Shown below is my working list of Military Establishment (ME) numbers associated with the SOE. It has been suggested, though I have no evidence, that MEs were used by "non-traditional" elements linked to the Services perhaps for accountability or logistics purposes. There does appear that Special Purpose Units (SPUs) carried ME numbers identical to the SPU numbering. There does appear that ME numbers may have been (re) used between theaters. Additions, corrections, comments would be welcome. ME 7 Boat Repair Facility, Scalloway, Scotland ME 8 Broadcast Station Mena, Levant ME 9 Communications School, N. India ME 10 Medical Supplies Packing Station, Bedfordshire, UK ME 12 Norway SFD 12 ME 16 W/T Station Gibraltar ME 17 W/T Station Lewwick Harbor, Scotland ME 20 Massingham Mission (ISSU 6) (Algiers) ME 22 Ardennes, France SPU 22 ME 24 Paris, France SPU 24 ME 25 Jungle Warfare Training Academy Horna, Ceylon ME 26 Hotel Cecil, Paris (Judex) ME 26 School of Jungle Warfare Trincomalee, Ceylon ME 28 Joint Radio R&D and Production Facility Stanmore, UK ME 27 EU/P Netherlands (Judex?) ME 31 Other Ranks Pool ME 32 W/T Station North Africa ME 37 W/T Station Malta ME 38 Fwd Hq, Cairo Mission Bari, Italy ME 39 Air Preparation Facility (Ringlet) (Tunis) ME 42 Rhineland, Germany & location near Brussels, Netherlands SPU 42 ME 46 Polish Training Facility near Cairo, Egypt ME 54 Air Preparation Facility Torre a Mare, Italy ME 55 Cairo Mission Egypt ME 57 Air Preparation Facility Brindisi, Italy (Torment) ME 61 W/T Station Torre a Mare, Italy ME 62 Force 133 HQ Cairo, Egypt ME 63 U/I Italy ME 65 Jedburgh Support Unit Milton Hall, UK ME 66 U/I facility associated with Cairo Mission ME 71 Jedburgh Support Unit Milton Hall, UK ME 73 Moscow Mission Moscow, USSR ME 74 Operation Remorse Facility India & China ME 75 Operation Remorse Facility India & China ME 83 W/T Station Mission 204, Kunming, China ME 84 D/Q (Propaganda) India ME 85 Field Broadcasting Units India ME 89 Air Dispatch Training Center India ME 90 Mahara Examination and Holding Center Mahara, Ceylon ME 91 Force 136 Propaganda Unit Arakan, Burma ME 92 Ghurka Force India ME 93 China Coast Section Hong Kong ME 94 Jedburgh Operations, SEAC India ME 95 Marine Research Training Center, SEAC ME 96 Holding Area Jessore, India ME 100 SOA HQ Melbourne, Australia ME 101 W/T Station Brisbane, Australia ME 101 STS 101 Poona, India ME 102 STS 102 Haifa, Levant ME 121 W/T Station Brisbane, Australia (?) ME 122 Special Boat School Fremantle, Australia ME 130 Czech Mission, UK ME 133 Air Liaison Section Ceylon ME 141 Eastern Warfare School Poona, India ME 143 Air Liaison Section, Calcutta, India ME 144 Group B Colombo, Ceylon ME 145 U/I Randar, India
Here is what I can contribute from the War Establishment (WE) view, giving everything “Military Establishment” except for a certain “Royal Air Force Staff College (Military Establishment)”. I do not know if each Military Establishment is connected to S.O.E. work. WEs are marked in the syntax “<volume>/<table>/<version>”. All WEs belong to volume VIII which is marked “not printed” for reasons of special secrecy when issued. The original pages are of very different quality, most on really bad paper with flaw typewriting, showing their age. This explains (partly) why sometimes the versions appear incomplete. Practically all War Establishments are marked “(Not an Army Establishment)” The first date (dd.mm.yyyy) gives the publication in the Army Council Instructions (A.C.Is.) – only the WE-No., of course, no title and surely no content - and the second date gives the effective date. Hope that helps. VIII/232/3 29.07.1942 09.07.1942 Military Establishment No. 7 VIII/232/4 08.03.1944 17.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 7 VIII/255/1-A1* 23.04.1942 28.01.1942 Military Establishment No. 8 VIII/255/3 10.11.1943 15.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 8 VIII/255/4 05.04.1944 24.12.1943 Military Establishment No. 8 VIII/256/2 20.05.1942 06.05.1942 Military Establishment No. 9 VIII/256/3 30.12.1942 10.12.1942 Military Establishment No. 9 VIII/256/4 18.08.1943 06.08.1943 Military Establishment No. 9 VIII/256/5 16.08.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 9 VIII/262/1 05.11.1941 21.10.1941 Military Establishments 10 - 15 (each) VIII/366/1 23.09.1942 08.09.1942 Military Establishment No. 10 VIII/851/1 13.09.1944 31.08.1944 Military Establishment No. 10 VIII/775/1 21.06.1944 09.06.1944 Military Establishment No. 11 VIII/825/1 09.08.1944 28.07.1944 Military Establishment No. 12 VIII/340/1 01.07.1942 11.06.1942 Military Establishment No. 16 VIII/340/2 11.11.1942 20.10.1942 Military Establishment No. 16 VIII/340/3 11.08.1943 26.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 16 VIII/364/1 02.09.1942 20.08.1942 Military Establishment No. 17 VIII/1035/1 18.04.1945 01.02.1945 Military Establishment No. 18 VIII/390/2 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 20 VIII/390/3 28.06.1944 21.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 20 VIII/782/1 28.06.1944 21.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 21 VIII/393/2 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 21 VIII/393/3 17.11.1943 23.09.1943 Military Establishment No. 21 VIII/880/1 04.10.1944 19.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 22 VIII/880/2 08.11.1944 19.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 22 VIII/897/1 18.10.1944 03.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 23 VIII/898/1 18.10.1944 03.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 24 VIII/455/1 31.03.1943 12.03.1943 Military Establishment No. 25 VIII/455/2 28.02.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 25 VIII/877/1 27.09.1944 08.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 26 VIII/878/1 27.09.1944 08.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 27 VIII/459/1 28.04.1943 15.04.1943 Military Establishment No. 28 VIII/459/2 25.10.1944 09.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 28 VIII/460/1 28.04.1943 16.04.1943 Military Establishment No. 29 VIII/460/2 07.06.1944 26.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 29 VIII/460/3 06.06.1945 25.05.1945 Military Establishment No. 29 VIII/464/1 05.05.1943 19.04.1943 Military Establishment No. 30 VIII/464/2 01.03.1944 19.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 30 VIII/509/1 21.07.1943 08.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 31 VIII/509/2 21.02.1945 01.02.1945 Military Establishment No. 31 VIII/494/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 32 VIII/495/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 33 VIII/495/2 17.01.1943 23.09.1943 Military Establishment No. 33 VIII/496/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 34 VIII/496/2 17.01.1943 23.09.1943 Military Establishment No. 34 VIII/497/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 35 VIII/498/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 36 VIII/499/1 07.07.1943 03.06.1943 Military Establishment No. 37 VIII/541/1 06.10.1943 15.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 38 VIII/541/2 15.03.1944 27.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 38 VIII/580/1 17.11.1943 01.08.1943 Military Establishment No. 39 VIII/542/1 06.10.1943 19.08.1943 Military Establishment No. 40 VIII/581/1 17.11.1943 15.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 41 VIII/925/1 25.10.1944 10.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 42 VIII/538/1 06.10.1943 21.09.1943 Military Establishment No. 43 VIII/538/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 43 VIII/539/1 06.10.1943 21.09.1943 Military Establishment No. 44 VIII/582/1 17.11.1943 15.07.1943 Military Establishment No. 45 VIII/587/1 24.11.1943 25.10.1943 Military Establishment No. 46 VIII/879/1 27.09.1944 06.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 47 VIII/588/1 24.11.1943 25.10.1943 Military Establishment No. 48 VIII/589/1 24.11.1943 08.11.1943 Military Establishment No. 50 and No. 51 VIII/790/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 52 VIII/790/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 52 VIII/739/1 17.05.1944 29.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 53 VIII/740/1 17.05.1944 29.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 54 VIII/740/2 02.05.1945 17.04.1945 Military Establishment No. 54 VIII/791/1 28.06.1944 29.06.1944 Military Establishment No. 55 VIII/741/1 17.05.1944 29.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 56 VIII/792/1 28.06.1944 15.12.1943 Military Establishment No. 57 VIII/742/1 17.05.1944 29.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 58 VIII/742/2 ** Military Establishment No. 58 VIII/793/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 59 VIII/794/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 60 VIII/787/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 61 VIII/787/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 61 VIII/787/3 02.05.1945 17.04.1945 Military Establishment No. 61 VIII/788/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 62 VIII/788/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 62 VIII/788/3 21.02.1945 01.01.1945 Military Establishment No. 62 VIII/788/4 02.05.1945 01.05.1945 Military Establishment No. 62 VIII/789/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 63 VIII/789/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 63 VIII/781/1 28.06.1944 21.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 64 VIII/570/2 07.03.1945 22.02.1945 Military Establishment No. 65 VIII/795/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 66 VIII/795/2 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 66 VIII/795/3 02.05.1945 17.04.1945 Military Establishment No. 66 VIII/796/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 67 VIII/796/2 27.12.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 67 VIII/797/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 68 VIII/798/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 69 VIII/799/1 28.06.1944 12.04.1944 Military Establishment No. 70 VIII/652/1 01.03.1944 01.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 71 VIII/667/1 15.03.1944 22.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 72 VIII/668/1 15.03.1944 22.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 73 VIII/669/1 15.03.1944 22.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 74 VIII/669/2 12.07.1944 23.06.1944 Military Establishment No. 74 VIII/669/3 04.07.1945 25.05.1945 Military Establishment No. 74 VIII/674/1 15.03.1944 27.01.1944 Military Establishment No. 75 VIII/670/1 15.03.1944 22.02.1944 Military Establishment No. 76 VIII/670/2 05.04.1944 21.03.1944 Military Establishment No. 76 VIII/661/2 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 80 VIII/661/3 04.04.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 80 VIII/662/2 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 81 VIII/662/3 28.02.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 81 VIII/663/2 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 82 VIII/663/3 28.02.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 82 VIII/664/2 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 83 VIII/750/1 24.05.1944 02.03.1944 Military Establishment No. 84 VIII/750/2 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 84 VIII/802/1 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 85 VIII/803/1 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 86 VIII/804/1 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 87 VIII/805/1 19.07.1944 09.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 88 VIII/909/1 25.10.1944 06.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 89 VIII/926/1 01.11.1944 07.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 90 VIII/910/1 25.10.1944 06.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 91 VIII/911/1 25.10.1944 06.09.1944 Military Establishment No. 92 VIII/839/1 06.09.1944 28.07.1944 Military Establishment No. 93 VIII/996/1 28.02.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 94 VIII/997/1 28.02.1945 30.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 96 VIII/812/1 12.07.1944 26.05.1944 Military Establishment No. 100 VIII/812/2 27.12.1944 12.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 100 VIII/812/3 18.04.1945 29.03.1945 Military Establishment No. 100 VIII/212/3 06.05.1942 06.01.1942 Military Establishment No. 102 VIII/212/4 17.03.1943 25.09.1942 Military Establishment No. 102 VIII/212/5 02.05.1945 17.04.1945 Military Establishment No. 102 VIII/953/1 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 103 VIII/954/1 27.12.1944 27.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 104 VIII/1060/1 02.05.1945 12.04.1945 Military Establishment No. 105 VIII/968/1 27.12.1944 12.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 121 VIII/952/1 27.12.1944 07.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 122 VIII/927/1 01.11.1944 13.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 124 VIII/928/1 01.11.1944 13.10.1944 Military Establishment No. 125 VIII/975/1 10.01.1945 01.12.1944 Military Establishment No. 126 VIII/980/1 24.01.1945 05.01.1945 Military Establishment No. 127 VIII/1038/1 18.04.1945 01.02.1945 Military Establishment No. 128 VIII/983/1 24.01.1945 12.01.1945 Military Establishment No. 129 *: amendment only **: page 1 missing
I should add that there is no mention of "Special Purpose Units" or "(SPUs)" in the WE titles connected to the above mentioned context..
A promising lead indeed. Thank you. Now to reveal my ignorance, how do I get access to War Establishment Volume VIII if I am overseas (non UK) and do not want to spend a small fortune contributing to the libraries of the UK? Regards from the Virgin Islands rrlutz
I don't know if war establishments are what you are looking for. Here is an example: VIII/262/1 05.11.1941 21.10.1941 Military Establishments 10 - 15 (each) As you can see there is no information contained other than ranks, trades, weapons and vehicles. Generally no information about location, purpose nor training
rrlutz - Do you have a title for ME 53 or aixman - does the title appear in the establishment table? The man of my interest served in ME 20, 39 and 53. Max
I am sorry, Max. I checked the War Establishments against rrlutz' list - no mention of 53 and some other ones. Volume VIII WEs were "not printed", their collection in TNA Kew is by no means complete. Aixman
As my research slowly progresses ME 20 looks to be a ISSU6 facility in Algiers. ME 39 an air prep facility in Tunis (Ringlet associated?) and ME 53 a facility on mainland Italy. I likely will not get to it but if you have access to mil records and files, run those MRs against the personnel spread sheet of SOE personnel which was recently posted. Look at the personnel files of who was posted where and when. For example, Tom Dolphin was at both 39 and 53. No idea if this helps or not
rrlutz - very grateful for your reply. Try as I might, despite searching all the SOE posts I have failed to find the spread sheet, would you please be so kind as to provide a link? For the record, this is a preliminary enquiry on behalf of someone whose father served (as a staff clerk) in three of the MEs. I shall be inviting him to do his own research
I am travelling and operating off cell phone so difficult to do...File is > than 429K which would choke my system and that does not include my additions to it which have a fair number of reference to folks who's records are not in the Kew but rather with the Intel or other DBs. Here's how we can get round it possibly...Shoot me the name and whatever info you have on the guy (first name/last name/ranks that sort of "one line data"...I will look up name and if I have it....I will transcribe what I might have and shoot it back. Assuming I have a hit, that would give the person a better shot at requesting the records. Sorry for the convoluted actions but there is just something about cell phones/airport lounges and 13+ hour flights that puts a cramp in my e-access, particularly given I am barely above luddite in the computer world to begin with. STX-MIA-LAX-AKL. On the plus side, while in NZ, I hope the War Memorial library (despite their prediction that I will be disappointed) may have info on folks who serve from NZ in the SOA and/or SRD when I get home.
Very grateful for your efforts while occupied with other things!! Person concerned is S/292085 (Rank varies from Cpl to Sgt) J IVES RASC. Max
Went at it a few ways and up with zilch in SOE and SRD with those data points ( name, me, rank, clerk and branch. That's not to say he wasn't a paid staff member but I would put >50/50 he was not. Do bear in mind a number of records on NCOs were destroyed after the war and in the Cairo mission a number were destroyed during the conflict as the Cairo Mission bugged out records to Palestine. I am PURELY SPECULATING but guy as SC could indeed have served in North Africa as a driver at the 2 north African st sites and then transferred to the wt station at monopoli Italy. Good luck on your search
Hello, J Ives is my Great-Grandfather and it was I who first contacted GnrGnr for help having received the service records from the MOD. Many thanks for everyone for your help and research and general expertise in these matters. Funny you should mention Monopoli as the Italian base for ME53, it had completely slipped my mind what with concentrating on the service records but I have seen a picture of my Great-Grandfather in uniform with the image stamped with the name of a photographers and the place of that photographers - Monopoli! So that ties things up neatly. rrlutz what do the abbreviations 'st' and 'wt' stand as regards the stations? Jonathan
I've just posted the following, which includes a photo of ME 8: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/royal-signals-at-military-establishment-8-m-e-8-soe-cairo-and-in-manopoli-siena-and-naples.101961.
