Help needed to understand Service Record - 9th DLI

Hi all, new here - and have picked up heaps of info already - so thanks!! I have just received my fathers service records and have managed to 'translate' a lot of the acronyms,but having no military knowledge at all, I'm struggling a bit and am hoping some of you lovely people can help me out?

Firstly, would really love to know the 9th's movements in NWE from 3/1/45 - 1/5/45, my dad was only with them four months before getting shot (doh!), I'm sure he said he was wounded in the Netherlands - but would love more detail on exactly where he was and what they were doing (as with many, he'd never really talk about his experiences). I believe I can go check the war diaries at Kew, but if anyone has any info in the meantime, I'd be grateful. He was wounded 7/4/45.

OK, so stuff I can't understand from the record itself (sorry it's a bit of a long list). I've put the bits I need help with in bold/italics and have included some of the other details for context:

Great start, during training he went AWOL for 2 days and his award was 8 days CB.
31/12/44 he was posted to Draft RXFMK,
31/12/44 also posted 44 RHU (44th reinforcement holding unit?) TCS X4 List.
7/4/45 Wounded to X/2, also written as X(II).
21/4/46 Posting from 'Y' list to 4HBN possibly holding battalion?
29/1/46 Posted to 93 Polish Repatriation Ctr. This was in the UK, any ideas where this was, or where I might get more details?
10/3/46 Detrained at Villach, I CRO (or CRU terrible handwriting) GTD MED ALLCE
29/8/46 Posted to 370 PW Camp. Again, any help with where this was located and where I can get more detail would be great.
29/8/46 Adm 20 Garr Gd Room under c/a on to X3 list
18/9/46 Released to 5 Transit Camp X4a list, here and what would this be?
1947 - Naughty tinker again, 21 days detention under Sect 40AA for 'being in possession of property belong to an SEP

Feb 1947 he was sick and admitted to 154 BGH. I can only find references up to 153 BGH. BGH I believe is a British Gen, Hospital. Any ideas where 154 BGH was or where I can check?

Aaand finally! Apparently he had a temporary promotion to U/L/Cp & P/L/Cpl. Any ideas??

Thanks for reading my ramble. Any help or pointers in the right direction anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. Look forward to hearing from some of you.

Jane

 

Hi Jane,

I think you'll find that the folks on this forum will find out far more for you if you post the actual documents.

The 154th General Hospital was an American hospital based in Swindon. WW2 Military Hospitals | WW2 US Medical Research Centre

U/L/Cp & P/L/Cpl are Unpaid and paid Lance Corporal. BBC - WW2 People's War - War Stories of an Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal

C/a is Close Arrest.

SEP is Surrendered Enemy Personnel. Surrendered Enemy Personnel - Wikipedia

CB is Confined to Barracks.

Regards,

Dave

 

Thanks dbf, that's great - makes a bit more sense now x

 

Thanks Dave, having probs with my scanner at the mo but will try to upload when I can x

 

Name and number ?

background info

North West Europe 44-45


Kyle

 

Thanks Mr Jinks, that's great info. My Dad was Horace C Lucas, No: 14760274. This info is really interesting as we were always under the impression (either told wrongly or misunderstood) that he was wounded in the Netherlands, where this clearly puts him in Germany. The info mentions the different Companies of the 9th, is there any way of knowing which company a soldier belonged to if its not on the record?

Thanks
Jane

 

Hi Jane,

The Company is never on the record and you would be very lucky to find it, That said this is your lucky day . I checked with the former member who runs the site I linked to and he confirmed you had not been in contact to ask any questions regarding your father? I took the liberty of asking the questions for you;- Reply below

additional info added 16;28hrs

Kyle

 

Thank you so much Kyle, that is awesome!! I'll get in touch with the former member on the other site, if he has nothing else regarding my dad, at least I can give him some photos etc for the site if he wants them. We do know Dad got shot in the left shoulder approx. 1 inch above the heart by a sniper. In the front, out the back and blew his shoulder blade apart. I asked him what happened and all he would ever say was "I guess I just didn't duck down far enough!".

Next stop, the war diaries and the other stuff at the Archives, I feel a road trip to Kew is on the horizon.....

Thanks again, your time and help is really appreciated.

Jane x

 

Hi Jane

If you aren't near Kew, we have forum members who can copy diaries for you at a very good price. Many members have used them.

Andy
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?members/drew5233.6786/

Lee
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?members/psywar-org.2876/

Lesley

 

Aw thanks Lesley, I'm on the Cheshire/ Merseyside border so that may be an option! My brother is a bit closer in Birmingham and he does go to Kew a lot (he's a military aviation writer), so I'll give him all the info I have so far - it's gonna be part of his Xmas present - and see what he thinks is do-able in a day there and maybe go together in the New Year. If he thinks it's too much, will defo get in touch with these guys.

Thanks so much

Jane x

 

I`m sure he will be delighted to receive your fathers photographs and anything else you can tell him, I`m sure he will have copies of the original sources where he got the information from perhaps he can send you copies?

Kyle

 

Hi Jane ,
I work as a researcher at the DLI Archive at Sevenhills , Spennymoor , Co Durham where we have all the War Diaries / Histories / books etc on the DLI including of course 9 DLI . We would be very happy tp help if you would like to contact me i can facilitate that . We would of course be very interested in any info / photos you may have regarding your Dad .

Research, study and education - Durham County Council

Best regards

Paul

 

Hi Paul

That's great! Do you have a work email or should I just drop you a line through the link for your attention?

Jane

 

Hi Jane ,

I,ve sent you a pm ,

regards

Paul