Hi, Thanks to everyone so far who has helped me in my quest to research information about my father, Reginald James Giles who served with the 8th Airborne Battalion during WW11. He died when I was very young so obviously this makes my research that more difficult. I have previously uploaded some photos to which I had a great response when seeking info. I now after a long wait have received a copy of his Service Record. I wonder if anyone can help me make sense of it as there are all sorts of abbreviations etc that I can't make sense of !! I've attached some of the relevant pages here and I'd be grateful if anyone could provide any insights. I am particularly interested in the events around D Day and if the record gives any indication of where he may have flown from etc. Also I have a photo of him (previously uploaded) that show's him in Burma in 1945 any info around that deployment would be great. I have uploaded everything I was sent so hope it makes some interesting reading for you experts out there. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer Bill
Jackal 12 If you were to read all of the forms in date order your will soon understand most of this record main thing to recognize that he was promoted very early in his career and was A/U/Lcp = acting unpaid lance corporal - then again for Corporal again for sergeant finally as War Substansive Sargeant the Y list means unemployed - X(ii) means sick list..X(iv) means waiting transfer etc - he shuffled around a bit in NWE - India and Mid East..but it's late here so I shall have another go in the morning I did note he lived in Northfield and was a body finisher - probably at Longbridge with the Austin coy... Cheers
Hi Tom, Thanks for your initial thought and comments. You are obviously used to reading these type of documents as I find them difficult to make much sense of ! Thank you anyway and look forward to anything you or anyone else can add Best wishes Bill
Hi Bill Not sure I can add much but you are obviously interested in what happened around D-Day, so I've picked out the info from the service record to see if anyone can help. Must admit it's not very clear to me what happened between the dates and exactly where he was, and there doesn't seem to be any clues as to where he flew from. It's not really my area of 'expertise' as such but maybe the Airborne chaps will be able to give some insight what 8 Para were doing around that date. Emplaned (Field)-not sure where to exactly on 5/6/44 ) Dis-emplaned " date not known) 8 Para Btn (Field) SOS -struck off strength (of the unit) 21 AG - Army Group on evacuation to UK 8/6/44 Y List. Admitted No 4 Canadian General Hospital No LS??? Europe and posted to Y List A UK 8/6/44 Posted to X (iv) List 18/8/44 Lesley
Hi He also took part in Op Varsity the Rhine crossing as he is shown emplaning and dis emplaning in NWE in March 1945 the dates of the operation. Cheers Arnhem
Bill, If you go to the Database menu at the top of the forum page, there is a link to abbreviations and acronyms which should tell you what most of the abbreviations are. Did you not get a large printed list of abbreviations with the service record?
