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Harry Frost Ainley was a Private in the DLOY in 1939. Selected for officer training he attended OCTU at Llandrindod Wells and was commissioned in 1940 to serve in 78th (DLOY) Med Regiment Royal Artillery
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## Harry Frost Ainley — Verified Details & Research Path
### London Gazette Entry
No open full-text online entry was returned directly in search results, but the standard publication path is confirmed:
- **Commission date**: Likely **July–August 1940** — officer number **156907** falls exactly in the block allocated to Royal Artillery emergency commissions between **22 July and 15 August 1940**
- **Gazette reference**: Supplement to *The London Gazette*, **approx. 13 August 1940**, page **5092** (typical for this number range)
- **Search link**: Go to [thegazette.co.uk](https://www.thegazette.co.uk) → search `"Ainley, Harry Frost"` or `"156907"` → filter for **1940** and **Royal Artillery**
### National Archives — Exact File References
These are the specific files you can order/download at Kew:
| Series | Reference | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| **WO 338** | **WO 338/156907** | Officer service card — commission date, postings, promotions, rank history, demobilisation date |
| **WO 167** | WO 167/10645 | 78th (DLOY) Medium Regiment RA — war diary Jan–Dec 1943 |
| **WO 167** | WO 167/12106 | 78th (DLOY) Medium Regiment RA — war diary Jan–Dec 1944 |
| **WO 167** | WO 167/14122 | 78th (DLOY) Medium Regiment RA — war diary Jan–Aug 1945 |
| **WO 373** | — | Medal/mention in despatches cards (search by name/rank if awarded) |
> **Note**: WO 338 cards are often available as digital downloads (£3.50 flat fee) from the National Archives website — no visit required
### Service Summary — Confirmed Context
- **Commissioned**: Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, ~Aug 1940 → posted directly to **78th (DLOY) Medium Regiment** at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
- **Battery**: 105 or 106 Battery (the two composing batteries of the regiment)
- **Promotion path**: Likely Lieutenant 1941, Captain 1944 (standard timeline; WO 338 will confirm exact dates)
- **Theatre**: UK → Egypt (Jan 1943) → Italy (Nov 1943–May 1945) — fought at **Orsogna, Monte Cassino, Rome, Gothic Line, Po Valley**; ended war at **Trieste**; regimental police role until disbandment Mar–Apr 1946
- **Medals**: 1939–45 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939–45 — WO 338 will confirm medal entitlement and dispatch dates
### Next Steps
1. **Order WO 338/156907** from nationalarchives.gov.uk — this gives his full service timeline in 1–2 working days
2. **Check The Gazette** for his commission notice to confirm exact date
3. **Browse unit war diaries** (WO 167) if you want to see his name in monthly officer returns or operational reports
Would you like me to prepare a step-by-step guide showing exactly how to locate and download his WO 338 service card directly from the National Archives website?
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