Hi folks, Just got my grandfathers records, and have decoded quite a bit using the abbreviation guides on this forum. Im trying to work out what AC12652/42 means. The reading is this -: "Classified as driver i/c (Tracked) grade "A" on 20th July 42 in accordance with AC12652/42" He was with 16 I.T.C at the time which I think was in oxford. He was being trained for the Hampshire regiment, and it seems although with 16 I.T.C he was in colchester for that particular training. I have attached the original entry. Many thanks.
Looks more like ACI 2652/42. This says ACI = Army Council Instruction. Abbreviations for British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Management of Defence (Armed Forces) War Office: Army Council: Instructions | The National Archives As for 16 ITC it gets mentioned on this old thread. Infantry Training Centre No.3 No. 16 Infantry Training Centre at Oxford (R Hampshire Regt, Oxford & Buckinghamshire LI), formed 14 Aug. 1941
Thank you kindly very interesting. What exactly where Army council instructions? Were they a set procedure for doing a certain task? Thanks.
I think that's basically it, yes. I believe that Army Council Instructions were issued regularly (weekly? fortnightly? in wartime) to govern how the army worked; they were carried out via Army Orders. They appear not to have been public documents, at least originally, according to a Hansard entry dating from the time of their creation. I have to say that's pretty much all I know, and it relates to the WW1 period; however, as Owen has quoted above, it seems to hold true from 1916-1964. I've copied the bit below (from here) as it seems to give a flavour of the wording and detail of ACIs in WW2, though I can't say if it's truly representative or not: The Army Council Instruction No. 241 of 1940, dated 14th March, 1940, reads as follows: Special Orders for Sentries Guarding Vulnerable Points. Questions have been raised as to the duties and responsibilities of armed sentries guarding vulnerable points, and in order to remove any possible misunderstanding as to their position, it has been decided that all orders for sentries guarding vulnerable points will be amended forthwith to include orders to the following effect: Any person approaching a post will be challenged– ‘HALT WHO GOES THERE’ The sentry must be perfectly certain that his challenge is given in the loudest possible manner–so that even those who may be dull of hearing can have a chance of responding: ‘FRIEND’ If a person who is challenged in this way does not halt, he will then be challenged again by the Sentry– ‘HALT OR I FIRE’ If a person does not halt after this warning, he will be challenged once again in the same manner. If he does not halt, and if no means are available to stop him, it is then the duty of the sentry to use his rifle and shoot–aiming low to hit but not to kill. The sentry must remember that it is his duty to stop a person from advancing further should he fail to respond to the challenge and warning. If a person can be stopped in any other way, for example, by calling to the guard to assist, then the sentry will not shoot. The sentry must use his intelligence and sense of responsibility as to whether he will shoot or not. At night or in a thick fog, a sentry must not allow himself to be rushed and he must be well on the alert, more so than in daylight, and ready to take such action as is necessary to prevent any person who refuses to respond to his challenge and warning from approaching his sentry post further. Os. C. units or stations who are responsible for issuing orders to sentries guarding vulnerable points will take immediate action to comply with these instructions.
"Classified as driver i/c (Tracked) grade "A" on 20th July 42 in accordance with AC12652/42" Rather than being a procedure for a task, this ACI sounds to me like it probably would have defined the various grades, i.e. which grade was qualified to drive whatever vehicle. ACIs are essentially like a set of best practices to ensure everyone is administrating and conducting tasks to the same standard and in the same way.
Good stuff. As far as I know he used to drive a Bren gun carrier or universal carrier. Ive attached a picture from his album of a crew and a bren gun carrier. I dont know if this was his crew, or just a picture he took of other soldiers.
Sandy I found an entry fitting regarding the content "Grading of Drivers I.C.", but number and date are different. It is 2562 of 1942 (not 2652), and more important, it appeared on 5th December, 1942 (so more than 4 months later than the classification you mentioned). Anyway! A.C.I. 2562 of 1942 "1. In order to assist Os. i/c records in the posting of recruit drivers, male or A.T.S., drivers will be graded as follows on completion of training at driver training units: - Grade "A" - Drivers capable of taking charge of a vehicle immediately on posting to his unit. Grade "B" - Drivers who passed the drivers' test, but who require further tuitionin units before being put in sole charge of a vehicle. 2. ... ... 7. ..." Aixman
Thats brilliant Aixman, it all helps to build up the picture of what he was actually doing. I suppose its possible the officer filling in the record just wrote it wrong (2652 instead of 2562). Where did you find that information by the way? Many thanks.
And yes, originally A.C.Is. appeared once weekly, but with a war going on, they appeared twice weekly, with many additional specials. Kew knows it all: WO 293/24 (1939) to WO 293/34 (1945). Content is about many subjects: Ranks, appointments, uniforms, weaopons, ammunition, vehicles, technical issues regarding equipment and machines and so. Also, one can find some other not too interesting items (taxes ...).
