I'm hoping someone will be able to help me find out what certain elements on this form mean. Entry 10: what was Industry Group CE? Entry 11: what is Occupational Classification 059.3? Entry 15: what does all this mean? Entry 16: what does R/L stand for? Also, above the Entry 15 line there are two entries: 13 and C with a tick beside them. These also appear on AF B200B in a set of four squares side by side. These squares also include "N/R -/- above the 13, then a blank square, then -/46 in the third square followed by a blank square. The "C" is outside the squares. I'm sorry I don't have a photograph of this available, but hopefully the description will give someone a clue as to what the letters and figures refer/mean. A further question also arises from the date of discharge. John Neill completed 21yrs service in 1945 and was placed on the Class Z list. His discharge is noted as 1951. We are wondering why this might be - would it be to do with him being involved perhaps with bomb disposal or with repatriating German POWs? We know he did meet or have some connection with POWs, but his grandson (on behalf of whom I'm asking all this) doesn't know any more than that. His uncle, John's son, also is in the dark. Any help would be gratefully received, and thank you in advance. RRTB
Entry 15 (the last part at least) reminds me of an entry often seen in Service books in that case "-/46 to 2/9/44" would mean 0 years and 46 days overseas service up til 2/9/44 and I think was used to help prioritise demob - I'm not sure how the first part of the entry runs into it Guards Service and Paybooks Gdsm Gaish is an example
Oh wow, Alistair....you may have just hit on something which would explain a huge question that Jim (John Neill's grandson) and I have been wondering about. You see, John's medals include the France/Germany star, yet there is no mention in his service record which shows that he was in France/Europe between 1944 and 1945. That particular section of his service record has actually been redacted for three entries in 1944. We do know that he was a Sergeant Instructor, possibly at Luton Hoo. We also know that he met Montgomery at some point around that time period (John was one of those selected to speak with him it seems), but again with nothing showing in the service record to state that he was on the Continent in 1944 we have been wondering where the F/G Star element came from. Roger
Alistair, you may have just solved a huge question that Jim (John Neill's grandson) and I have been wondering about. John has the France and Germany Star as part of his medal awards, yet his war service record does not show him as having been in France/Europe during the relevant award period for that medal. However, there are three redacted entries on his record dated 1944 (Part 2 orders state 62 of 44, 64 of 44 and 66 of 44) but these have been covered up by the photocopy of a rather modern-looking sticky label, as have some entries in late 1943. The fact that the 1944 redactions cover a period post 27 April 1944 until some time in 1945 if I remember correctly - is this a normal practice still for certain elements of a service record to be redacted because it "isn't for the public to know" until after a certain length of time has elapsed? Or would it be perhaps more secretive stuff? RRTB EDIT: My apologies for the double post; I didn't realise that I had actually posted the first one as it seemed to have disappeared when I clicked on Alistair's link to GDSM Gaish!
I would think this is because he was placed in the Reserves in 1945 and then discharged from the Reserves in 1951. Para 519(x) KR 40 (which AB64 has put up on another thread to you) clearly shows this refers to the Reserves. Tim
Would anyone know what "S.G.3 minus" refers to? EDIT: I've seen a couple of suggestions in another thread here, one being Signal Group, the other being Service Group. I've also come across another one on researchingww2.co.uk - Selection Group. The "3 minus" has me perplexed though.
