Evening all, Apologies if this is in the wrong section, I'm still finding my way around! I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with two queries. The first relates to my great uncle's service record. I have tried to decode it but just end up going back over myself and even more confused than I was at the start. Would anyone be able/willing to help out? The second is a photograph of his brother. We believe he may have served in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, but need confirmation! What do you think? Thanks so much for your time. Lewis
I'm afraid its long past midnight so I will offer a few ideas and if no one appears tomorrow and if I find time, I will take a look. 1. The document appears to be a Tracer Card not a Service Record. The Service Record would be several pages the most interesting of which would be AF/ B103. These gives details in code of enlistment, trade training, sickness, Embarkation Abroad and Postings. 2. The word at the top in block capitals says SAPPER this is an ordinary soldier in the Royal Engineers. So it looks like there might have a little investigating to do. 3. Possibly his brother: The badge on his hat looks like a grenade as used by the The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - Wikipedia There is also mention of the 49th Division 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division - Wikipedia. Royal Engineers - Wikipedia Hopefully others might come along to assist in this.
Good morning UT, and thanks for the prompt reply. I can tell I was very much down the rabbit hole last night, of course it's a tracer card! D'oh! The plan is to send off for the full records in April, so hopefully there'll be much more info there, as you've already suggested. Thanks again for the confirmation re. The RIF, all we know is that he apparently served with an Irish regiment but returned home with the crossed rifles. Upon seeing this, his elder brother immediately scolded him! Best, Lewis
Lewis As Uncle Target says this is a Tracer Card maintained by RE Records Office. This contains only basic information on postings etc. together with the Order Number from which the information has been extracted. I have deciphered as follows - First Image - Top Line - 22/3/38 – Enlisted as Sapper and Posted to 49 Division. (at this time Royal Engineer Companies were treated as a Divisional Assets but as war broke out they were allocated to Brigades within the assigned Divisions – hence the next entry) Right hand Column - 15/10/39 – Posted to 228th Field Company. 16/2/41 – Posted to 2 (Field Branch) Depot Battalion, R.E. (from 228 Fld Coy) i.e. an Admin / Holding unit. (Order no – 14/228 Army Field Coy). 10/5/41 - Possibly transferred to B Company at the Depot. (Order no – 29/B Coy 2(FB) DB). 19/5/41 – Posted to 13 Chemical Warfare Training Battalion (13 C.W.T.B.), and posted to 10 Company. (Order no – 34/10 Coy, 13 CWTB). 25/5/41 – Transferred to D Company, 24 Chemical Warfare Depot Battalion (24 C.W.D.B.). (Order no - 1/24CWDB) 17/7/41 – Transferred to East Riding Fortress Company. (Order no – 7/D Coy, 24 CWDB, RE). Left Hand Column - 14/1/42 – Posted to 3 (Lines of Communication) Depot Battalion. (Order No - 4/ East Riding Fortress Coy). 12/2/42 – Allocated to Draft R.G.H.G.A. (a random set of letters to ensure the individual / unit was put on the correct transport to arrive at the required destination) for embarkation abroad. 13/2/42 – Embarked for Overseas Middle East. (Order no – N/A - undecipherable - 31/42). 11/4/42 – Disembarked Egypt. 16/5/42 - Posted to X(IV)A list (Order no – 310/Corps Orders). (x(iv) list relates to unposted reinforcements) 3/8/42 – Disembarked UK (Order no - undecipherable). 4/8/42 – Posted to C Company, 3 (Lines of Communication) Depot Battalion. Order no – 170/C Coy 3 (LoC) D.B.). 4/9/42 – Posted to 4th Battalion,R.E., 1 General Base Depot, Mobilisation Centre. (Order no – 203/ D Coy 3 (LoC) D.B.). 12/10/42 - Posted to C Company, 3 (Lines of Communication) Depot Battalion. Order no – 228/C Coy 3 (LoC) D.B.). Second Image - 11/8/43 - Discharged under King’s Regulations 1940 – 390(xvi) (D.147). (From Hansard - A soldier who has been found physically unfit by a medical board is discharged from Army service under King's Regulations, 1940, paragraph 390 (xvi) as "ceasing to fulfil Army physical requirements.") Steve
Wow! I'm absolutely in awe, thank you so, so, so much Steve. I cannot express how grateful I am for your hard work. There are many things in that that I would not have known where to start with. Absolutely stellar work. It certainly has opened my eyes to some new leads, and hopefully more can be discovered thanks to your deciphering! I would imagine the next step would be to apply for service records in April?
Lewis Further to the above - a. there is a thread about 228th Field Company, see following link - 228 Field Company Royal Engineers in France 1940 which covers their time in France 1940. b. the Chemical Warfare Depot was at Barton Stacey in Hampshire. c. Once you have obtained the full records, please feel free to post copies and we will be able to "put flesh on the bones" of the above. d. Also you may wish to obtain the War Diaries for the above identified units e.g. 1939-40 Reference: WO 167/982 Description: 228 Field Park Company Royal Engineers Date: 1939 Sept.-1940 June 1940-41 Reference: WO 166/3697 Description: ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 228 Army Field Company. Date: 1940 July - 1941 Dec. 1939-41 Reference: WO 166/3546 Description: ROYAL ENGINEERS: FORTRESS COMPANIES: East Riding Fortress Company. Date: 1939 Aug.-1941 Dec. No trace of the Chemical Warfare Depot / Battalions War Diaries Hope this helps further. Steve
Thank you once again for your insight, it truly is appreciated. I'll check out the attached thread and relay the info to my Dad, whom I'm sure will be equally as grateful. The Chemical Warfare Depot really is a new one for me, had no idea uncle George was involved in that! I'll certainly post the records here when they arrive, and look forward to hearing more from yourself and the community. George had three brothers, one of whom almost certainly served in WWII - James (branch/unit unknown), Lawrence (RIF) who may have done (born Dec 1926), and my grandad, Clifford, who served in the RA in Palestine after the war. Only Grandad had a child, so in terms of NOK, that'll be my dad, and the decision to remove the £30 charge has made me even more determined to get the application sent off! Thanks once again, Lewis
