Hi Just trying to get info on my dad Sgt Albert Ernest Longmore 2622919 123 Ind. Ord. Sub. PK 23rd Indian Division SEAC I think he ended up as a RSM and stayed on after 1945 for a while I know he was in the Grenadier Guards to begin with and want to know 1.Why he ended up in India (can't see any Guards in India/Burma) 2.Was he in ordnance? If so what would he have done 3. What is a sub park or whatever the letters stand for? 4.ANY additional info anyone could give me. Regards Ann
Hi Ann and welcome. I hope these links help for starters 23rd Infantry Division (India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) There is a 23 Ordance mentioned in the Divisions Orbat which is Field Park-I think this may be your PK? History and Commanders of 23 Indian Infantry Division [British Commonwealth] Fighting Cock: Being the History of the 23rd Indian Division, 1942-1947 at BiggerBooks.com - Doulton, A. J. F., 9781843424628, History By the title of the book and the Division emblem you can see the division was called the 'Fighting Cock' 23rdind Untitled Document Some info about the Indian Army Ordnance Corps Regards Andy
Welcome to the forum Ann, Have you applied for his Service Records yet? See here>> Service records - Army Also I suggest contacting the GG at Grenadier Guards Regimental Archives Wellington Barracks Birdcage Walk London SW1E 6HQ England Tel: 020 7414 3221 They should be able to tell you about his time in the Guards. Maybe he just got fed up with being a Guardsman and felt like a change.
Ann from Anthony, welcome. I can't help very much but I was in an Indian (Gurkha) Brigade of 23 Indian Division and one of my books gives the followng,"55 Ordnance Field Park IAOC (23 Div Sub-Park 1944, 123 Sub-Park 1945) (1942-N0v1946)" November 1946 was when we left Java and returned to Malaya and the Division became a part of Malaya Command. By this time all release groups up "46" would have returned home. This may tie-in with other information you'll collect. Good luck. Anthony.
Thank you everyone. I have looked at the info but i dont know what a field park or sub park are so can anyone enlighten me? I live in Australia so any info from the Guards will take ages and cost a packet in Australian dollars...our currency seems to be in freefall !! Is it possible to find out if dad was in Imphal....he did mention Poona and Jubulpur Ann
If no one can help on here I ref Field Park/ Sub Park etc. You may try asking a Austrailian Military Museum like a Logistics one if you have one down there
I've pinched this from the rather wonderful Trux models website. It relates to Corps within 21st Army Group in NWEurope but the basis idea is there. This is their website :- Home CORPS ORDNANCE FIELD PARK The reference for a Corps Ordnance Field Park is War Establishment table III/289/1 with an effective date of December 1943. The role of the Corps Ordnance Field Park was to hold stocks of weapons, vehicles and communications equipment and spare parts or assemblies for them. In many cases these were items which were too bulky or specialised to be held by the Divisional Ordnance Field Park. Although it was a Corps unit it was allocated on the basis of one Ordnance Sub Park per division and the Sub Park followed the division if it moved from one corps to another. A Corps Ordnance Field Park consisted of - a Headquarters - a Corps/Army Troops Sub Park - an Infantry Division Sub Park for each infantry division in the corps - an Armoured Division Field Park for each armoured division in the corps The basic organisation for planning assumed that a corps would consist of two infantry divisions and one armoured division. However there were sufficient sub parks for there to be one per division and the allocation was flexible. Each of the Sub Parks had the same basic organisation - Headquarters - No 1 Section holding complete armaments, signal, wireless and engineering equipments and small arms. - No 2 Section holding spares and assemblies for MT, armament, signal, wireless and engineering stores and small arms. - No3 Section holding replacement technical vehicles and trailers. Headquarters of a Corps Ordnance Field Park Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Officer 2nd Class Captain for regimental duties Subaltern, Ordnance Officer 4th Class Warrant Officer Class I clerk for RAOC duties Company Serjeant Major for regimental duties serjeant for regimental duties corporal clerk for RAOC duties corporal clerk lance corporal driver mechanic lance corporal despatch rider 2 X clerk 2 X driver mechanic batman batman driver 2 X despatch rider Attached telecommunications mechanic REME Transport 3 X motorcycle 1 X car 4 seater 4 X 2 1 X car 5cwt 4 X 4 jeep 1 X 15cwt GS 2 X 15cwt water 1 X 3 ton 6 X 4 GS as Office Corps/ Army Troops Sub Park Headquarters Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class serjeant clerk for RAOC duties serjeant clerk corporal clerk lance corporal driver mechanic clerk 2 X driver mechanic batman driver 2 X driver IC 2 X general dutyman motorcyclist 2 X regimental dutymen sanitary dutyman water dutyman Attached corporal cook ACC 3 X cook ACC Transport 1 X motorcycle 1 X car 5cwt 4 X 4 1 X 15cwt GS 1 X 15cwt water 1 X 3ton 4 X 2 battery storage 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 Office 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 GS for deliveries 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 Crane No 1 Section Staff Serjeant Clerk for RAOC duties clerk for RAOC duties corporal storeman 4 X storeman, technical driver IC motorcyclist The storeman include 1 for armament 1 for engineer stores 2 for signal and wireless 1 for small arms Attached electrician REME telecommunications mechanic REME Transport 1 X motorcycle 1 X15cwt GS 2 X 3 ton 4 X 5 stores, binned, Type S 2 X 3ton 6 X 4 GS for Vote 9 stores No 2 Section Subaltern, Ordnance Officer 4th Class Warrant Officer Class II Clerk serjeant clerk for RAOC duties 2 X corporal clerk for RAOC duties 3 X lance corporal clerk for RAOC duties 7 X clerk for RAOC duties Staff Serjeant Technical Storeman 2 X corporal technical storeman 4 X lance corporal storeman, technical 18 X storeman, technical driver mechanic batman driver 8 X driver IC motorcyclist The storeman include 3 for armament 2 for engineer stores 11 for MT stores 6 for signal and wireless 2 for small arms 1 for general and clothing Attached telecommunication engineer REME Transport 1 X motorcycle 1 X car 5cwt 4 X 4
Thanks again...the info on the field/sub parks helped a lot...now i have to try to find out if 123 ord sub park 23rd indian division were in Imphal....maybe someone was there too or their dads Regards everyone Ann
Would be worth asking on the Burma Star website. Burma Star Association - War Against Japan - Burma Campaign
Just an update......for all those kind people who were so helpful Got my dad's details from U.K....VERY QUICK AND HELPFUL and FREE as my mum requested them...can't get much better than that!!!!. I think I have solved the problem of how my dad ended up in India after joining the Guards....apparently he must have been very sick in 1943/4 as he was in and out of hopspitals/ convalescent homes etc and then put on the "Y" list.....correct me if I am wrong but I believe that meant he could be re deployed to any unit...in his case the RAOC A couple of extra questions which someone may be able to help me with: 1. Is there any list of military hospitals/ records etc so I can try to find out what was wrong with him? As far as I know he was in the following hosp...which may give a clue a. Caterham Mil Hosp b. Hindhead Conv Centre c Aux Hosp Hassolwry Park d. Shiley or Hinley Mil Hosp e. Milit Hosp Caterham 2. What does RSWZZ mean? 3. Are there any lists of troop ships to and from India which I could cross reference with the dates he went to and from India?
