Hope I'm posting in the right area. Reading through the 74th RA regimental diary covering the outbreak of war I've come across two of the above terms. A google search revealed two others. All of them are names of Field Martial's in WW1, all nobility. Allenby appears to mean "All leave is cancelled" Plumer we think meant "Get ready" with para 4 meaning "start using PAD" (PAD being a type of code) Hastings & Byng we're not sure. Can anyone shed any further light on these terms? Examples of use: http://www.591-antrim-parachute.info/1939-war-diaries.html "Belfast : 22 Aug 1939 2300 hrs : "BYNG" (except para 2b) received. Captain J.R.H. Greeves, Royal Engineers T.A. proceeded to headquarters (on being informed by telephone,) and key party personnel were called in. Belfast : 24 Aug 1939 1600 hrs: "PLUMER" received. Embodiment notices sent out and telegram despatched to Officer Commanding unit ~ Major J.M.Sinclair, Royal Engineers (T.A.) on holiday in North West of Scotland. From 74th RA Diary: South Shields : 24 Aug 0725 : Telegram received "PLUMER less para's 4&6" 25 Aug 0750 : Telegram received "ALLENBY" - Key personnel embodied. 28 Aug 1040 : Telegram received "PLUMER para 4". PAD schemes put to effect.
The attached page from the diary of the 1st AA Division RASC (part of Londons main AA defences) includes these codes. I would also be interested in their exact meaning although I have so far assumed that Byng was an instruction to call up and embody men from the TA perhaps? From this and one or two other diaries, it appears we were well on the road to war by the 3rd week of August and Chamberlines ultimatum was a bit of a formality! A-A COMMAND A-A DIVISIONS Headquarters 1 Anti-Aircraft Division, Royal Army Service Corps (HQ RASC) 01 Aug 1939 - 30 Sept 1939 WO166-2112 The reference on 23 08 39 is interesting. Was Hyde Park magazine in Hyde park or was it a code word. It crops up here and throughout a number of 1st AA Division, AA Regiment and RASC diaries operating in London around this time. I have always thought that storing AA ammunition in 'Hyde Park' itself was a bit risky perhaps? The other magazine commonly referred to seems to have been at Mill Hill. Does anyone have any pointers to where more info on these establishments could perhaps be found? PAD - Passive Air Defence, most references I have seen often mention anti gas measures.
Attached are two pages from 44 Infantry Division's GS file, TNA WO 166/521 that give some explanation - hope this helps! - Pete
