Help with abbreviations and meanings

UT,

Just a case of lateral wishful thinking by OP.

OP relative in 78th Company RASC and he has noticed Lesley’s relative was in 78 BattleAxe Division (56 Recce) and surmises there is a possible link (not the case).

Units of 78 Division landed on Sicily 25th July 1943 - almost a fortnight later than 78 Company RASC per B103 entry.

Steve

 

Thanks for that Steve. Couldn't have put it any better myself .

Maybe if Mike put the full records up we'd all get a better picture.

Lesley

 

Only mention found so far for 78 Coy RE

British Army units from 1945 on - Companies 71 to 80

In Korea
So they did exist and survived the immediate post war reorganisation.

Who are we looking for?

 

Hello, I started out trying to establish what all the abbreviations are in my fathers Army Service record I obtained from the MOD, I have had a lot of helpful replies on here but I may now be in the wrong topic. What should I be doing? there were about 10 different paper copies sent to me from the MOD in 2020 and I didn't think I should put them all on here as they don't all seem relevant for what I am looking for. Basically I am trying to find out his activities in Sicily and Italy from landing in July 1943 but I don't know what to do now! could someone give me some direction or is there a place/category on here explaining things?

 

Don't move off this thread for now, it will complicate matters and can be sorted later.

You need to concentrate on posting the Army Form B103 sheets.
There may be more than one. Many may not have the number in view as the original sheets were often large sheets clipped when photocopied.
Attached is a B103 form, the main feature is the description: Service and Casualty Form the columns are continued on following sheets.

Other forms often contain personal information or repeat items on B103 for circulation between departments.

If you try to transcribe every single item it can become confusing and achieve little regarding the the persons Service.

The main information of interest is the wide centre column.
(See examples below)

 

I have attached three B103 sheets I have, What can you tell me from them? Or where do I need to look?

 

Think we have covered page one before so I will briefly go through it.

Infantry Training Centre North Staffs Regt

Lists of postings South Staffs Regt to Burton on Trent a number of periods of leave granted.

Transferred to South Lancs Regt

Posted to RASC Frodsham Cheshire

Changed Rank to Driver Darley Dale Derbyshire

Posted to Depot Coy No3 RASC Tansley Nr Matlock Derbyshire
UK. DER. Tansley (Holy Trinity) Churchyard

Posted as Driver to 1574 LAA Weybridge from 1577 HAA (not listed in ra 1939-45 website)

Embarked UK to Sicily Disembarked 13.7.43 * Read Invasion of Sicily on #20

Struck off Strength to xii (Sick) Transferred to 8 Convalescence Depot (xii)
Taken on Strength from xii
6 platoon General Road Transport Depot
Struck off Strength TOS 78 Coy RASC (Base Provision Transport) 12.6.44
Embarked CMF (Italy) 7.4.45

Disembarked BLA (British Liberation Army) 21 Army Group 9.4.45

Posted to 725 Coy 6.11.45

Posted from 725 Coy Taken Off Strength 6.11.45

Embarked Struck off Strength BAOR Class A Release 16.6.46

Will go through looking for significant dates & come back later.

Others may join in with more knowledge of RASC.

 

I have the RASC Order of Battle for Husky and its a lot more extensive than that single RASC unit. I also have the 78Div CRASC diary but won't have access to that again until the weekend if it was thought worth pursuing that thread further.

Graham

 

Outline of his Service abroad Campaigns and Dates.

Arrived in Sicily 13.7. 43
**See #28 above. hutt might be able to help about this period of his RASC Service.
Allied invasion of Sicily - Wikipedia
Allied invasion of Italy - Wikipedia
Italian campaign (World War II) - Wikipedia

7.4.45 went to North West Europe (10 months after after the Normandy Landings).

7.5.45 Germany Surrendered

21st Army Group
21st Army Group - Wikipedia
British Liberation Army
British Liberation Army - Wikipedia.
British Army Of the Rhine.
British Army of the Rhine - Wikipedia

He ended his Service there and came home.

I'm sure that you have questions to ask but at least you now have something to go on with.
Just ask
Good Luck.

 

Never read these books but it might help you to understand what he did.

A Waggoners War – an RASC driver in World War II


The Story of the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Corps of Transport, 1945-82
by D.J. Sutton

 

If Graham aka hutt comes back, discuss editing the thread title
Suggest his number and name from his Service Record
T/5053132 Dvr Beirne RASC

add tags: RASC, Sicily, Italy, 21AG, 78 Coy

This makes it easier for researchers can locate it in future.
They might have things to add, .they can also privately contact you by Start a Conversation on your
Mikey B Avatar ID page. The message will be notified on your personal email address.

 

Hello Graham, Thanks for the reply. The information you suggest looks very interesting. what can I get from it?

Mike

 

Thanks for all the help. I take the point about looking at individual items line by line causing confusion. And yes there will be a lot of questions arising but I need to think what those questions are!! I am happy to rename the enquiry as you have suggested Uncle Target.
Mike

 

Just in case hutt doesn't return:

The Story of the RASC 1939-45
See #18 in the above thread Book has been republished.

 

Duplicated

 

Hi
I will be back. Hopefully later today. I've been transcribing the RASC Order of Battle which I think I'll post in a new thread and then add to this thread after that. Can't do any of this on a phone!

 

For a full listing of the RASC units involved in Husky, see the thread quoted above.

The OOB seems to tie in well with other sources I have seen but only the individual unit diaries are going to confirm if every entry is correct.

Now, looking at the posts above and the B103,

TBH I'm not 100% clear about parts of this but I think this is what I'm seeing

So, from 3 Mobilisation Center, possibly via 1577 HAA Regt Platoon which has a diary below that may be worth exploring as it could possibly refer to the transfer if only as a number or men moving out – I would try and get this diary 1577 Pln. WO 166/13236 1943 Jan.-July

Then On 20 2 43, posted to 1574 LAA Regt Platoon. The location of Weybridge is very plausible for an AA location (or RASC units serving AA Regiments) due to the proximity of the Vickers aircraft plant at Brookland Aerodrome and slightly further away, Slough and Windsor. This unit has a diary - 1574 Pln. WO 166/13233 1943 Jan.-May which covers this period.

Then the entry gets interesting. I’m reading the next entry as (coincidentally the same unit ‘number’) as 1574 Independent Amphibious Platoon RASC and then, embarking for Sicily on 25 6 43. The writing is very unclear, but the Husky OOB has a 1574 Indep Amphibian Pl mentioned on Page 6 and there is a diary - Royal Army Service Corps: 1574 Platoon (RASC) WO 169/12083 1943 June- Dec. which again is probably well worth obtaining that may corroborate this.

It appears he remained with them until 12 6 44 eventually ending up in 78 Coy RASC (BPT)

I have the 78 Div RASC Coy diary for 44 but will have to spend a little time to look through and will post in the next few days

Graham

 

Thanks for your help Graham, the information is fascinating. When you say you would "try to get the diaries" how do I go about that task?

Mike

 

Hi Mike

You have 4 options for obtaining teh diaries that I suggested may be worth reading
1). Pay Kew to copy them for you. Seriously expensive and definitely not worth considering
2). I could copy them as they fall within my sphere of interest and I'd be happy to do so but I have no immediate plans for a visit to Kew so unfortunately not an option.
3). Visit Kew yourself. Book a visit for specific day, add the references above to a document order, take along the requisite id to obtain a visitors pass (issued on the day) and read / photograph the document there and then.
4). Contact one of the forum members who visits more regularly who can also do this. I'm not sure who currently is most likely to be able to offer this service nor what they might charge (but it won't be as much as Kew!)

I've posted a sample page from 1566 Artillery Pl RASC to give you some idea of what these diaries could contain but they do vary a bit and some can be frustratingly thin,

Hopefully a friendly and more knowledgeable member will drop a suggested name into this thread.

I'll have a further look at 78 Div RASC diary to see what detail it has and report towards the end of the week (probably).

Graham

 

Anyone require War Diaries or other files from the National Archives?

found on #34 above