aside of the date the HQ & HQ Battery landed?

 

I have the IDPF of a soldier, Warrant Officer Bernard Fennell. I am interested in finding out;

When and where they were stationed in England (I'm told it was Birmingham)

When and where they arrived in France.
HQ. Battalion

Many Thanks, Lynne

 

The Battalion left the Port of New York on the Queen Mary 1 March 1944 and arrived Gourock, Scotland 7 March 1944. They were initially stationed in Devonshire according to the February 1944 ETOUSA Station List, at the "Fairgrounds" (just north of Okemoor Park near Folly Gate), but sometime in April moved to Birmingham, where they remained until they moved to Plymouth for embarkation.

I will dig out the AAR file later today to check on the arrival in England. When did W/O Fennell die? There may be mention of that in the AAR.

 

He was wounded on 14th August 1944, The IDPF says he was sleeping in a pup tent when a passing convoy opened fire. He was mortally wounded and died 3 days later.

 

I would appreciate any further info if this incident is mentuioned in the AAR's though, thank you

 

Okay, so as I remembered the four lettered batteries all landed on 14 June and HQ & HQ Battery on 17 June. Unfortunately, because in the first half of August the battalion was pretty widely scattered and in the last week everything was quiet, the August AAR is the most schematic and there is no mention of events on 14 August. You might find something more in the daily battalion journals, but I do not have copies of those.

 

That's great thank you. You've given me exactly what i needed to know.