Acronyms in WW2 Service Records

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by Mike Selcon, Dec 10, 2019.

  1. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi
    I hope someone can help me.

    I am researching a Royal Artillery Gunner in WW2. His service record shows that on 03/11/1944 he deployed to India from 56 Medium Regt. RA in the UK, the entry on the Record stating :

    "Posted to draft REPPR" - Can anyone tell me what REPPR means?

    He went on to serve in Burma with 115 Field Regiment to the end of the War and interestingly, as the Regiment started to repatriate it's personnel at the end of September 1945, my man transferred into the Corps of Military Police, "under Section 3(2) Armed Forces (Conditions of Service) Act 1939. Can anyone tell me what this section meant?

    For info he enlisted/was conscripted into the TA Royal Artillery on16/04/1942 for 'the duration of the emergency' could it be that as he was a 'late joiner' his term was extended?

    Thanks

    Mike
     
  2. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi Mike,

    The draft code does not actually stand for anything, it is a five letter code to identify a unit or group preparing to travel overseas usually. See this previous thread on the subject. My grandfather's draft code was RZGHA.

    Draft recognition codes.
     
    Tricky Dicky and timuk like this.
  3. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    I’ve numbered your queries for ease of reference.

    1. Posted to draft REPPR" - Can anyone tell me what REPPR means?

    See Bamboo43 response.

    2. my man transferred into the Corps of Military Police, "under Section 3(2) Armed Forces (Conditions of Service) Act 1939. Can anyone tell me what this section meant?

    You’ll need to look up the Act if Parliament but I’d suggest that his rate of pay and conditions would be retained in his new posting.

    3. For info he enlisted/was conscripted into the TA Royal Artillery on16/04/1942 for 'the duration of the emergency' could it be that as he was a 'late joiner' his term was extended?

    3. After the cessation of hostilities the Army contracted in size and a structured demobilisation process commenced with a discharge date based on age and month of enlistment. Men who were conscripted in 1942 could serve into 1947. Its likely his Field Regiment was disbanded and he had to be posted elsewhere pending his discharge.

    Steve



    Thanks
     
  4. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Essentially the war wasn't over because the Japanese surrendered in Aug 1945 it was only over when the government said it was over. As the Act you refer to said

    "Prolongation of service.

    §(3) In this section the expression "the end of the emergency" means the end of such day as His Majesty may by Order in Council declare to be the day on which the emergency that was the occasion of the passing of this Act came to an end; and for the purposes of this section a man shall be deemed to be a soldier of the regular forces or an airman of the regular air force notwithstanding that he is for the time being released from army service or air force service by virtue of an order under subsection (4) of Section one,or subsection (2) of Section three, of the Military and Air Forces (Conditions of Service) Act, 1939" In other words it was the legal justification for retaining him in the forces

    They couldn't just say as the immortal Neddy Seagoon did "They've surrendered, right lads everyone round to the pub" someone had to look after the wind down and switch the lights out. This was in part determined by date of enlistment but not completely as things like agricultural leave could extend one's demob class date as well as need for particular trades/skills and even if one had got in someones bad books.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2019
  5. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Age played a major part in the determination of the release date.
    Thanks to Brian Smith, who posted on another thread:
    upload_2019-12-10_17-36-31.jpeg

    Tim
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  6. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Thank you all for your replies. It's really helped answer a few questions.

    Bets regards

    Mike
     
  7. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi all
    Sorry to be a pain but yesterday I posted a few questions about the service record of a Royal Artillery Gunner who served in India during and after WW2. I have now found a few other things in this mans service record that I can't decipher and wonder if anyone can help?
    a) 21/06/1946 - Admitted to 124 ICH and TOS X2
    b) 25/06/1946 - Discharged 124 ICH and SOS X2, To (it looks like) 1British Mens Camp pending release in UK
    c) 13/08/1946 - SOS X8A list

    The 3 entries all relate to when he was being readied for repatriation from India for demobilisation in the UK. I understand SOS(Struck off Strength) and TOS (Taken on Strength) but can anyone help with
    a) What and where 124 ICH was,
    b) What the X2 List and X8A List were (possibly something to do with lists identifying what units personnel were serving in?) and
    c) Whether I was right in deciphering 1 British Men's Camp. I feel that it must relate to a transit camp, but can anyone confirm this and if so does anyone know where it was?
    Once again thanks

    Mike
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    timuk and Tricky Dicky like this.
  9. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Can you post a copy of the record.
    ICH = Indian Combined Hospital. Sorry, don't know where 124 ICH was.

    Tim
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Could be IGH = Indian General Hospital

    TD
     
  11. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi Tim
    I have tried to upload a jpeg of the relevant section of the service record but I keep getting a message saying the image is too large. Any ideas?

    Best regards

    Mike
     
  12. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi all
    Thank you so much for your responses. Very much appreciated.

    Best regards

    Mike
     
  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Resize it to below 2Mb.

    I usually make images about 1000 pixels on its longest side.
     
  14. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi Tim
    Apologies but I cant resize the image. Could i send it via message on this site?
    Best regards

    Mike
     
  15. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    You can try, but I don't know if it will make a difference.

    Tim
     

Share This Page