Help please to decipher Dad's war record

I’m trying to decipher my father’s WWII military record, and hope that someone can help.



This link to his documents
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kgups2g8d2v16or/Nkdq8FtFH-?m


He was George Arthur Harvey born 30 November 1921. His service number was 10555836

He served with the Essex Regiment. He enlisted at Woolwich 19 June 1941, and was placed in the ROAC No. 1 Training Battalion
He embarked for India 16 March 1942.

I thought he had spent most of his time in India, but by the look of his record he was there for 2 years and 2 months, then spent the remain 2 years and eleven months back in the UK
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I don’t know what the document that I have labelled page one and page two are called
As to the Statements of service, I would like to know what the abbreviations in column one and two mean.
Looking at column two I think he went into the No. 1 Training Battalion ROAC.
Underneath this, is written in a different hand what looks like ‘Must Instrument Mech’
Then I think his unit was 66 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regimental Works.
And underneath that is Embarked India (serial 32596), this is difference to his army number

It was surprising to read that he had been admonished twice for going AWOL, and was ‘detained’ the second time. 100 Sandhurst OCTU. Is written alongside that in column two. He forfeited several days pay on each occasion, but the abbreviation ‘RW’ puzzles me.
On his Service and Casualty Form he is at times on the ‘Y’ list.
He was in several hospitals, most of which I can read the names of, but the one at the beginning of page two escapes me completely. As does the one immediately below the stamp of the HQ static Workshop REM.
When he enlisted he was a private, then a corporal, but I do not understand what the abbreviation CFN as his rank is
I have a few precious pictures of him that were obviously taken in India

 

Hi and welcome, CFN is craftsman, a reme rank equivalent to private. I'll have a look at the records and see what I can decipher.

 

I'm having trouble viewing the records on my tablet, can you post them on here?
The more people who can view them the more help we can give, look in faq for a how to.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. I'm not very computor savvy so it will take me awhile to figure out how to add them. Are they better in an album or individually?

 

individually, I think. Like this seems to be the most popular way.

I think the problem with dropbox is you can't zoom in? maybe I'm doing something wrong?

 

Mustered as Instrument Mechanic.

RW is the legal instrument used in forfeiture of pay ie: By Royal Warrant (RW)

 

Hopefully They will come through

 

Thats better, I see he was an instrument mechanic on enlistment. Transfered to REME on 1 oct 1942, this was the date REME was formed, it was common for RAOC men to be transferred to REME.

 

Seems to have been attached to AA regiments, because of his skill as an instrument mechanic perhaps? They must have had complicated ranging instruments?

 

I can see the AWOLs, but not "detained," at the bottom of one page I see "100(5) OCTU RAC" which I read as "Officer Cadet Training Unit Royal Armoured Corp"?

 

Thanks.
Oh if only he was here for me to ask, and the list of questions is growing, I remember him begin very good with his hands. Do you think it would be possible for me to find to where he was stationed during his years back in the UK?

 

Message removed

 

The detained is my interpretation of the '10 days detention' mentioned at the entry dated 20/11/44. It looks too as though he was demoted from corporal back to CFN at that time too. I remember that he was very good with his hands.
Would it be possible to find out where he served during his years back in the UK?
All this raises more questions. If only he was here for me to ask.

 

Do you think it would be possible for me to find to where he was stationed during his years back in the UK?

As he was with the RA mainly, a good place to start is: Royal Artillery 1939-45

Click on Units and look up the AA regiments he was with.

 

Sorry about the doubling up on the replies, it didn't look as though my post had not posted.

 

[FONT=&quot]Hello, I've a question about some of the words and the abbreviation used on my Dad's record.
On his Service and Casualty form 16/4/45 he was admitted to a hospital, but I cannot decipher the name, the entry also says he was posted E Y List
There is also mention further on in his record about him being posted to Y lists.
Not sure what a Y lit is, but it does seem to be something to do with him begin unwell
[/FONT]

 

I think it is Connaught Hospital

 

Thanks

 

Dolphin

the "Y" list is the unemployed list - happens if a man has been in hospital - and is not claimed from a transit camp etc - he will be placed on a "Y" last as opposed to the "X" list which is for sick - hospitals - transfers etc

Cheers