Records received possibly missing pages

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by dkwilliams, Jun 11, 2015.

  1. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Hello

    I have just received my grandfather's war record. I was quite surprised as it has only taken 4 weeks, I was expecting 6 months plus. My grandad served from 1940 to 1945 in North Africa then Italy as a driver with the RASC. We have his medals and service book, and also a few photos.

    The service and casualty form I received has a covering form (name, DOB etc) then three pages detailing his service. The first is from 18/10/1940 to 02/08/1941, the second then starts with an entry from 25/02/1943 so it looks like there is a considerable gap. Is it worthwhile contacting the MOD and asking if they have the missing pages or is it likely to have been lost?

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  2. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Darren

    More than likely they will give you the short answer - BUT still contact them - they might surprise you

    Cheers
     
  3. hutt

    hutt Member

    Darren

    Would it be possible to post up the pages. My father was also in the RASC in North Africa through to Italy and I'd be interested in seeing them. The number of pages does sound a bit short though, we had about a dozen pages. The service book may also contain some useful information.

    Graham
     
  4. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Thank you for the quick responses. Yes I'll gladly post them once I have them scanned in.
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  6. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Thanks Ron, that gives me a good idea of what I might be able to get, fingers crossed!

    I've photographed rather than scanned my grandad's service record but hopefully the quality is still good enough to read. There are a few more pages such as his personal details and a general report, but I think these are the important bits. The first three show his service from 1940 to 1946 with a considerable gap from August 1941 to February 1943, The first entry for 1943 reads 'Failure to comply with DVR's standing order No.2' and he was docked 1 week's pay. Does anyone know what standing order No.2 was?


    The fourth jpeg shows his record of service paper which also has a gap between August 41 - February 43. So I'm wondering whether this is a summary copied from his service record at the time, thus indicating that his records for that period were lost even back then.

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28735]

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28736]

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28737]

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28738]


    Further to this, I do know that he was injured at some point (shrapnel in his elbow I think which required a stay in hospital). What I'm wondering is if this affected his pension and this part of his records were sent to the veteran's agency? Only mentioning this because I've seen other posts where this has been the case.

    If anyone can tell me anything about 'C' or 144th Tanks Transporter Company, that would be great, but I may head over to the RASC forum for that. I do know that 144th were at Alamein, and he mentioned being there as well, but it would be nice to know when he moved from C to 144th, or other companies in between.
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi

    In my fathers case there was a gap in his records from June 1942 until June 1944, I phoned the records office and the lady was helpful, saying they would double check and let me know. They sent me a an email and a letter saying that they had checked again and sent everything they had in his record file. So it could be that you have all they have, but call them on the phone number supplied in the covering letter and ask them to re check.

    TD
     
  8. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Thanks Tricky, I will give it a go.
     
  9. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    TD,

    I had the same Problem with my fathers records which had some very large black holes. I recontacted the records Office and they later informed me that they had retrieved the records from the Archive once more and I had a copy of all pages.

    Disappointed to say the least.

    However knowing that he was in a specific Recce Squadron I was at least able to trace some of his movements when I was able to look at the War Diaries.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  10. hutt

    hutt Member

    Hi

    I am sure that someone more knowledgeable will come along but I would assume that the 'Failure to comply' entry is recording that he was in some way not adhering to the requirements of the 'Standing Orders for drivers of mechanical vehicles'. These were to be carried (and complied with) by drivers at all times. I am guessing that he simply could not produce the booklet when required at an inspection!

    I think this booklet has been posted onto the forum before but here is a copy for interest.

    See the second image for what I assume is standing order No2 (ii)

    Graham
     

    Attached Files:

    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  11. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Thanks for providing that. 7 days pay seems a bit steep! It's great to expand on the details such as this. For instance he told my mum that he was hospitalised due to a shrapnel wound in his arm. There is an entry for December 1944 which reads "sos xii on adm hosp" which is more than likely this event.
     
  12. Brian Smith

    Brian Smith Junior Member

    Hi Graham, the standing orders make interesting reading, do you by any chance have the missing pages, I think on vehicle07.jpg.

    Thank you Brian
     
  13. hutt

    hutt Member

    Brian

    Ooops, thanks for pointing that out. Checking, I seem to have completely lost or deleted 'vehicle07' as it is not even in any backups so I must have inadvertently trashed it almost immediately it was scanned.

    Fortunately the booklet is in my possession rather than back at my mothers so I will rescan and post it back up early this coming week.

    Graham
     
  14. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    I'm having trouble tracking down anything about 144th Tank Transporter Company (abbreviated to 144 T.T.Coy on my grandad's records) however I have found records for RASC 144 Company (ie without the Tank Transporter designation) here:

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C961848

    I'm assuming these are the same company? Is there any reason it's not consistently referred to as 144 Tank Transporter Company? Or are the Company types sometimes dropped?

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  15. hutt

    hutt Member

    Missing pages (10 & 11) now uploaded.

    Graham
     
  16. Brian Smith

    Brian Smith Junior Member

    Graham, many thanks Brian
     
  17. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Can anyone help with this entry?

    Dated July 1945, there is an entry "98 GT Coy - SOS to X SRC"

    Given that this is post-hostilities, and his next entry states "Emplaned for UK (& ?} SOS of CMF", I'm guessing that X SRC is an X list for personnel awaiting a flight home? Does anyone know what the SRC stands for?

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  18. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Difficult to say if it is just an administrative shorthand.

    Could be a list for Special Reserve Company or Supply Reserve Company, but just best guessing at the Moment.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  19. hutt

    hutt Member

    Darren / Tom
    My fathers service record came with several pages of abbreviations. Special or Supplementary reserve looks a good guess. See DSC09401.jpg below

    Darren,
    There are also a couple of entries in your posted service record that are not clear. Is there any chance you could rescan with the main text a bit larger? There are some similarities with my Fathers record.

    Graham
     

    Attached Files:

  20. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Graham

    Thanks for those, that would make sense.

    My mum has got the hard copies at the moment, but I'll try and re scan at the weekend and also upload some photos of my grandad taken during the war.

    Thanks

    Darren
     

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