RA Service Records, help

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Jock2, Nov 26, 2012.

  1. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    I am researching my father's military career 1939 - 1946. He was hospitalised twice while serving in NA and ME and was hospitalised in both locations.
    71 General Hospital Nth Africa May 1944 and
    104 General Hospital Middle East February 1945

    I would welcome any information as to how I might find out about his condition during these hospitalisations.
     
  2. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi,
    I'm trying to research my Dad's military service and I'm a bit all over the place. I have his army number (from his army records) as 897480. However from the Forces War Records website I get a service number 4262713 any idea why the difference?
     
  3. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Jock,

    The 71 British General Hospital was at Barletta, Italy (not North Africa) from January to August 1944.

    The 104 British General Hospital was at Rome, Italy from July 1944 to 15 March 1946.

    His service records should state if he was wounded, otherwise they will usually just say he was hospitalised - no reason given.

    Hope this assists.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  4. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jock
    you have very little chance of finding out why your Father was hospitalised as the Medics
    always kept these things secret and the nearest you will get is an entry on his records that he was SOS his unit and TOS X(ii)- to 71st and 104th BGH....all very hush hush

    Cheers
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    If you have his army records trust them .
    I imagine FWR have the wrong person.

    PS. I moved your post from the army number block allocations thread.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 24, 2019
  6. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery


    Hello Jock

    897480 shows as "Royal Artillery (Field, Coastal & Anti-Aircraft) 1"

    4262713 shows as "Royal Northumberland Fusiliers"

    http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/tools/armynumber?query=897480

    regards
    Clive
     
  7. Roxy

    Roxy Senior Member

    Looking at the numbers and the list of British Army Numbers - available on the forum:

    897480 appears to be a Royal Artillery number

    4262713 appears to be a Royal Northumberland Fusiliers number

    Does that help?

    Roxy

    PS Drat. Too slow!
     
  8. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Jock
    I would go with the number on his Army records, the other maybe either he transfered to the Nothumberland Fusiliers or was posted when his unit was split up if it happened that way.
    or the person on the Forces War Records could be a solider with the same name as your father
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Makes no difference if he transfered , he'd have kept the same number.
     
  10. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi Steve,

    Really appreciate you taking the time to give me this info. There is a No. 4.44 or 4.4.4 next to the 71 Gen Hos but nothing fo rthe 104 Gen Hos. Have you any idea what the No. 4.44 or 4.4.4 might be?
     
  11. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

  12. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi Tom,

    Strange the only mention of SOS is in in Oct 1943. The entry reads; SOS MEF to BNAF This is seven months before he was admitted to 71 Gen Hos. Any ideas. Also there is a long entry in Fenruary 1943 which I have no idea what it means?: "AA Tng Team Posted X(10) to RA Tng Team 8 Army UA/L/S/F & CA/L/St" Have you any idea?

    Jock2
     
  13. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jock2
    All very odd - but the first one is Struck off Strength Mid East Forces to British North African force i.e Egypt to Algeria /Tunisia - the other appears to be a transfer from one Training AA team to another in 8th Army in Italy probably as an Acting Unpaid Lance Sergeant.....F & CA - not a clue but as a Lance Sergeant but usually referred as War Substansive (WS) Lance Sergeant - which means he was paid...and a free monthly bottle of Scotch.....!
    cheers
     
  14. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Jock,

    Could that be April 1944 (4.44)?

    Otherwise, no idea!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  15. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi, I’m new to this and I’m not sure how much I can ask. Here goes.
    I’m trying to understanding my father’s war records - obtained from the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow.
    He appears to have been part of the Unit 319/131 so I’m looking for any information about this unit.
    In addition, there are some abbreviation I don’t understand i.e.
    Posted to Drft RFHGW
    1. Embarked UK to TOS XL Fd in ME
    2. Disembark Egypt att RABD MEF
    3. CTBA Port ????
    4. Attd Gap 8 ACP wef
    5. Posted X(10) to RA Tng Team
    6. UA\L\S,F A\L\Gt
    7. SOS MEF to BNAF
    8. Adm 71 G.H. No. 4.4.4
    9. To x(2) 7 B.P.C
    10. Trans to 7x B.P.C
    11. X (1)
    12. X (2)
    13. Y list

    Can anyone help?
     
  16. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  17. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jock 2
    Thought I had done this the other day - however

    Drft RFHGW is merely a cod to allow the holder on board for shipment overses - without it - you go nowhere

    On board and taken on strength at Arty Base depot Middle East Force

    probably Port Tewfik
    posted to training team
    Acting unpaid Lance sergeant
    Acting Lance Sergeant
    Struck off Strength Mid East to British North Africa Force
    admitted to 71 st gen Hospital
    X2 = sick list
    Y = unemployed list

    know i've done this before
    Cheers
     
  18. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  19. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi Tom, You did do some of this in a slightly different format/context. Sorry I'm all over the place trying to master the website and dis cypher my Dad's records, which are very difficult to read. Bad photocopy and full of abbreviations - as I'm sure you know. Really sorry if I've inconvenienced you and really grateful that you took the time.
     
  20. Jock2

    Jock2 Junior Member

    Hi Tom, Me again. I'm having some success in dis cyphering my Dad's War Records (WR) but I'm still having difficulty with most of it. Is there a chance at all of you taking a look at them (1.5 A4 x sheets). If so, how do I attach them to a message to you?
     

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