Service record acronym - W.T.P.P

Awarded 2 days (looks like FP- Field Punishment) For neglecting to obey company orders for dress - walking outside unit lines without being in possession of appropriate arm (weapon) Standing Order ser 21.

Awarded 168 days - absent 36 days also forfeits 36 days. This means loss of 36 days pay and 36 days added to engagement or length of service.


SLRRA I had to email an old pal ex RAPC - he said good grief don't you woodentops know anything!

Standard Local Rate Ration Allowance (when on leave apparently)
Same- Ration Allowance Standard Local Rate,

 

Well done Wills, I can shed some light on the 36 days, he was given compassionate leave for the death of his father- and extended it due to his brother being delayed leave (he missed the funeral)
any ideas on how to find his ship to Egypt ? also, I know he served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland (Garden part of Market) and Germany ( I have a photo of 84 coy in Uezen Germany 1945)but is there a way to find which unit or company relates to where.
Peter.

 

Another question : which port is mentioned in his disembark at egypt, can't quite make it out
Peter.

 

Hi
The convoy you are looking for is WS19P.
All of the details are on WS (Winston Specials) Convoys in WW2 - 1942 Sailings
The port will probably be either Suez or Port Tewfik (also spelled Taufiq)
The ships that left Liverpool were POELAU ROEBIAH, CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS, TALISSE, LACONIA, NEW ZEALAND STAR, ORONTES, SANTA ROSA or ANDES.
Hope this helps
Gus

 

Skybot
Can't read your scans - but Wills appears to have it all under control - all I can add is that Port Tewfik was the usual dis-embarkation point in Egypt
Cheers

 

ATRE 508th Field Park Company RE (Army Troops Royal Engineers) 79th Armoured Division 10/9/42 - 12/2/43.


I had been wondering why someone would get 168 days detention for 36 days AWOL when as it has been explained was a compassionate reason ; fathers death, it was only when I looked at the occurrence again, the dreaded WOAS- this elevates the charge from AWOL to AWOL WOAS - absence without leave - whilst on active service. There must have been an element of taking into account, because they could have thrown the book.


'From the Rhine to the Elbe 1944- 1945'. By Low and Everett out of print but you can read it at the site.

 

Many thanks Tom & Gus & Wills, great info - should I try and scan in at a better resolution ?
Peter.

 

Skybot - that would help and save me cleaning my glasses


Wills - pet peeve of mine - are you sure it reads as AWOL - as we are talking 1942 here and the OFFICIAL British designation was AWL ...bad enough that the Canadian Forces have to adapt to American terms - don't tell me the British are doing the same...?

Cheers

 

Reads as follows: WOAS AWOL from 1400hrs 23/9/45 .....




Some say Long Service and Good Conduct - others - Undetected Crime.




Egypt 22/26 May 1943
Struck of Strength Middle East Forces to British North Africa Force 28 Aug 43
UK 26 November 1943
North West Europe 8/6/45
Struck of Strength British army of the Rhine 1948

There are many postings during these times, the units:

508th Field Park Company (Driver)
111 Motor Ambulance Company (some list it as convoy!)
30 Reinforcement Holding Unit
X List - Non effective
51 RHU
Light Field Ambulance
239 Field Coy
84th Field Coy RE

 

If you are feeling energetic, go to my personal page and call up my Army Records album.

On page 6 you will see that my only recorded crime in the army was shown as AWOL

And that's my two penny's worth.

Ron

 

Here we go, after much fiddling with machinery these scans should be much more readable, thank you for your patience and interest.
Peter.

 

Hi Wills, thanks for the unit info, is it possible to find out what these units were doing at these times ?
Peter

 

Will have a look - On page 2 to you will see that he lost two days pay (awol) and was awarded forfeiture of 10 days pay by RW. Again my ex Pay bloke, helped out - (RW) - Royal Warrant for the pay, appointment,promotion and non effective pay of the Army 1940 - HMSO Bib ID 2465411.

It also came to my mind that there must be a copy of 'Staff Duties in the Field' dated around that time this will give a list of all abbreviations. Yes they still existed in my time(current) and still do!

 

is it possible to find out what these units were doing at these times ?
Peter

Hi Peter - This would be in the units war diaries. You can search The National Archives Site for the units, but this isn't the easiest thing to negotiate, or you can use this one: Arcre - War Diary Search which is The link to this site can also be found on this forum.

This is the reference for RASC 508 Coy War Diary for 1943:

WO 169/11933 508 Coy. 1943 Jan.- Nov.

Jules.

 

Thanks Jules, great info, what I am hoping to do is build a readable (ie interesting) timetable and whereabouts story of my Dad's movement throughout the war to be included in a short family history booklet I am working on, the war diaries would seem to be the way to get that information. It seems that he was involved in more than I originally knew, and I know that he served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland (Market Garden) and Germany. I read a veterans account of his time with 84 corps, and he stated that they were involved in the liberation of the Bergen belson camps, this was never mentioned by my dad, but he was with them in the latter stages of the war, and in fact the photo that Wills kindly posted (many thanks Wills) of 84 at Uezen in Germany 1945 I recognise, as it hung over our sideboard at home when I was a kid, but somehow was lost. I really appreciate everyones help and feel I am making good progress.
Peter.

 

Hi Guys, sorry to bother you again but I am really struggling trying to fit my dad's war record into a time/place line.
Sometime before he died he left the following list in a small tin :
132 Inf brigade RASC
508 Coy RASC
50th TT Division
44th Home Counties Division
51st Highland Division
53rd Welsh Division
Egypt,Libya,Tunisia,Sicily,Italy,France,Holland,Belgium,Germany.
8th Army, 30 Corps
Now I know from his records (and RosyRedds help) that he sailed into Egypt on WS19P in time for the Alam Halfa battle, and that 44th division was after that battle carved up and 132 inf brigade was absorbed by another division. What I would like to know is how does the above jigsaw of Coys and Divisions marry up, I know he was with 508 coy RASC until 21st March 1944 but Idon't know which division he would have been attached to, likewise from that date he was posted to 111 Coy RASC (mac) until June 16th 44, and ended up with 21 light fld amb, 84th fld Coy, and 85 fld Coy until Uelzen in Germany, but I don't know which divisions these relate to from the above list.
I apologise for being long-winded and confusing, but despite web-crawling it is awfully difficult for me to create a meaningful timeline of events.
If anyone can spare the time to help I would really appreciate it, I have posted his records in my previous post if it helps, I should add that they are posted twice in the same thread - the 2nd set are much more readable.
Phew, I need a brew.
Many thanks,
Peter.