Hi there, I'm new to this but am trying to work out where my grandad William Hitchcock served during WW2. I know he served on merchant ships on the Arctic run but no idea how long for. I'm also sure I remember seeing a group photo of him in shorts wearing a fez. So did he serve in north Africa at any point? I really can't make head nor tail of this service record and wonder if anyone can help me decipher it with a view to pinning down where he served and for how long. Many thanks, Karen
What you have is his tracer card, what you really need are his official service records only available from the MOD. His attestation is here:
Whoops...sorry I thought this was a Service Record. So he would have a full Service record with the MOD then? I'll need to look into applying for it. Thanks Tony.
Hello and welcome Karen, He was a Maritime Royal Artillery D.E.M.S gunner from 1941 until at least 1944. His service record is certainly where you should start but be aware it won't tell you what his sea-going service was on DEMS unless you get his maritime card from the MOD. These cards are difficult to get hold of at the moment but please make a point of asking for it when you apply for his service record. Can you tell me if he was born in 1913? If not when and where would help me. Regards Hugh
Thanks Hugh and yes I'll apply for his Service record and Maritime card to see what i can find out. He was born 10/03/1913 in Thornton Heath (Croydon) Surrey. It's all the initials and abbreviations that I don't understand!!! What does D.E.M.S stand for? Karen
Thanks Karen, I am not entirely sure about this but I think the MRA maritime cards are probably in the process of being transferred to TNA Kew over the next few years so you may not get it unless you get someone who is prepared to look for it. I thought for so long those cards had mostly not survived but it looks like the MOD were lazy, IMHO, about attaching them to the service records or maybe unsure of the relationship of Maritime Royal Artillery and seagoing records. Anyway, no maritime card and you will be struggling without Merchant Navy records to fall back on as all D.E.M.S. signed on the ship as part of the ship's crew under her master. I need to do some more checking but I will get back to you tomorrow if I can find out some more for you. Regards Hugh
Thanks Hugh! In the meantime going back to the initials on that tracer record. I worked out L.A.A stood for Light Anti- Aircraft. But can you tell me what the initials RAAOQ and BAOR stand for ? Thanks, Karen
RAAOQ is a Draft code and doesn't stand for anything. Draft recognition codes. BAOR = British Army of the Rhine. Tim