Hi All I am researching my Grandfather for my parents and we now have his complete service records. I would like to translate as much detail as possible in correct order of his service and wondered if anyone knew anyone who may be able to help me with this? There are so many abbreviations and things i don`t understand? mainly his particular details of locations etc on pages 4 to 8. Then i can research the areas and events during those times and put together a photobook with everything for my parents, also to pass down to family for generations to come. I am also currently scanning many photographs which also contain many RAOC group photographs from Italy, North Africa, Egypt etc and happy to share if anyone interested? Here`s a link to the records i have scanned. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wg3oc6ttn64589x/AABl3mshDZRfxVGKnC4kMUe9a?dl=0 Any help or advice greatly appreciated. With Thanks Andy
Hello Andy I have carried out a similar project (78/692 Inf Workshop REME) and have found the information contained and supplied by members on this site invaluable. I suggest you do a search for abbreviations used in service records there are several posts that deal with this in detail on the forum. The key point is to keep asking questions as your research unfolds there is a vast resource of knowledge and information on this forum. Pete
581 L of C S.C.U. = Line of Communication - Stores Convoy Unit War Diaries for this unit are as follows WO 169/12298 - 1943 Sept - Dec - 581 L. of C. Stores Convoy Unit WO 170/2830 - 1944 Jan - Dec - Stores: 581 L. of C. Stores Convoy Unit WO 170/6336 - 1945 Jan - Nov - 581 L. of C. Stores Convoy Unit
Thanks for the reply Interesting, i will find these on the records and search National Archives. Andy
Andy I'm usually pretty poor at deciphering Service Records, but as a starter for ten my brief summary of the Service Record would be as follows. Page 5 Enlisted Bradford 17/12/42 - No.2 Primary Training Centre Posted to RAOC 27/1/43 - 17 Bn 19 Coy (possibly located at Catterick Camp) Moved 17/2/43 to No.5 Training Battalion RASC (possibly located at Mansfield or Sutton in Ashfield) to be trained as a Driver 31/3/43 When qualified as a Driver moved to No.4 Holding Battalion RAOC at Hull 16/4/43 Posted to D Vehicle Group in Glasgow 29/4/43 Moved to 2 AFV Depot at Handforth, Cheshire and T.O.S No.14 Vehicle Company RAOC Page 6 9/6/43 - More training on 'A' Vehicle Driving Course (No.51 Training Regt Royal Armored Corp at Lancaster ???) Temp duty at No.4 Vehicle Park ? Embarked UK for North Africa 15/10/43 Arrived North Africa 25/10/43 Not sure but he still seems to be part of 14 Vehicle Company at this time 26/3/44 Moved to another unit ('E' ?) which is redesignated as 38 Vehicle Company (War Diary Reference WO 170/2849 - 1944 Mar- Dec - Vehicle Groups, Companies and Parks: 38 Coy.) 1/9/44 Moved to 581 LofC-S.C.U. (War Diary details as referenced in my previous post) Not 100% sure but bottom of Page 6 just seem to reference disciplanery proceedings that are detailed on Page 3 Page 7 10/1/45 - Appointed as a (Acting) Lance Corporal (the U/A & P/A references refer to Unpaid/Acting & Paid/Acting afaik) 5/8/45 - 'Y' BOD ??? - BOD usually means Base Ordnance Depot but no idea what the 'Y' reference is 5/12/45 - 13/1/46 Leave in the UK - LIAP = Leave in addition to Python (google it or search this forum for more info) I cant make much sense of the rest, only that he seems to have embarked at Taranto, Italy on 20/2/46 arrving at Port Said on the 23/2/46 and later returned to the UK on the 2/8/46 Hopefully other people may be able to fill in the gaps, provide more details or correct any mistakes i've made. i think the only way you are likely to get an idea of his actual locations while overseas is by viewing the War Diaries of his units that i've previously referenced. If you can't get yourself to the National Archives at Kew to view them, there are people on the forum who will copy them for you at very reasonable rates (a lot lot cheaper than the NA copying facility) Regards
Hi Thank you so much for that! great stuff! I have been enjoying searching through and googling all the descriptions from the records. More for me to look through now. Thank you again so much for your time and effort! Andy
