Help understanding abbreviations on service record

Hi we recently received my Grandfathers service records and have managed to get it transcribed by someone so it makes sense. We just have a few questions,if anyone is able to shed any lights on what some abbreviations mean.

On service at home and abroad it mentions SER 54118ME does anyone know what this means?

Also on his service record what any of the abbreviations mean? We know x and y are injured but any ones where is says NAX etc. Have attached his record and the broken down word file.
Many thanks Chris

 

Hi Chris, I'll message you to try and help!

Cheers
James

 

What you have as 11 Independent Infantry Brigade will be 11 Indian Infantry Brigade (of which 2 Cameron Highlanders was one of the three infantry battalions).

He was with the brigade while they were fighting at CASSINO.

Do you have a copy of Army Form B103: Service And Casualty Form?

This is the best document to work from in the first instance if it was copied with the rest of his records.

If so, please upload it.

 

That's great Charley! I've got some bits on the 11 Indian Infantry/Camerons with the KDG in Italy.

Cheers,
James

 

Basics for 11 Ind Inf Bde here:
Table of Contents

4th Indian Infantry Division (1944):

• 5th Indian Infantry Brigade
• 7th Indian Infantry Brigade
• 11th Indian Infantry Brigade

See here for all the details:
https://www.britishmilitaryhistory..../sites/124/2020/06/4-Indian-Division-1944.pdf

 

My interpretation is that:
The item that you are enquiring about is most likely an Administration / Embarkation Code.
These are group numbers with no personal connection.
Others may have other ideas about this.

BNAF has been crossed out.
BNAF = British North Africa Force i.e. Tunisia & Libya.
it ends in ME so it may denote his embarkation code to the Middle East (Egypt and Palestine)
below is CMF which denotes Central Mediterranean Force Italy and its surrounding locations.

His actual postings, embarkations, training courses sickness and movements will be on AF B103 possibly one page or more.

Whilst the X List denotes injured or sickness (xii) it means much more depending on the small Roman numerals.

If a man is awaiting posting (xi) then posted sick (xii) he will most likely be sent to a holding unit while they find where he is to go next (xiv)
If he goes missing or is under disciplinary action he will be (xiii) if he goes on a training course he is (xv). There are many other x codes.
If he has been in hospital or sick for more than 21 days he is on the Y list awaiting further instructions or on hold awaiting discharge home.
When he is finally discharged he is classed as Z often also placed on Reserve of varying classes, available for recall for 5 years.

We would really need to see the B103 forms to transcribe them in context.

 

Your 3rd screen shot;
1/7/40; 7th battalion (Cameron Highlanders) 7th battalion came into existence October 1940. 50th Holding battalion being re-designated as 7th. they went to Wick Oct.40, then to Ayr, Nov 41 they joined 15th Scottish Division, at Alnwick Northumberland. Spring 1942 they moved to Harwich,then Colchester, Essex.
1/8/42; 7th camerons were converted to a Parachute battalion. It eventually served in North Africa,Italy,South of France & Greece.
16/11/43; 2nd Camerons were in the Shetlands, they sailed for Egypt December 1943.
29/7/44; 2nd Camerons were in Italy, (arrived February). They were in contact with enemy around BADIA CAPOLONA.
21/12/44; 2nd Camerons were in Greece.

 

Hi

History of 4th Indian Infantry Division in Greece 1944/45 (WO 204/8301) can be found here A little help finding personal memoirs etc please

Hope this helps

Gus

 

Thank you for the replies everyone.

I will double check the files I received and see if I can see any more forms.

It's interesting they were in Greece as I have had a hunch they might have been from a photo.

Thank you again everyone for your help.

Kind regards

Chris

 

I have had a look at the records that I received and unfortunately it doesn't look like there is a B103 form. I have some statement of services forms and have I enlarged the page with dates if that helps.

Kind regards

Chris

 

It occasionally happens, a recent posting put this down to the record being sent to the Dept of Works and Pensions many years ago,
as evidence for his pension claims.
They, not realising it was the only copy, destroyed it.

See typical B103 sheet attached.
Sometimes the Army Form number is not copied as the sheet sizes differ from modern A4.photocopier screens.

 

Thank you for finding that out for me. We don't have any forms like that unfortunately. It bet something similar happened with my grandads form then.

Kind regards

Chris

 

Hi Chris, thanks for re-uploading your records - I'm still personally having trouble making two of them out unfortunately. I can just make out mentions for Cameron Highlanders and Army Air Corps.

'Screenshot_20230323_202121_Drive' Is much more readable however - here's my go:

50th AB? HB? (Army Barracks?)
1940 - 7th Battalion (Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders etc)
1942 - 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion, 1.8.42
5th (Scottish), 1942 - No. 1 Infantry Depot, Cameron Highlanders, 10.11.42
1943 - Lovat Scouts, 4.1.43
1943 - 2nd Cameron Highlanders, 11th Indian Infantry Brigade/4th Indian Division?
North Africa?, 1944 - 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, 2.2.44
North Africa?, 1944 - 2nd Battalion, 29.7.44
Central Mediterranean Force, 1945 - 2nd Battalion, 21.12.44
1944 - X(II) List (Non effective/Hospitalization due to wounds, missing in action, or POW etc), 15.12.44
1946 - X(II) List (Non effective/Hospitalization due to wounds, missing in action, or POW etc), 3.2.46
1946 - Y List (Holding unit/posted home, either for sickness, wounds, POW, or general release), 30.4.46

Cheers,
James

 

50th Holding Battalion became 7th Camerons as in my previous post.

 

This is why I send people here. BZ

 

Thank you for everyone's help. I have started to apply for pages from the Camerons war diary for some of the dates that were listed on my grandads card.

I have started off with a few days in February, December 44 in Greece 46 to see what he might have been doing during thoose dates. If he was injured in 46 that would not be in any casualty lists so don't think I will be able to find out much more on that.

Without having the B103 form I know I'm not going to have specific information to where he was exactly but at least I can find out more about what the 2nd battalion did.

Have attached a couple of photos of my grandad while he was recuperating after he got injured.

Chris

 

Hi

2 Camerons arrived in PATRAS in Greece on 25/11/44.

The sailed from Taranto in Italy two days before on board Fort Kullyspell (12), Samfaithful (169 + MT),Marigot (400), LCI (?) (145), Ocean Stranger (170 & MT).

He does not come up when searched for on British Army Casualty Records on FMP and so the x listing on 15.12.44 is most likely down to illness and not for enemy action of any type.

PATRAS was, in comparison to the counter insurgency operations going on in Athens/Piraeus, a much quieter place to be.

I have the War Diaries for Nov and Dec 44 if you would like to see them PM me your email address.

Hope this helps.

Gus

 

That's great thank you for that Gus. I will pm you my email address.

Many thanks for your help.

Chris