Abbreviations ... Help

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by silken, Oct 5, 2012.

  1. silken

    silken Junior Member

    Hi All

    I had a good search of the abbreviations already on the forum and throughout the Internet and, obviously, I must be looking in the wrong place...

    In my dad's records (ww2, 2nd bn Scots Guards) it has on the promotion column:

    1941 - 1942

    AUL Sgt
    APL Sgt
    AU Sgt
    AP Sgt &
    WSR Sgt

    I wondered if the 'A' stood for 'Acting' and the 'W' stood for 'warrant'

    If anyone could let me know what the initials stand for, I would very much appreciate it.

    Thanks in advance
     
  2. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Hi,
    Being Guards I think the L would be Lance (Lance Sgt etc)
    The P would be Paid and the U Unpaid
    eg AUL Sgt acting unpaid lance Sgt.
     
  3. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    War Substantive Rank ?
     
  4. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    AUL Acting unpaid Lance Sergeant
    APL Acting Paid Lance Sergeant
    AU Acting unpaid Sergeant
    AP Acting Paid Sergeant
    WS War Substansive


    Sergeants' of the Scots Guards are referred to as 'Full Sergeants' Other Guards regiments Gold or Pay Sergeants.


    2nd Bn now in suspended animation as a supplementary company F Coy (public duties London)

    2SG Regimental Colour

    9862441.jpg
     
  5. silken

    silken Junior Member

    Thanks to all of you who replied.

    It is much appreciated as I have spent lots of hours trying to find out what the letters meant... I'll pass the info onto my sister... (She doesn't have internet access)

    My next step would have been to go to Edinburgh Castle and ask the soldiers there... but you all have saved me having to do that..

    Thanks
     
  6. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    From my experience, I think the L would stand for Local. Lance Sergeants were pretty rare except in certain exotic regiments like the Guards.

    Chris
     
  7. mapshooter

    mapshooter Senior Member

    From my experience, I think the L would stand for Local. Lance Sergeants were pretty rare except in certain exotic regiments like the Guards.

    Not in WW2, Lance sgts were quite common it was a standard rank, in artillery a proportion of Bdrs could be LSgt. I assume at least some other parts of the army were the same. Don't assume the WW2 army was the same as post war in these matters, it wasn't. There were also WO3, again common in artillery (and the established strength of RA was greater than Infantry and RAC combined), typically 2 per bty (TSMs) against 1 WO2 per bty (BSM).
     
  8. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    The appointment of lance sergeant was abolished throughout the army in 1946 (from 19th century - 1946) with the exception of the HAC and the Brigade of Guards. lance corporal was NOT a rank but an appointment - until 1961 when parliament decreed it a rank for disciplinary matters under military law. lance sergeant likewise is an appointment that can be removed by commanding officers unlike full sergeants who must face courts martial. When on extra regimental courses our sergeant major would contact the RSM of the unit or course to ask if he would allow lance sergeants into his mess as technically we were corporals by pay scale. Still had to buy mess kit on lance sergeants pay!
     
  9. thomas mcbride

    thomas mcbride Junior Member

    The appointment of lance sergeant was abolished throughout the army in 1946 (from 19th century - 1946) with the exception of the HAC and the Brigade of Guards. lance corporal was NOT a rank but an appointment - until 1961 when parliament decreed it a rank for disciplinary matters under military law. lance sergeant likewise is an appointment that can be removed by commanding officers unlike full sergeants who must face courts martial. When on extra regimental courses our sergeant major would contact the RSM of the unit or course to ask if he would allow lance sergeants into his mess as technically we were corporals by pay scale. Still had to buy mess kit on lance sergeants pay!
    i have been trying to find out what x11 list , xv1 list and y lists onmy late fathers records mean mhe was Alexander mcbride 2nd batt SG 2694810 from 1934 - 1944
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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