Artillery War Diary abbreviations

I'm stuck on a couple of abbreviations from LAA War Diary.
Context is:
4 B.O.M.P. arrived VP 238
2 B.O.A. arrived VP 239
I know VP is Vulnerable Point and I think the reference is to type of guns (almost certainly Bofors) but what exactly are BOMP and BOA?
Tim

 

On military ranges VP is a vector point.Usually manned positions when firing is taking place

 

Tim,

Can you post a copy of the war diary page you refer to? It may help to identify more information.

 

Hopefully extract attached. Also states BOMPs in action.
Also what is a Semi Mobile Bofor?
Tim

 

I can't supply the 'P', but BOMP appears to be the abbreviation for a 'Bofors Mobile'.

Could it be the portee used to ferry them around? The extract has them 'arriving'.

HISTORIC BUILDING RECORDING OF A WORLD WAR TWO DEFENCE INSTALLATION AT LUCAS GREEN, WHITTLE-LE-WOODS, CHORLEY, LANCASHIRE MARCH

This link also mentions BOA guns as a 'variant'.

 

I'll read the war diaries of my Dad's Regiment to see if anything similar pops up.

PS:-

No joy. Lots of VP's but no additional information. Each unit seems to have adopted their own style of writing.

 

Para 2.4.7.2 of the historic building record mentions BOSP as static and BOMP as mobile quoting (TNA WO 166/2691)

I suspect the "P" is for "Platform" a static platform is a plinth similar to the naval mounting while the mobile platform is the field platform to which wheels can be fitted.

You might need to go back to the National Archive and see if there are any supporting documents in the War Diary files. Not just for the unit but for its formation HQ.

 

Thanks to all so far. All very confusing. I note that the Historic Building link also has "Euxton ROF was protected by four 40mm Bofors guns, two of which were the BOA variant and the other two the BOM version. Exactly a week later all four guns deployed at Euxton were of the BOA variant." This link also says VP = Vital Position - I had always taken it to be Vulnerable Point.
Tim

 

Can I tack another artillery abbreviations question on here, this one for a Field Regiment. Two abbreviations I can't find explained anywhere:

Ac
I've seen this (capital A, small C) on plates on the front of artillery tractors, on the opposite side to the bridging plate, and it's also mentioned in Lewisham Gunners:

"Few of those in the Regiment in those days will forget the very solemn battery parades on the 'Chipping' at Tetbury, when shamefaced soldiers with armbands saying "Sig" or "Surv" or "Ac" lined up with small notices "X","H","MI" and so on round their necks to represent non-existent vehicles."​

U.R.O.
This suddenly starts appearing in 130th Field Regiment's late 1942 diary in India & Burma, and seems to be a supporting unit attached to the regiment and usually moving with RHQ. In context of the diary:

 

I'm now wondering whether the 'P' in BOMP stands for Polish. Some of the first Bofors were manufactured in Poland. Apparently these guns were fitted with a complex sight disliked by gunners. These sights were later replaced with a simpler Forward Area Sight. It would make sense to have to differentiate between the type of sights fitted.
Tim

 

Could the O in the acronym simply stand for 'On'? So you would have ...
BOMP = Bofors On Mobile Platform
BOSP = Bofors On Static Platform
... However, using this formula, I can't figure what BOA might mean.

 

I have sent a PM to Phil (Op-Ack) on here, (RA Glossary of Terms & Abbreviations) for you.
He may be able to shed some light on the subject in question.
Rob

 

Thanks Rob.
Tim

 

Rob

Thanks for drawing this thread to my attention.

Simple answer reference BOA - No idea, sorry.
BOSP - Bofors Static Power Controlled. (Where the Bofors is mounted on a fixed holdfast)
BOMP - Bofors Mobile Power Controlled. (Where the Bofors is mounted on a vehicle for ease of movement, as with the Morris Carrier, SP, 4x4, 40mm AA (Bofors) 30cwt ).
BOM - Bofors Mobile. Same as the BOMP but without the power control).
URO - Haven't come across this before, but most likely Unit Reconnaissance Officer, from the context.

Phil

 

PackRat

The Ac you are referring to is the Tactical sign carried on the gun towing vehicle, ammunition trailer towing vehicle and number 3 gun of “A” Troop within a Battery. A3 wasn't used as that was the Tac Sign for the RSM's vehicle.

Phil

 

Phil,
Thanks.
Tim

 

Thanks Phil, a couple more images mentioning the U.R.O. for reference:



It seems to stay with 'Q' and 'W/L' at this point, and be behind the main fighting line (these diary pages are during the First Arakan Campaign with the advance going south-east, Kodingauk is to the north and west of Shinkhali).