Hello. I wonder if anyone is able to assist me with understanding my grandfather's service records. My grandfather is Daniel Sarson. He passed away in 2009. I understand that he served in the General Service Corps and Royal Ulster Rifles. His Army number was 14665362 although 22209500 is also stamped on most of the documents. He served from 16 September 1943 to 8 November 1947 and then re-enlisted from 2 March 1948 to 19 August 1953. He has listed as having air experience - 'Gliders and Parachutist'. I also know that he was a keen boxer and basketball player. From his records, this is what I can make out: Home - 16 Sept 43 to 5 Jun 44 Emp.W.Europe - 6 Jun 44 to 4 Sept 44 Home - 5 Sept 44 to 22 Dec 44 N.W.E - 23 Dec 44 to 24 Feb 45 Home - 25 Feb 45 to 23 Mar 45 N.W.E - 24 Mar 45 to 19 May 45 Home - 20 May 45 to 30 Sep 45 M.E.F - 1 Oct 45 to 7 Dec 46 ETA - 8 Dec 46 to 14 Aug 47 Home - 15 Aug 47 to 8 Nov 47 Where would be best to look up more information? What do the initials listed on his military history sheet stand for? I have loads of pieces of paper for the MOD relating to him but I cannot make heads or tails of it! If anyone can assist I would be most grateful. I did try scanning them but they could not be read! Many thanks Lucy
Hi Lucy, It is very difficult for members to offer any detailed opinion or advice without having sight of the original documents - please try and upload them - scan or iPhone/iPad image would be great. Having said that - your Emp W Europe 6.6.44 will be Emb W Europe suggesting he was involved in D Day operations. The periods at home either side of postings to North West Europe suggest he was sick/injured or wounded and was evacuated to U.K. The MEF posting in late 1945 suggests service in Egypt and or Palestine. Can't help with ETA I'm afraid - you may have misread it - hence the request to upload documents for members to see. The change from 7 figure to 8 figure service numbers is the result of changes from separate Army/Navy/RAF service numbers to a single series of numbers for the 3 branches of the services. Once you - or forum members Identify a Battalion for your gf you can obtain War Diaries which will detail his unit activities. Forum members may be able to turn. Up his name on the official casualty lists to confirm my assumption of sickness etc in 1944 & 1945. Steve Y
Upload any and all of his service records here--full pages and not cropped sections--and we'll collectively squeeze them like a lemon. If you want to make a start for yourself, there is a list of common abbreviations here: Updated Resource - Abbreviations & Acronyms
I ham managed to upload the page I mentioned in my first post. I will post the other pages also. Thank you for your help!
Hi, Thanks for sight of the document. The really important Army form for us to see so we can help you is the B103 Casuaty Form - it details the soldiers movements throughout his service and from which updates are made to his statement of services form. Steve Y
Thank you Steve. I have attached what I think you mentioned. Sorry about the quality. I hope that you can make sense of it! Kind regards Lucy
That's the badger--but the key pages (2 to 4) are illegible! If you have a camera on your phone, that'll do the trick.
Hi, I'd have to agree that the pages are a little too feint to decipher in places. However from the embark/disembark stamp on P2 having W3169 printed on it I'm confident it was a medical evacuation of some sort as that is an army medical form - I received part of it with my fathers papers. I note reference to his discharge from 16 General Hospital (BMH) in Jerusalem in 1946 which supports my thought that he served in Palestine during the 1945/48 emergency and was likely entitled to the Palestine 45/48 General Service Medal - in addition to his WW2 entitlement. Finally I can see that your ETA acronym is actually BTA - British Troops Austria - the occupation force that was in south & western Austria until 1955 (Russian troops in eastern part of the country). He spent some time there in 1947 after his Middle East posting. If you can provide more legible copies I'm sure we will discover more for you. On reflection your Emp W Europe 6.6.44 means Emplaned - rather than embarked. Regards Steve Y PS If you haven't done any research on the activities of 1st RUR 1944/45 the attached link provides an overview. 1st (Airborne) Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles | ParaData PPS Having read the information in above link I no longer think your fathers time in UK Sept/Dec 1944 and Feb/March 1945 were medical related. The dates tie in with the units return from France Sept 1944 and rushed deployment to the Ardennes area at Xmas 1945 and it's short sojourn in U.K. Feb/March 1945 after that campaign was interrupted by a speedy return to Europe to take part in Operation Varsity - the crossing of the Rhine.
I would say he was with Airborne Forces. EMP 06 June 1944:- Emplaned for Para Glider Operations on D Day NWE ,24 .3 45 this is date of the Rhine crossing, could be airborne operations.
Hi Redtop, The Paradata link I posted above makes it clear that 1st RUR were gilder borne element of 6th Airborne Division. Steve
Thank you all for your replies. I have attached, hopefully, slightly clearer copies of all of the records I have on my Grandfather. Thank you again for all your help. It is appreciated. Lucy
Hi, Thanks for sharing all the material received from MOD. I can't recall seeing post war TA service papers before so that has broadened my knowledge. He enlisted in 571 Searchlight Battery Royal Artillery TA in 1948 but the unit was redesignated 571 (Mixed) Light Anti Aircraft & Searchlight Battery shortly afterwards. I can see from his TA papers that he received his 3 WW2 Medals in 1948 and that he was entitled to the Palestine General Service Medal I referred to in my earlier post - if you have access to Ancestry (free access in most local libraries) you should be able to turn up his name on the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles Medal Roll. The WW2 B103 (not B105) forms you've attached are more legible copies from which I can see he was posted to Royal Ulster Rifles at 25 Infantry Training Centre in January 1944 after enlistment in Sept 1943 and passing through 15 Primary Training Centre and 1st PDC (sorry don't know that acronym) at Hereford. He was posted to 1 RUR in April 1944 and went overseas with 6th Airborne Division 6th June 1944. The exploits of 1st RUR in North West Europe 1944/45 will be fully documented in the unit War Diaries which you may want to obtain. He had a brush with military authority in France in July 1944 and was sentenced to Field Punishment. His unit returned to U.K. in May 1945 but was despatched to Palestine in October 1945 with 6th Airborne to deal with the civil emergency there. I don't believe unit War Diaries were maintained during that period but there will be many published accounts of the activities of British forces in Palestine 1945/48 before the creation of the state of Israel. His Airborne pay was discontinued in April 1946 and he had a few more brushes with military authority whilst in Palestine. He was posted to British Troops Austria in Villach (near current Austria/Slovenia border) in December 1946. He had leave in U.K. in early 1947 and left Villach in August 1947 to return to U.K. for leave prior to release from the army in November 1947. He went onto the Z Reserve but his enlistment into the TA cancelled that obligation. You may wish to contact forum member Drew5233 who offers a War Diary look up & copying service - he may even already have 1st RUR Diaries in his collection. Regards Steve Y
UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 Name: D Sarson Service Date: 1945-1948 Service Place: Palestine Campaign or Service: Palestine Regiment or Unit Name: Royal Ulster Rifles 1st Battalion Regimental Number: 14665362 TD
Hi Richard, Thanks for looking up his GSM and attaching the copy Medal Roll page. Clearly issued after his RA TA enlistment as issuing office shown as RA Records office. Steve
Thank you Steve and TD for all your help! It is really interesting to learn more about my Grandfather and his service. I will contact Drew5233 for war diary information. Many thanks again! Lucy
