My Grand father

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by brit plumber, May 6, 2011.

  1. brit plumber

    brit plumber Member

    Hi everyone, i'm looking for some help/advise on finding out somthing about my grand father.

    He joined the RASC in about 1939 as a 39 year old which I guess is pretty old to join the Army and was at Dunkique during the evacuation. He stood in the freezing water for days before being rescued, and he suffred from it untill the day he died.
    Unfortunatly I was quite young when he died and although I knew he was a soldier, I never asked him about it and my Gran told me never to bother him (He couldn't tolerate us kids). My Gran used to show me his medals, and the odd photo and a Lonon Gazzette clipping for his BEM.

    Since my Grans death, no body can find the BEM and clipping, but I do have his other medals and his demob book, my question is, how do I find out the reason he was awarded his BEM? I've google searched his name George Vipond Thwaites but the only BEM recipient close is a Seargent William George Thwaites who was in the Bucks home guard. I've also searched the London Gazzette and got the same result. Any ideas?

    As a little extra info. His demob book states he was recomended for the BEM a second time, but as he already had the award, he was given a mention in dispatches for the second. He retired as a Warrant Officer from what my Mum has told me, and he was QMSM which I think is a Quarter Master Seargent Major?

    He must have been in a important job as he had his own driver, my Gran, she was in the ATS and thats how they met. There were 22 years between them!

    Thanks for any tips.
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Can you post his army number ?
    It might be easier to search using that as they may have spelt name wrong.
     
  3. brit plumber

    brit plumber Member

    Hi Owen, thanks for the reply, I have his service number at home, unfortunatly I'm away on Op Ellamy with the RAF so cant get access to it untill either a certain Libyan gives up or we roulement out of here.

    ATB, Chris.
     
  4. brit plumber

    brit plumber Member

    Hi Owen, Sorry this is so late, I'm now back in the UK and I've just checked my Grandfathers 'Release Book Class A' and his service no. was S/73978. There is a ink stamp to the front which says Military Dispersal ???? No.6 15 Jul 1945 *Taunton*

    Additionally the book tells his rank was SQMS which must be Squadron Quarter Master Sergeant of the unit CCMS (B.E) Royal Army Service Corps. It also states he was awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (See London Gazette, 1 Jan 1941) (it looks like 41 i think) for service with the BEF.

    Any ideas what CCMS may be?

    Cheers, Chris.
     
  5. brit plumber

    brit plumber Member

    Just found this in a search, Its in the London Gazette 11 July 1940, what does Supplementary Reserve mean?

    No. S/ 73978 Sergeant George Vipond
    Thwaites, Royal Army Service Corps, Supplementary
    Reserve.
     
  6. Roxy

    Roxy Senior Member

    Chris,

    I'm fairly sure that the Medal of the Order of the British Empire is the BEM.

    Roxy
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I don't suppose you known the RASC unit he served with in the BEF ?
     
  8. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

  9. brit plumber

    brit plumber Member

    Thanks Roxy, thats correct, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire is the BEM, it was in my family recently but has since disapeared. I was trying to find out the citation or the circumstances surrounding its award but I drew a blank at the London Gazette, it simply lists him as recieving it 9 July 41 (His discharge book states 1 Jan 41 London Gazette). Are you serving at Kinloss? I'm at coningsby.

    Drew5233, thanks for the reply, under UNIT on his Discharge book, it states what appears to be CCMS what ever that may be. Do you have a intrest in the RASC? I have a relic SMLE Mk3 found in the sand dunes of Dunkirk with a RASC butt disc but I cant decipher the unit markings other than RASC.

    Wills, Thanks for your reply, it makes more sence now, the extract states a requirement for skilled labour which my grandad was. He was a 39 year old chief cleark when he joined up (Older than me), so its no wonder he joined on 13 march 1939, mobilised with the BEF in August 39 and promoted to Staff Sergent in Feb 40. I guess at that time, most people knew there was a war on the way.
     
  10. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    I like to try and cross reference with another source - with RASC and the CCMS, I can find Commissariat Control Staff - Movements until I can find CC- Movements Staff. It is not confirmed.


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    Mk 1 No 3 Fired most except the No5 jungle carbine.
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Thanks Roxy, thats correct, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire is the BEM, it was in my family recently but has since disapeared. I was trying to find out the citation or the circumstances surrounding its award but I drew a blank at the London Gazette, it simply lists him as recieving it 9 July 41 (His discharge book states 1 Jan 41 London Gazette). Are you serving at Kinloss? I'm at coningsby.

    Drew5233, thanks for the reply, under UNIT on his Discharge book, it states what appears to be CCMS what ever that may be. Do you have a intrest in the RASC? I have a relic SMLE Mk3 found in the sand dunes of Dunkirk with a RASC butt disc but I cant decipher the unit markings other than RASC.

    Wills, Thanks for your reply, it makes more sence now, the extract states a requirement for skilled labour which my grandad was. He was a 39 year old chief cleark when he joined up (Older than me), so its no wonder he joined on 13 march 1939, mobilised with the BEF in August 39 and promoted to Staff Sergent in Feb 40. I guess at that time, most people knew there was a war on the way.

    I'm a bit of a self confessed BEF obsessed nut ;)

    Post a pic of the butt plate and have you considered applying for his service records? They will tell you what unit(s) he served with and when. Once you know that you can read his unit war diaries held at Kew.

    A
     

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