Bankers In Ww2

[snoozebear]

My husband claims that his father was a bank clerk who fought in a Heavy Artillery unit in WW2 composed solely of bank clerks. They were in North Africa first, then Italy. Does anyone know if this is just a myth?

[stuey]

It was very common in WWI for groups of men from say a village, even a street, a place of work: colliery, railroad workers, to volunteer together and be allowed to fight together. It was good for morale I suppose. There is a term for these units, something akin to "Mates Brigades"; however, that is not the correct term I'm sure. I don't know if it happened in WWII, but I can't see why not. Someone with more knowledge should be along soon.

[stuey]

I forgot to put an etc after "colliery, railroad workers" as these were not the only two occupations, obviously, from which co-workers volunteered together.

[shoota]

There was a regiment raised from the City of London, y of whom would have been bankers.

[shoota]

many of whom^^^

[vulcan42]

There was a regiment (26th service) of the Royal Fusiliers, formed on 17th July 1915, made up of bank clerks and accountants. Haven't heard of any formed in WW2.

[stuey]

Snoozebear, why not get your father-in-law's unit # etc, and do some research with that information?

[Peter Pedant]

Oral history may not be wrong however far fetched.

I wasnt aware of Pals' battalions in WW2
but it is possible that one of the logistics battalions or pay corps were retrained as gunners when they had er run out of the proper ones...

[stuey]

Thanks, Peter, that's the term of I was looking for.

[snoozebear]

Thanks to all who answered my query about bank clerk units in WW2.
I have done a lot of research in the various military websites,stuey, but have drawn a blank. I am wondering if you can give any more information shoota. My late father-in-law did live in London. He didn't volunteer, but was called up in his thirties.
Someone told me there was a book written about this unit (title forgotten) and that bankers were put into Artillery units because of their accuracy in doing calculations necessary for working out the range of weapons etc.