Hi all, I came across the DAAG acronym in reviews of citations at the end of the war in the war diary of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, e.g. War diaries : T-15454 - Héritage I'm just wondering what such a person, or the Adjutant General, did? Was it basically a generic staff officer title?
From "Joint 'Q' Planning School" notes dated October 1943 (for translating British practice into US terms and vice versa). "The British General Staff falls into two main parts, one of which is referred to as the General Staff (G) and the other as the Administrative staff (A&Q). The Administrative Staff comprises those staff officers who represent the Adjutant General - performing the duties of G-1 in the USA - and the representatives of the Quartermaster General (Q) - performing G-4 duties." Further on the document describes an Adjutant General as having the same duties as a US G-1 (which consist of all matters pertaining to personnel as individuals), plus supervision of medical services in British HQs. I think we touched on the British staff naming conventions in another thread recently; in this instance Deputy Assistant would indicate the rank of Major. Gary
The British staff nomenclature was convoluted to put it mildly and I remember struggling to understand it as a young officer. I seem to remember that the DAAG was responsible for G1 matters at divisional level. At brigade level the appointment was ‘DAA & QMG’. It is entirely possible that I’m wrong as I’m trying to remember stuff from over 40 years ago!
You appear to be recalling correctly, as the Q school notes state; "The Brigade is an exception. The senior G staff officer co-ordinates by virtue of the fact that the administrative (including supply) plan must be based on the operational plan." There is something in Progress Bulletin Inf about the staff positions at Bde HQ having amended titles during 1944, with the Staff Captain getting a bump to DAA&QMG. This was to bring Bde HQ into line with other fmn HQs where the principal AQ and F (fighting?) staff officers were the same rank. There was a separate post for the DAAQMG when the Inf Bde was part of an Armd Div. Gary
At Division Headquarters. The DAAG was responsible for all personnel matters including - reinforcements - medical services (with the Assistant Director of Medical Services) - spiritual welfare (with the Senior Chaplain) - graves - pay - discipline (with the Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal) - maintaining the A&Q diary - traffic control (with the Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal) Mike
