RA Service Records, help

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Jock2, Nov 26, 2012.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  2. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    In the Unit column, my Dad's war records start with him in the Royal Artillery 319/131 then after he disembarks in Egypt Oct 1942 the entries in the unit column change to e.g. XL Fd, X10 Can anyone help? Does anyone know what these entries mean. Many thanks if you can help I'm going around in circles trying to understand my Dad's war records.
     
  3. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jock2

    Scan the appropriate record sheet and post it here.

    Ron
     
  4. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

  5. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi Ron,

    I'm not at all experienced in participating in the forum - thread so I dont know where this reply to your suggestion to attach the appropriate sheets from my father's war records will end up. I hope you see them.

    Thanks for your suggestion - I really need to understand my Dad's wartimw experiences.

    Jock2
     

    Attached Files:

  6. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

    My first thought was Fd is short for Field and the XL was roman numarals, i.e. 40 If I'm correct, but there wasn't a 40th Field regiment?
     
  7. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Hi Jock
    A quick look

    1939 enlisted 131 Field Regt RA
    1940 attached 130 Field Regt RA
    attached 129 Field Regt RA - (all these 3 regts are Div Arty of the 15th (S) Lowland Division).
    1941 attached 111 Field Regt RA
    attached to RAOC
    1942 sent to depot RA Gunnery School
    1943/1944 sent to RA Training Regt with 8th Army CMF - on

    Hope this helps a bit
    Best
    Rob
     
  8. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Thanks Rob, really appreciate this. Have you any idea what the XL/Fd means?

    Jock2
     
  9. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi RemeDesertRat, Thanks. It seems to be a bit of a mystery as to what XL/Fd means. Have you any other ideas?

    Thanks again, Jock2
     
  10. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    X is an old artillery code for: change to...
    It's probably just a change back to a Field Artillery Listing for him, from the Training Regt, would'nt get too hung up on it.
    Best
    Rob
     
  11. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi all, any info at all about 131st would be great. I'm trying to research my Dad's war experiences. He started out with the TA in Glasgow in 1939 and was posted to 131st. Was in Nth Africa/ME from July 42 then, i think in Italy in 45.
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Here's all the regiments war diaries, I checked for battery diaries to but there isn't any. If your man went to Italy I suspect it may have been with another regiment as these were in Normandy from June and then Holland from October 1944. Looking at the 1945 and 1946 ref numbers (WO 171) they suggest the Regt. stayed in NWE for the duration of the war and after. I'd also say the he didn't go to NA with 131 either as the regiment was in the UK (WO 166) in 1942.



    WO 166/1543 131 Field Regiment 1939 Sept.- 1941 Dec.

    WO 166/7028 131 Regiment. 1942 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 166/11290 131 Field Regiment 1943 Jan.-Dec.

    WO 171/992 131 Regiment 1944 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 171/4843 131 Regiment 1945 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 171/9079 131 Regiment 1946 Jan.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  13. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Andy that begins to clarify matters. The war records show 319/131 from April 1939 to April 1942. Then my Dad's records show, 'posted to RA Depart Woolwich Draft RFHGW. This is then followed by his regiment and field battery changing inch from 319/131 to XL/Fd followed by, Embarked UK TOS XL/Fd in ME.
    Have you any insight into what all that means please?
     
  14. RosyRedd

    RosyRedd Senior Member

    Hi Jock.

    The X(iv) means he was away from his main unit - and usually seems to indicate training.

    This a War Diary Reference for 52 Section RAOC found using the Arcre - War Diary Search Engine:

    WO 166/5367 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS: SECTIONS: 52 Section. 1941 July - Dec.

    Another forum member (BFBSM), has posted this info about 52 Section RAOC:
    47. COURSES

    ...will attend a Trade Course at 52 Section R.A.O.C., Bramley, Hants on 7 Jan 42. On successful completion he will be compulsorily transferred to R.A.O.C.

    (http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/473137-post152.html)

    The Depot where he was posted to in 1942 would most likely have been where his draft, RFHGW, was held until embarkation.

    The convoy WS21 sailed on 30th July 1942. There is a site here with WS convoy info: WS Convoys in World War 2 - the 'Winston's Specials'

    Hope that helps a bit.

    Jules.
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Could the XL be roman numerals for another regiment? If so that would make him 40 Field Regiment? ME can be used for Middle East but it's noramally MEF with the F being Force.

    Cancel that theory-there wasn't a 40 Field Regt in WW2 according to RA 1939-45 Field Regts Index
     
  16. Bluebell Minor

    Bluebell Minor Junior Member

    There is an excellent unofficial site 131st (City of Glasgow) Field Regiment Royal Artillery which contains transcriptions of the Regimental War Diaries from June 1944 (D Day) to their disbandment in Lubeck in January 1946. The Regiment appears to have been always part of 15 (Scottish) Infantry Division and therefore unlikely to have been part of the Italian Campaign.i
     
  17. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Andy that begins to clarify matters. The war records show 319/131 from April 1939 to April 1942. Then my Dad's records show, 'posted to RA Depart Woolwich Draft RFHGW. This is then followed by his regiment and field battery changing inch from 319/131 to XL/Fd followed by, Embarked UK TOS XL/Fd in ME.
    Have you any insight into what all that means please?

    The 319/131 Looks like 319 battery of 131 (Lowland-City of Glasgow) Field Regiment.

    As Andy pointed out, there was no 40 Field Regiment in the Second world war. Are you readign the record correctly? XI./Fd Regiment i..e 11th field Regiment were a regular artillery regiment that formed part of the 4th Indian Division in Italy.

    One aspect which concerns me is the use of Roman rather than arabic numerals. A Regiment might decide to refer itself as XL rather than 40 or XI rather than 11, but why would the clerks in soldiers records know or care? Is there anything that would place him with the 4th Indian Division? I wonder if the XL might refer to an abbreviation of some form of holding pool?
     
  18. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi, not sure if I refer to you as Sheldrake. Anyhow if you have the time if you go to the first Royal Artillery page you will see another thread I posted - I still haven't got the hang of how this all works yet - this other thread is a few entries down from this one and is headed XL Fd X(1), X2. I attached my fathers records in this thread. You might be able to make out the abbreviations from theses attachments. I would be grateful for any insight. Thanks.
     
  19. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Jock2,

    Someone has already answered that, and someone with more understanding for the codes and remarks on a soldiers record than I have. I have no idea what No 7 BPC but it doesn't look as if he returned to a field unit.
     

Share This Page