Hi All, I am looking into my Granddad's service history and was hoping I could get some help deciphering some parts of it. I never met my Granddad as he passed away long before I was born and his WW2 service was something he never discussed with my Dad. I have found a digital copy of his record in the National Archives (Albert Thomas Bermingham service number - WX20296) and have attached parts of it. Of particular interest to me is from July 1942 on-wards. What does "DO" stand for in the "From Whom Received" and "Place of Casualty" columns? What does "Trade Grouping" mean? Any idea of the kind of activities that "Classified Intelligence Duties" may entail? Is it common to have a gap of 12 months with nothing recorded in the record (7/11/42 to 1/11/43)? What duties did Field Security Sections perform? Any help with the above questions or any other information of interest would be greatly appreciated.
What does "DO" stand for in the "From Whom Received" and "Place of Casualty" columns? Basically "Do" is an abbreviation of ditto - or "as above". Most clerks used the " symbol instead as seen on the form. Everything on the one page happened in Perth. Is it common to have a gap of 12 months with nothing recorded in the record (7/11/42 to 1/11/43)? - Very common, if his status didn't change then there is no need for an entry. He wasn't promoted, attached or ill during that time so nothing to report. What duties did Field Security Sections perform? - Hard to quantify, I would suggest searching the NAA for the words Field Security Section - it provides 98 individual file headers covering a range of activities. While you are at it, seach the AWM collection for Field Security Section - 214 photographs etc. Adding 33 to the search narrows it down to 4 photos - your GF could be in one of them as they were taken in NG (Rabaul, New Britain) in 1945 This should make it easier to spot him (searched by surname) - JACQUINOT BAY, NEW BRITAIN, 1945-06-16. CPL A.T. BERMINGHAM, FIELD SECURITY SERVICE, HQ 5 DIVISION. http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/093208/ By the way, looking at his ww2roll entry - funny mis-spelling of his town of birth. TARARALGON instead of TRARALGON
Brilliant! Thanks so much for your help. Will pass links to the photos on to my Dad, he'll appreciate it greatly.
Hi Here are some links to the AWM about Field Security Sections http://www.awm.gov.au/search/?q=Field+Security+Sections+&submit= so look through them and see if you can find any relevant information, try googling it as well, it comes up with some other countries information. Also for trade grouping - http://www.awm.gov.au/search/?q=trade+grouping&submit= a few things to hopefully help regards Robert
Did I read somewhere on this forum that Australia have all their war diaries on line free of charge? And the website Trove, I think its called, covers newspaper archives.
Hi Some WW2 are - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm52/ I think most WW1 are. As for Trove, brilliant site for searching newspapers, have a go with his name. regards Robert
Hi, Thanks for sharing the service record. Any idea what your grandfathers enlistment occupation as "Bogger" means? Steve Y
Hi, Thanks for the information. I think the corresponding UK term in the same WW2 period - at least for coal mines would be "hewer". You see a lot of generic occupations listed as coal miner but there were/are a multiplicity of different roles underground. Regards, Steve Y
The full role of FSS is defined in the "Manuel of Field Security-1943" but there are earlier references in FSP (Field Security Police) memorandum from the early days pre-Intelligence Corps when FS was a Corps of Military Police function. In basis though when in barracks FS sections conducted physical and documentary security. When deployed they conducted black list recovery (arrest of senior enemy political, military and counter-intelligence) personnel, preliminary interrogation, captured document review and exploitation, and when in static positions the development of human intelligence sources - "agent handling". Key to FS was language skills, most FS personnel spoke perhaps 3 or more languages M