(John) Raymond Slattery 5733979 – REME Service Record – Help Deciphering Units & Postings

Hi all,

I’ve recently received my grandfather’s 19-page Army service record from The National Archives and I’m hoping someone may be able to help me decipher it.

His details are:

(John) Raymond Slattery
Service number: 5733979
Born: 20 November 1922

He initially served with the Dorsetshire Regiment before transferring to the RAOC and then REME.

I’m particularly trying to work out the exact units he was posted to and the dates of each posting. Some of the handwriting and abbreviations on the service record are proving quite difficult for me to understand.

I’d really appreciate any help transcribing the relevant entries as they are written, and explaining what the abbreviations and unit names mean.

I’m ultimately hoping to build a chronological timeline of his service and use the unit details to locate the relevant war diaries.

I’ve attached the main pages containing his postings and movements.

Many thanks for any help,
Jonathan

 

Abbreviations can be a problem. See the resource on: Updated WW2 abbreviations & acronyms

You went where the Army needed you and your pre-service skill set could be ignored.

His name and number have not appeared here before.

 

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the partial record.

Forum member Trux may be able to assist you with an insight into his role as part of a REME Beach recovery Unit in Normandy 1944.

Steve

 

Hello Jonathan,

Here’s my attempt at his service record’

17 Feb 1941 Enlisted in The Dorsetshrie Regiment.
18 Feb 1941 Posted to the 70th (Young Soldier) Battalion.
May 1942 Passed Basic Electricians Course RAOC at 10 (Glasgow) Technical Training Group.
9 Sep 1942 Mustered as Electrician Learner Group E .
24 Sep 1942 Transferred to Royal Army Ordnance Corps and posted to 11 Technical Training Centre.
1 Oct 1942 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) was formed into which he was transferred.
12 Oct 1942 to 4 Jan 1943 Electrician Course Group DF. Passed. 11 Technical Training Centre REME.
Jan 1943 Posted to 1st Battalion REME.
14 Mar 1943 Embarked for North Africa.
23 Mar 1943 Disembarked North Africa and posted to 12 Base Workshop REME.
12 Jul 1943 Posted to 20 Beach Group REME.
4 Mar 1944 Embarked for UK.
17 Mar 1944 Disembarked UK from Central Mediterranean Force (Italy) and posted to Stewarton, Scotland.
Redesignated 27 Beach Recovery Section.
5 Jun 1944 Embarked UK and disembarked North West Europe (NWE) 10 Jun 1944.
10 Oct 1944 Redesignated 877 Lines of Communication Heavy Recovery Section.
31 Oct 1944 Posted to 898 Lines of Communication Troops Workshop.
16 Mar 1945 Posted to 943 Port Workshop.
15 Jun 1946 Redesignated 120 Sub Workshop.
28 Aug 1946 To UK.
29 Aug – 23 Oct 1946 Release leave.
24 Oct – 30 Nov 1946 Overseas leave [one day for each month of overseas service].
1 Dec 1946 To Reserve.

Richard

p.s. For a more comprehensive list of abbreviations than that listed above may I suggest Abbreviations & Acronyms