This picture of my handsome soldier Dad was taken in 1940. He was 24 at the time. He wrote on it. "To my Darling wife, from her loving Harry"
Harry had joined the Royal Engineers (R.E.) When the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was founded REME in 1942 Harry transferred to it. This made him one of its founder members
(REME; usually pronounced phonetically as "Reemee") is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance of all electrical and mechanical equipment. Prior to REME's formation, maintenance was the responsibility of several different corps. It enabled a working class man to travel and see the world all at King George V's expense.
The motto of the regiment was UBIQUE, this meant everywhere. That's where Harry is now.
Harry Rickman WW2 medals
war medal 1939-1945 (oak leaf)
France and Germany Star (Atlantic)
Italy Star
Africa Star (8th Army or 1st Army)
1939-1945 Star (Battle of Britain)
Harry's War
The following information is largely gleaned from Harry's "Soldiers Service and Pay Book".
This page shows the dates of his service.
The next page shows jobs that Harry did while he was in the army.
Here are the sizes of Harry's clothes that he wore for the five years he spent in the army.
There was a page for next of kin and also an opportunity to amake out a will, which Harry did not do.
At this point Harry had only one child, Chris had not been born
This typed testimonial was tucked away in a pocket in the Service and Pay Book.
Early Years
Harry was born on the 16th September 1917 at 54 Ranelagh Road, just next door to his newly born cousin, Evylyn May Rickman. Evylyn was born, just a few months before Harry, on the 30th April 1917 at 52 Ranelagh Rd. Her Dad was Harry's Dad's brother, also called Harry. It was after him that my Dad was named
Site designed by Chris Rickman