http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2403008/ Spotted the above casualty in one of my local cemeteries. His Army/Service Number of D/18571 doesn't seem to fall within the usual Army Block Allocations for WW2. Seeing as he was 49 when he died, is it likely that 18571 was his Regimental/Army Number from when/if he served in WW1? Also what would the 'D' before his service/army number indicate? Thanks in Advance Scott
Hi Scott, I know that the prefix D was used in WW1 and by the Canadian Army, but neither of these answer your question. Coincidentally, I placed the photograph you took for me from Philips Park on to my website last night. Further research in the 13th King's war diary, showed that James Upton was accidentally killed by a firearms discharge at Felixstowe. Here is the link, the information and photo are the last entry on this section page: http://www.chinditslongcloth1943.com/did-you-know.html Cheers Steve
Here's link to his WW1 MiC. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D1059257 Medal card of Artus, Harry East Lancashire Regiment 38296 Private Pioneer Corps D/18571 Private
The black wrting must be WW2 as in WW1 it would have been The Labour Corps. Pioneer Corps not formed until WW2. He died in 1943 with 244 Coy so here's war diary ref number for them in 1943. WO 166/13948 Home Forces: PIONEER CORPS. 244 Coy. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C800013
hi Yes black writing is WW2 - scribble at side says for Victory Medal only Issue Voucher B2083 on 25th October 1943. So presumably the Victory medal was corrected and posted out then. There is also a note at the bottom with some reference to something done in 1942. The D does not fit in here - http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/letterprefixes.html and not in here either? - http://www.1914-1918.net/renumbering20.htm regards Robert
I came across this website explaining how the Labour Corps moved toward becoming the Pioneers, the first few paragraphs are interesting, especially detailing how the original Corps was broken up. It might contain a clue for the mysterious prefix? http://www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk/rpc/history_main2.htm
Steve, I so enjoyed your link, I found the site great reading and I gained more knowledge and it was of interest to me as on my list of things to do is research a great grandad who was supposedly enlisted to the labour corps. Thank you . Elsie
I've been tracing a specific entry in the CWGC register for someone who was killed in 1945 with an army number "D/2...." I've looked at others on the CWGC database and serving with the same Regiment and they all seem to be buried in Britain so presuming that the "D/" is a "home front" designation. I wonder if anyone can help me. I've had a quick search but can't immediately spot another thread that would explain it. Thanks in advance, best
