Finally got my Grandfathers Royal Engineers service record

Hello Everyone

Well my grandfathers service record has finally arrived
I can read and understand most of it but could anyone possibly tell me what these bits mean?


http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=306&pictureid=3461
I can read the disembarked UK and SOS? 21 Army Group but not the line underneath it.



http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=306&pictureid=3462

What does t.o.s. T.C. KAYLAN and posted to X/4 (A) List mean please?


Kind Regards
Keith

 

20 Sqn RAF based at Kaylan, India, so maybe the airfield is meant

 

Not my area of knowledge really but I have read about military railways and know that Kalyan was a major rail centre about 50 miles north of Bombay. That whole area was full of British military installations in those days. Did your grandfather work on military railways? They were a sapper responsibility.

T.C. is usually Traffic Control. This was a branch of the Military Police. Royal Engineers were responsible for Movement Control on railways.

Mike

PS. T.C. is much more likely to be Transit Camp. They were naturally at rail centres and held troops awaiting posting to units.

 

Thank you Phillip

 

List of X DESIGNATIONS. X1 - prisoner of war (P.O.W.)
X2 - detention
X3 - hospital
X4 - reinforcement
- reinforcement in transit
X5 - on course
X6 - missing
X7 - on loan
X8 - in transit
X9 & X10 - waiting return

 

Thank you Mike

My Grandfather was a platelayer in the Royal Engineers according to his service record, which i gather was something to do with the railways?

I should have said in my first post that i've uploaded his service record to my album on here

Kind Regards
Keith

 

Keith,

TC is most likely 'Training Centre' as in ITC (Infantry training centre).
Or 'Transit camp'.

SOS is 'struck of strength' as in leaving one unit or group for another.

TOS is 'taken on strength' as in joining one unit from another.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you wtid45 and bamboo43

 

Hello Keith,

I believe the line under 'disembarked UK and SOS 21 Army Group' is:

"on... reverting to WO Control' and I think the WO is probably shorthand for 'War Office'.

Best,

Steve.

 

Thank you Steve

 

Hello and Thanks to everyone so far now could anyone possibly read and make out any of this?


http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=306&pictureid=3463

I can read posted to this unit from HQ No2 Docks Group RE and Embarked UK 11 July 44 posted to 1051 P.M. Coy but not much else.


Many Thanks
Keith

 

Hello again Keith,

The top line appears to say " Posted to No 2 Port ... Grp RE wef 29 Apr [with effect from 29 April 1944].

Next two lines look like the orders/authority reference.

You have the next three lines sorted already.

Next two lines look like the orders/authority reference.

NB. words in square brackets are mine!

Best,

Steve.

 

Looking at the first post. Ref the 1051 I think these will be his units war diaries:

WO 172/7898 1051 Company RE 1945 July, Sept.- Dec.

WO 172/10390 1051 Company RE 1946 Jan.-Sept.

I believe PM stands for Port Maritime and both diaries above are under Burma.

Cheers
Andy

 

I recognise these units. Both 995 Company and 1051 Company were Port Maintenance Companies. No 2 Docks Group together with the 995 Company were in 21 Army Group. Not sure about 1051. A War Establishment for these can be found on the truxmodels website. Go to arms/engineers/ports and waterways.

I have not yet looked myself to see if there is a platelayer listed but there probably is. (I have looked now and there were 8 platelayers in a Port Maintenance Company.)

Mike.

 

Cheers Mike - I knew it was Port something.

 

Thanks Steve i thought it was a lot of references.

Thanks Mike what a great load of information on that website.

Thanks Andy i will have to get the war diaries when i've got the spare dosh.

Regards
Keith

 

Here's the 955 Coy diaries:

WO 166/12289 955 Coy RE 1943 Mar-Dec UK Forces

WO 171/1745 955 Coy RE 1944 Jan-Dec NW Europe Forces

WO 171/5693 955 Coy RE 1945 Jan-Nov NW Europe Forces

Anything before April 44?

 

Here's the 955 Coy diaries:

WO 166/12289 955 Coy RE 1943 Mar-Dec UK Forces

WO 171/1745 955 Coy RE 1944 Jan-Dec NW Europe Forces

WO 171/5693 955 Coy RE 1945 Jan-Nov NW Europe Forces

Anything before April 44?

He didn't enlist until 17-12-1942


http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=306&pictureid=3466

I shall rescan these at a smaller dpi tomorrow as they came out at about 5mb each so i had to reduce the size to upload to here

Regards
Keith

 

1051st Coy RE Dock or Port company with 21st Army Group 1944-45. Disbanded Sep 1945+

 

Hello again and many thanks for the replies and help so far.

Could anyone please tell me what SOS Alfred was? here's a page from my Grandfathers service record



Many thanks
Keith