Can anyone identify the unit

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by apjacko, Dec 28, 2014.

  1. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Hello can anyone help

    I'm trying to identify the unit my grandfather Samuel Jackson was in, I believe as he joined the war late as he would have been 33 in 1939 that he would have been in a supply unit something like the RASC but no one in the picture seems to be carrying any insignia unless he was undergoing training. The picture I use as my avatar is slightly better and i'm sure the badge on his hat is that of the RASC.

    I know very little of what he did during the war or for that matter when he joined, I don't even have his service number. The few things I do know is that he went in to Belsen and after that went over to Malaysia and Singapore, seems a strange direction to head after but heh what do I know, where unfortunately he contracted malaria and didn't leave until either late 46 or even 47 and even then came back to a hospital at Liverpool for over a year.

    Any thoughts are more than welcome

    Cheers
     

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  2. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Sorry didn't realise it had chopped the top of the hat off on my avatar.
     

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  3. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Welcome apjacko to the forum, the wealth of knowledge the forum has is fantastic. Good luck with your research.

    Lotus7
     
  4. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

  5. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Thanks for the welcome, yes I have applied for his service records 2 to 3 months ago so hoping they will be here soon.

    I may re-apply for them though as I've just realised I did not send the £30 fee, I was confused which next of kin could apply for free.

    The new application form is slightly different and asks for his Regiment/Corps which is why I have put the picture of his unit on this website hoping it will help with the application. I have now just realised there is something on the caps hopefully a unit badge unfortunately when I enlarge the picture any clarity disappears, I don't know if it is one of the later plastic badges or even some kind of ribbon. Hopefully one of the experts on this site can help me out.

    Cheers
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  7. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Thanks Owen, so you believe this is part of his six weeks basic training which is why they are wearing the General Service Corps badge, sounds very logical, again thanks for the answer, any idea where basic training would take place, would it be regional or done in a central place, he was from a small place called Whitworth on the outskirts of Rochdale.
     
  8. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Finally found out the unit is the General Service Corps (58 Primary Training Wing) and the place of training is in Perth
     
    Owen likes this.
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Glad my suggestion proved to be correct.
    <_<

    Is that info from his service records?
     
  10. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Sorry for the delay in responding.

    Yes Owen it was from his service records, which have finally arrived, it only took about 6 months. Now the fun begins trying to understand the writing, meanings and unit numbers.

    Thanks again
     
  11. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Look forward to your findings, hope you will be posting on here soon with what you find out.
    Good luck
     
  12. apjacko

    apjacko Member

    Thanks Lotus7 but there is not a lot i'm going to be able to tell you. His first year is quite straight forward as he's still in the UK, doing his driver and vehicle mechanic training and its quite open what he's doing and where he is which mainly seemed to be Wandsworth and Hackney. But then in September 1944 it changes and just says posted to 919 Company RASC then on the same date Embarked for BLA, the next listing is on 27/7/45, which just says sos x(8a) list and posting to the 2 Bn RASC ref. (PICKFORD) the next and final listing 2/10/45 says SOS & POSTED TO DRAFT RTPVS W.E.F. and Embarked for India, I do have something else that says 27/11/45, X 11 List. But then that's it and unfortunately most of that doesn't make any sense to me.

    The information I wanted to obtain from his records is where he went once he embarked for Europe and later for India, I remember hearing stories of the Netherlands also being one of the first British units in to Belsen and then later Burma and Singapore but the records say nothing of these place. I know for a fact he was in Singapore as the picture I use for my avatar says on the back Singapore 1946. I also know along the way he contracted Chronic Amoebic Dysentery and spent a lot of time in hospital, I believe he was sent home in may 1946 and spent the next 6 months at hospital in Liverpool before being discharged. Again the records say nothing of time spent in any hospitals.

    So what I was hoping for are the places he visited whilst overseas. Don't get me wrong I know it wont be glamorous or thrilling, he was only a driver after all but somebody needed to do it, and it would certainly be of interest to me.
     
  13. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    All soldiers were initially posted to the GSC after 1941; this is so they could be properly assessed as to their aptitude for employment. It was a major reform pressed by Sir Ronald Adam after he became Adjutant General. (It should not be confused with the General List for officers which was a convenient place to park people used for specialist jobs - several SOE male operatives were GL officers). After the GSC off to to-arm training. If he was a driver it suggests RASC.
     

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