Abbreviations

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by Gaudet, Nov 6, 2007.

  1. TrueBlueAngel

    TrueBlueAngel Member

    Thanks, I'll look into that. Does DO just mean driver operator? It's listed in the C section as well as the D (place of casualty) so could DO be a destination too?
     
  2. TrueBlueAngel

    TrueBlueAngel Member

    Thanks, is there an easy link to find The Times online casualty lists?
     
  3. RCG

    RCG Senior Member, Deceased

    I have had time to have another look at the records page and this is my interpretation of it, right or wrong.

    Pte Charles Frodsham 169108.
    Serving in RASC. In the MEF. Middle East force at 13 BSD. Base supply Depot.
    Possible around Egypt area. There he Passed TT (Technical training) exams and became Storeman Class C grade 3 Assistant Quartermaster only. 22nd May 1943.
    Previous to this he had been on leave 15th May 1943. Not known, if this date is when he went on leave or when he returned. 9 could mean the days of leave he had or the rate of H/R/M which I believe is Higher messing rate. A form of pay.
    Between the 22nd May 1943 and the 16th of June he had been attached to 8 BSD
    Then on the 16th of June he Ceased to be attached to 8 Base Supply Depot for other? assignment with effect from 16/6/43.

    <8 BSD seems to have been in El Kirsh / Ismailia halfway along the west bank of the suez canal. July 1945 it was disbanded into no 4 CRASC.>

    He was now back with 13 BSD. Then on the 30th of June he embarked for a destination unknown.

    <Even before the end of the Tunisian campaign13th May 1943 according to Gen Sir H Maitland Wilson the C in C of MEF. Middle East troops were already training and equipping troops for the invasion of Sicily as planned at the Casablanca Conference.>

    So am guessing that 13 BSD was now moving north to be ready for the invasion of Sicily which started 9/10 July 1943.
    Now with Sicily taken and the invasion of Italy about to start 3rd Sept 1943.
    13 BSDs job would have now been completed, they would be moved back to North Africa.
    Which is borne out by the next line.
    28th of August. SOS Struck off service BEF.
    TOS Taken on Service BNAF. British North African Force.
    Admitted 23 General Hospital posted x 2. 10/12/43.

    Which was at Haifa; Bir Yaacov (Palestine) 11/40 to 12/43 then to (Sarafand Palestine)12/43 to 2/44

    Posted x 2 Means that he was on the x list which basically is a list of Soldiers, not available for duty, as far as I can make out 2 means detention.
    Then the next day he was reclassed Class A1 (d) wef 1/12/43 (missing 1 so poss 11th)
    A1 means he was fit (d) means he still had something not a 100% right.
    Although looking at reports D seems to mean unfit for any form of military service.
    Then on 18th Dec 43 he was taking off the x list and back to 13BSD.
    15th April 1944 SOS posted on x 2 list again admitted to Hospital
    22nd April 1944 TOS on discharge from Hospital (Not sure what the 555 is).
    More convinced now that the 2 on the x list means a injury not detention.

    6th May 1945 SOS to HQ 38 CMS e BSD
    Now as the 38 and BSD are in darker pen I don’t think that it was there originally so if we take it out we have.
    6th May 1945 SOS to HQ CMS e
    (line below) Taken on strength ex 13 BSD

    So I am thinking that he was SOS of 13 BSD sent to the Headquarters to see CMS (AD) is civilian Medical services (Army Dept). for an examination of his injury problems then once that was done he was TOS 38 BSD. (which I cannot find any info on).

    It is also noted that he is now with CMF = Central Mediterranean Force now.

    7th July 1945. SOS to X spec R/C X (8) list TOS 38 BSD

    This looks to me like it could be that he was put on a special rehabilitation course for his injuries. And the 8 in the x list means to be sent home.
    Now I believe that he received those injuries sometime between the 30th of June and the 28th of August 1943. As the other times that it is stated that he was in hospital was only for short periods.
     
    Charley Fortnum and dbf like this.
  4. TrueBlueAngel

    TrueBlueAngel Member

    Wow....Thankyou, you make it look so easy...lol. I do know that the 'Destination unknown' was Sicily as I have a separate document showing he was part of the husky force. I also know he had day surgery on his thumb while out there. But as a family, we do know he was shot in the arm. He just never told us when, so I'm assuming it was 1943. Thankyou so much for being so helpful. No doubt, I'll post more documents for help if I get stuck, hope you won't mind.
     
  5. LondonNik

    LondonNik Senior Member

    Deleted
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2017
  6. sjw8

    sjw8 Well-Known Member

    Cross posting from the R.E. thread for information.

    ...... C.M.D. & D.C.U. This is an intriguing one as there are several mentions of C.M.D. & D.C.U. in the forum and online (relating to No 11 C.M.D. & D.C.U.). There are two interpretations of this abbreviation:
    a. Command Military Dispersal & Dispersal Control Unit - as referenced in the description of badge(s) sold at auction and on E-bay. However I am disinclined against this one as the use of word "dispersal" twice is unusual to say the least.
    b. Combined Military Dispersal & Demobilisation Camp Unit - this is the description used by the auctioneers Bonhams and the one that I prefer, as Bonhams would have access to the best military experts, and the name does suggest a unit to manage the dispersal and/or demobilisation of personnel. In addition Aldershot was one of the biggest bases (camps) to accommodate the large amount of service personnel in transit following mass demobilisation.

    Regards
    Steve
     
  7. chi

    chi Member

    Hello I have just decided to try and trace where my father was during the war. I have not yet got his full service records, just his Soldier's Release Book. Trying to find out what 38 BSD meant, I came upon this thread and what struck me was how close his service number is to Private Frodshams: James Allan Bradley S/169092 and he came from Newcastle. He was a driver-storeman. Does this mean they may have joined up around the same time, in the same area or are the numbers pretty random? I think he was in Palestine and visited my aunt in Alexandria at some point and he was also in Italy. I also think that he was in Germany at the end of the war. My "knowledge" is very vague however. Does anyone out there have any information about this unit?
     
  8. idler

    idler GeneralList

    BSD is typically Base Supply Depot, so one of the major facilities in a theatre. I'm guessing he was Royal Army Ordnance Corps?
     
  9. chi

    chi Member

    No Royal Army Service Corps
     
  10. Clive Wiley

    Clive Wiley Member

    My Dad was in North Africa and he told me that he had to take a lorry back to Cairo to collect all their belonging that were left out of battle, He said LOB .
    When he got there it was all missing.
     
  11. Clive Wiley

    Clive Wiley Member

    pb8.jpg
    I have my Dads pay book and in it , it has 'Experienced DM. after a lot of searching I found an article in the Daily Telegraph with this .........................
    We were then ordered to remove masks and, at once, felt pain in the eyes, throat, nose and chest. We gasped for breath and hawked; our gums ached terribly – we just reeled about and wished we were dead. Then we were let out of the gas chamber and collapsed on the ground, trying to be sick and numbed with pain in our teeth, gums and throats. The after-effects lasted over a day – for a 'harmless' gas I felt that enough 'harm' had been done. But we all respected our 'gas masks' far more after that and, to ensure that we were not put through the gas chamber again during our military service, our service records were endorsed 'Experienced DM Gas Dec 41.' Of course, the density of the dose was much more than someone in the open would receive and we could not move away: but we had learned the lesson – gas was hideous and the mask essential.
    Britain at War: We gasped for breath and reeled about, wishing we were dead

    But it is not on his records
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2017
  12. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Good call on the DM gas. It's come up somewhere since as I remember digging this out:

    Adamsite - Wikipedia
     
    Clive Wiley likes this.
  13. Clive Wiley

    Clive Wiley Member

    Thanks it all makes sense now, before it looked like Driver Mechanic but I knew he wasn't.
     
  14. Anitas

    Anitas Member

    Leanmeanmo, my grandad was also RA 60/180. Could you get in touch please if you’re still receiving notifications from this post. Thanks
     
  15. MongoUK

    MongoUK Junior Member

    Evening all,

    Have a service record where they have passed as a driver mechanic II.

    It shows as "Passed as D/M "D" II - additional qualification . N.Y.M."

    Any thoughts what the N.Y.M. part refers to?

    Oh, also... what is the "D" part?
    Thanks all.
     
  16. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Not sure if posted before, but 402 pages of modern MoD abbreviations & Acronyms:
    (Just under 2mb .pdf)
     

    Attached Files:

  17. AJBonny

    AJBonny Member

    Thanks everyone, it's most appreciated
    AJBonny
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Richard Lewis

    Richard Lewis Member

    Thanks for posting the record, it helps.

    5202 P SQDN = 5202 Plant Squadron (mechanical plant for airfield maintenance and construction).

    10.W.SQDN = 10 Works Squadron (again part of the airfield construction organization).

    DIS EMB CONT = Possibly “Disembarked Continent”, although “Disembarked NWE” (North-West Europe) is more often seen.

    Richard
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  19. AJBonny

    AJBonny Member

    Fantastic guys, this is looking really good, thanks
     
  20. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Anyone able to tell me what the 54th LTT Regt was? The last line seems to state 54th LTR, i.e. missing one of the Ts. Can't find anything suitable amongst all the lists of abbreviations. Nearest I can get is that LTR is long term reserve but first line definitely states regiment. Light tanks? Training?
    He originally enlisted in 1929 for 6 years and had already seen service in Egypt and India, he was mobilised on 1 Sept 1939 having been in the Army Reserve.
    Grateful for any help.
    54LTT.jpg
     

Share This Page