Army Service Record Abbreviation - A.C.

Hi
Can anyone help shed some light on a term I have come across in an Army Service Record from June 1943?
The recruit was a 30 year old pre-war bricklayer who was enlisted into the Territorial Army, the front page of his service record confirming that he was enlisted " for the duration of the Emergency under the provisions of the National Service Acts 1939 to 1941". He served in the General Service Corps for 6 week, before being posted to the Yorks and Lancs and then permanently attached to 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters. He served in the Far East and in Germany before being discharged on the 24/11/1946

I expected the Period of Engagement section on his Service and Casualty Form to read Duration of War, but it reads A.C. which I understand means Army Contract.

Can anyone explain what AC means in relation to his enlistment and service? Did he volunteer for service as a tradesman or would he have been conscripted and subsequently sent to where he was most needed as was normal during the War?

Thank you
Mike

 

Hi Mike

I've had a look around the various abbreviation translation documents to try and help you out, but can't see anything similar for AC=/=army contract.

Would it be possible for you to post a image/screenshot of the doc that mentions it, as sometimes seeing the context of what else is on there can help to pin down what they mean. It might also help if you can find that same phrase repeated elsewhere in his docs.

From personal experience, it seems like often abbreviations were unique to the person/unit compiling the notes!

Cheers
James

 

The site I rely on: WW2 Abbreviations and Acronyms | Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers has two possibles for AC: armoured car / Army Class.

 

A .C. = Army Code (Publications) Philip Jobson Royal Artillery Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

 

Hi Mike. My dad has AC in block 4 of his discharge form. I am pretty sure that means Air Corp. He was an Air Crew Member in the AAF, as noted in block 31.
cheers

 

The same 2 letter code stamp is used on Army Service records (B102) so don’t think it’s Air Corp(s).

There are a number of stamps used on the B102 Index Cards beside written entries. I always assumed they were code for post war Ministry of Labour use and not necessarily put on the form at the time the man was serving.


Steve

 

AC = Army Class
See Suspected error on service record

Richard

 

Am not familiar with the Ministry of labour, as it is not a US department. And it is a Typewritten entry for Service or Department.

 

That explains it. OP is enquiring about a British abbreviation not US.

British, Canadian, Australian, NZ (all British Empire forces) used similar army forms and abbreviations but US forces had their own way of doing things.

 

No problem. We are only separated by a common language.