My dad served in the R.A.V.C from September 1939 until 1945. I have his records, see below, and I have translated most of the acronyms. However I would like to know where all these units were so I can track him in to Italy and finally to Graz where he was discharged. He was injured twice in accidents not Enemy Action . I would like to find out details of these injuries if possible. Specific Questions Page 2 12/7/42 Ceased to be Attached 163 T ??? (undeciphered word) Page 3 3/4/44 Transferred to 4 ??? O.O.S He was also Granted special proficiency pay for which I would like the details " Classified for wartime proficiency pay under A.O. 175/39 Para 2(c) w.e.f 19.6.40 " thanks Paul Moore
Paul, On Dad 2: 3/4/42 Disembark Suez (Egypt) - likely to have circumnavigated Africa to get there 4/4/42 Posted Veterinary Hospital 28/5/42 CMVS? (See 16/9/44) 5/1/43 94 Sub-Area HQ 0/3/43 Posted 3 RS Remount Section, see Wiki entry 0/3/44 Posted 4 London Field Ambulance NT in WW2, tried 4th too 00000 83 General Hospital (sometimes abbreviated British General Hospital BGH) in Italy then (link below) 18/4/44 54 General Hospital See: Hospitals WW2 - Scarlet Finders mainly in Italy see: Hospitals WW2 - Scarlet Finders On Dad 3 16/9/44 Posted Cav (Cavalry) Mob (Mobile) Veterinary Section (possibly CMVS) See: WW2 Abbreviations and Acronyms | Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers 18/7/45 To UK Wiki helps to provide context and what RS is: From: Royal Army Veterinary Corps - Wikipedia
Hi thanks for your interest and taking the time to reply to my post. My Father did indeed circumnavigate Africa and he called in at Cape Towns and Aden before disembarking at Suez . As I said I have already deciphered most of the entries and understand all the acronyms , except the specific entries I mentioned in the thread. I wondered if you have looked more closely at the entries I highlighted and have you any suggestions for interpretation ? . On the 5.1.43, the entry "attached HQ 94" etc there is a word between attached and HQ that I cannot decipher. I still don't know what on "163 T ???" in the entry on 12.7.47 means. lastly why he granted special proficiency pay, any further help you provide would be appreciated. Regards P.Moore
Hi, You won’t find official details of his injuries as MOD don’t release that information. Your “163 T” may be 163 Transit Camp. “Attached HQ 94 etc” - the missing word is sub area. A geographic area of the country under army rather than civil control. Men usually received SPP automatically after 2 (or perhaps 3 years service) but I expect as he had a skill on enlistment he qualified for it much earlier - think it was 3d a day. Think Dave’s 4 London Field Ambulance may be 4 Cdn (Canadian). I haven’t used the forum search facility or done any Google searches on my suggestions. All based on looking through literally 1000’s of B103 over the years. Steve
Paul, A bit more time and 94 Sub-Area HQ is a military area HQ. In December 1942 it was in North Africa (location not id'd). See: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1021292/document/4345332.PDF At one stage in a deception operation using Canadian assets their local admin was by (4 Sub-Area. See pg. 17 in yes, a Canadian document: https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/mdn-dnd/D63-4-179-1947-eng.pdf In August 1944 it covered Salerno. See pg. 417 for a diagram / chart in one of the Official British History volumes: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edit...++"Headquarters"&pg=PA417&printsec=frontcover
Hi thanks . "163 T camp" I think is definite . I will try and find out about this , I wonder if he was in transit because at some point he went to Italy or was it the animals? I am not so sure about " sub" that means the entry would read " Att sub HQ 94 sub area" to my eyes the first "sub" is completely different to the word "sub" clearly written 2 words later . it looks like fap, or sap to me , have you any further thoughts. On the ambulance I agree it looks like Cnd , have you any Idea what O.O.S means. Paul
Hi Thank you so somewhere in North Africa , My Dad , a skilled horseman, Stableman rider , was transferred to HQ 94 for a month , I wonder why.
Sorry Paul I didn’t have downloads open as I typed my reply on my phone. Your FAP will mean For All Purposes - ie pay, rations, allowances & discipline etc. I’ll have to download the images again re your O O S query - which page is it on? Steve
Hi just to say thanks for the hospital link, that is really fantastic as I now have actual places where he was. rather than just units. hi page 2 near the bottom
Entry reads Posted X 2 list on adm to 4 Cnd Fd Amb " trans to 4 Cnd O.O.S " the Cnd is best attempt . I agree that it is likely to be Canadian its only O.O.S that is lacking , ps know what x2 list is and ta for fap Paul
Hi, Your O O S is actually C C S - Casualty Clearing Station. Men often passed through a Field Ambulance to a Casualty Clearing Station and then on to a General Hospital if required. Members with an interest in Canadian forces and knowledge of sources at Heritage Canadiana or LAC such as Temujin may be able to assist you further with War Diaries that may give a unit location. It’s unlikely your father will be named. Steve
Paul, You asked: I might be as simple as a need for manpower (which became even more of an issue later in North Africa and Italy), even a favour or request for someone to look after a horse etc. My understanding is that very few horses were in Egypt for R&R.
Thank you everybody who contributed , as I have now fully translated his B103 form. I understand that each unit he was in would have had a war diary . How can I find out where they are ? I have tried searching the National archives but to no avail. I wondered if the RAVC had its own archive Regards
Spotted in the Wiki source list a short four pg. RAVC history: A short history of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. Their museum is within: Uncover the hidden stories of our healthcare heroes
Based on the references in the document, https://abujildeh.com/archive/mIn_and_Around_Haifa.pdf I would think that X marks the spot for where Transit camp 163 was!
And if I had read the last page of the document I would have seen an 80 year old map confirming that X indeed marks the spot.
