Hello ... I've been charged with putting together some information about my grandfather's WW2 service record in the UK (I'm in Australia). I have copies of some records (one of which I've attached) and I can't make any sense of a lot of it despite much searching. I'm hoping someone with much more experience of deciphering these records can help me. My grandfather, Fred Humphries (T/160890), was a driver in the RASC. He joined up in February 1940 and one of the few things on his record I can work out was that he 'embarked in the UK on 10/12/42' and then 'disembarked in North Africa on 21/12/42'. This was after he'd been to a number of places in Kent and Buller Barracks in Aldershot for what looks like NCO School (?? which I can't find out much about). The document also mentions the 276 General Transport Coy. RASC but I can't find any information about that online. What I'm really keen to work out is the information underneath the Disembarked ... it looks like "Gtd (which I think means 'granted') SPP wef 1/1/43 (I think wef means 'with effect from'), but I can't find what SPP means. And then it says "re-designated to 2?6 Corps Transport (I think) Company ..." but then I can't make out the next couple of lines - the ones that mention ICCS S.O.S this unit (?) and posted to x(ii) [something, something]. I saw in a (very helpful) list of abbreviations that x(ii) means evacuated on medical grounds or awaiting transfer to a hopsital ... Anyway, that's enough from me. If anyone can work out any of the remainder of the document, that would be super. I really appreciate all the information I've gleaned from this site over the last few weeks. Regards, Sharon
Sharon, RASC units are notoriously difficult to research and handwritten records difficult to read. I am fairly cofident of the following: Taken on strength 276 General Transport Company with effect from 7/4/43. Admitted to 1 Casualty Clearing Station. Struck off strength this unit and posted to x(ii) 8/7/43. (This indicates he was in hospital.) Mike
RASC background: Research the History of the Royal Army Service Corps From: Buller Barracks Aldershot From: https://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=10368&p=0
Hi Sharon, 276 Company War Diary (Nov 42 - Jun 43) Reference Number held at TNA: 276 Coy. | The National Archives Someone at TNA can send you copies but at a price. I would try Tom OBrien on this site first as he may have the diary already? Regards Bruneval
Hello Sharon, Here's my interpretation of your document: 27.3.40. Reigate [Surrey]. Rank: Driver. Posted to No. 5 Troop Carrying Company from No. 175 Company RASC. 19.4.40. [Surrey]. Rank: Driver. Promoted Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal. 19.4.40. Cheriton [Kent]. Rank: Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal. Ceased Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal. Appointed [unreadable] Acting Lance Corporal. 19.5.40. Cheriton [Kent]. Rank: Acting Lance Corporal. Attached to 1st Queen’s Westminster Regiment. 28.5.40. Sellinge [Kent]. Rank: Lance Corporal. Ceased attachment 2nd Queen’s Westminster Regiment. 1.5.41. Langton Green [Kent]. Rank: Lance Corporal. Promoted Unpaid Acting Corporal. 1.5.41. Aylesford [Kent]. Rank: Unpaid Acting Corporal. Promoted Acting Corporal. 3.2.42. Aldershot [Hampshire]. Rank: Corporal. Attached to NCO School, Buller Barracks. 30.4.41. Aylesford [Kent]. Rank: Corporal. Promoted War Substantive Corporal. 10.12.42. UK. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC. Embarked. 21.12.42. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC. Disembarked. 11.4.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC. Granted Special Proficiency Pay with effect from 1.1.43. [SPP normally granted after 3 years’ service] 7.4.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 Corps Transport Company RASC. Re-designated to 276 Corps Transport Company RASC. 8.7.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 Corps Transport Company RASC. Admitted to 1 Casualty Clearing Station. Struck off strength this unit and posted to X (ii) list [comprises all ranks evacuated on medical grounds beyond RAP (Regimental Aid Post)]. 20.7.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. X (iv) list [comprises all unposted reinforcements and incoming reinforcement drafts]. Taken on strength 6 Battalion from X (ii). 8.8.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 6 General Reinforcement Training Depot. Struck off strength to 104 Tank Brigade Company*. 8.8.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 104 Tank Brigade Company*. Taken on strength from 6 General Reinforcement Training Depot. The Part II orders, which refer to a unit's personnel postings, promotions etc, would have long been "weeded". The National Archives have a war diary: WO 175 - War Office: Allied Forces, North Africa (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War Subseries within WO 175 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS Subsubseries within WO 175 – Companies 276 Coy. Date: 1942 Nov.- 1943 June (Edit: Too fast for me Bruneval!) There may be other war diaries for this unit but I haven’t found any. Regards, Richard * Edit. 107 Company, not 104. See posts # 15 & 16.
I CCS was based in Tunis in August 43. I only have the pages for that month but if you were particularly interested then it may be worth getting a copy of the previous couple of weeks. It won't name the men passing through but there are monthly summaries giving general and in some cases, (where exceptional) the detail of what medical situations they were dealing with day to day.
Thanks Bruneval ... that's very helpful. I'll track down Tom O'Brien and see if he can help me. Regards, Sharon
Oh my gosh Richard, that's amazing. Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to decipher the document. Thanks also for the link to the National Archive. I see that many of the documents aren't yet digitised - what a massive undertaking that will be - but someone else mentioned Tom O'Brien so I'll see if he can help me. Thanks again, Sharon
Hello again Sharon, Did you say that your grandfather was in Italy in your other thread? (Post now deleted) If so, here are diaries for 1944 and 1945. WO 170 - War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War Subseries within WO 170 - ITALY Subsubseries within WO 170 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS WO 170/2478. Companies: 276 Coy. Date: 1944 Jan.- Dec. Subseries within WO 170 - ITALY 1945 Subsubseries within WO 170 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS WO 170/5728. Companies: 276 Coy. Date: 1945 Jan.-Nov.
Thanks so much Richard. Yes, Pop was in Italy - he arrived there sometime after September 11, 1943 and before February, 1944 (I have photos of him from both places with the dates on the back). Would you happen to know what the badge is that I'm using for my avatar? I've found info saying it's associated with the 1st Army and with the 8th Army, but I haven't found anything else. Do you know if these were worn and if so, on what part of the uniform? I also have two tigers on a red background (in a circle) - I'll attach the image - in case you or someone else knows whether they're anything to do with the war. Thanks again, Sharon
Sharon, Your avatar is indeed the 8th Army badge. White shield with yellow cross. It was worn on the upper sleeve of uniforms but only by units serving directly under army headquarters. Units used the sign of the division, corps or army to which they belonged. Tigers usually indicate an Indian unit. Mike
Sharon, The tiger badge is the British Army South Eastern Command. Most likely worn prior to being posted to 276 Coy and embarking for North Africa (8th Army). Regards Bruneval
The Tiger cloth patch belongs, according to this seller's site to: From: WW2 Period South Eastern Command Formation Cloth Badge. in WWII formation signs
Hi Sharon, Apologies for slow reply, but I've been away from home for a few days and then struggling to catch back up. Unfortunately I don't have any of the war diaries for 276 Coy RASC at all. I'm hoping to get to Kew (UK National Archives) at some point this year but it definitely won't be until the summer at least. If you haven't found another way of getting the diaries I'd be happy to look into getting at least one of them for you. Remind me in June or July and I'll add 276 Coy to the list and see what I can do. Looking again at Richard's post - was he actually in 104 Tank Brigade Coy in Italy? Edited to add: 104 Company RASC was actually a Divisional Transport Company which served in NW Europe so I would hazard a guess that this is actually 107 Company RASC. Edited further to add: 107 Company RASC (Tank Brigade) - July - December 1943 - WO169/11741. Royal Army Service Corps: 107 Tank Brigade Company (RASC) | The National Archives Regards Tom
Having another look at the record I agree with you Tom. It's 107 not 104, the handwriting is not too neat. 107 Company RASC was in Italy in 1944. See: WO 170/2434. Companies: 107 Coy. Date: 1944 Jan.- Dec. Richard
