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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: nanny jan on Tuesday 31 October 17 14:40 GMT (UK)
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I'm gradually getting to grips with service record of my mum's first husband.
The above reference has xRF in the unit column, next column "D" Mobile Disarmament unit X1, can't decipher next column, followed by rank W/Sgt, and the date 16/5/45.
What was a mobile disarmament unit?
I'll try to post a scan tomorrow as the next entries look to relate to him being injured but I'm not sure.
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The MDU's were responsible for collecting in the weapons surrendered by enemy forces in 1945, checking them, making them safe, counting them and storing them securely. I believe they also had responsibility for clearance of minefields.
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He was in the Royal Fusiliers, would they have been involved in that work?
Mum said he had been shot in the back and came back on a stretcher.
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W/Sgt is War/Sergeant ie the rank only counted till the end of hostilities. X 1 MDU means (although seeing the original will help) that he was posted from the Royal Fusiliers (RF) to the MDU which was classed as a non combat unit - administrative hieroglyphics!
MaxD
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I did wonder about the rank, thanks for the explanation.
Scan and post will be attempted tomorrow now that granny duties and dog sitting are over.
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This is the section that I'm stuck on; can get "Awarded 1939/43 Star" but then......
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The first column is for the Part 2 Order numbers where the casualty was published - feel free to ignore. Unit is useful although when not with his unit, the X list comes into play Place sometimes helps although this has just Field and Central Mediterranean Force. Rank is clear and date useful, remainder ignore. Note that casualty means occurrence in army speak.
Admitted (from 467 something - need to see his postings) to 7(?) General Hospital and posted to X II list (code for away from his own unit in a med facility) 24 Oct 1944
Transferred to 7 Convalescent Depot (Italy) 2 Jan 45
(From X 2) to X 4a now awaiting posting (significance of list B not known) 20 Mar 45
From X 4 a Transferred to Infantry (Royal Fusiliers) in rank of War Sergeant and posted on the X 4 list to 7 Battalion Infantry Reinforcement Training Depot 31 Mar 45
From RF (to) Mobile Disarmament Unit X 1 (away from his own unit) 16 May 1945
(X 1) Admitted to 18 Casualty Clearing Station 8 Aug 45
Transferred to 70 Gen Hospital 10 Aug 45
Entrained in Ambulance Train for UK (BOS – not sure) (from) Central Mediterranean Force. Ceased to be entitled to Mediterranean Allowance. 2 Nov 1945
If one could see the postings sheet it would help clarify some of this.
Guess work - he was in Italy in a unit with the number 467. He went to hospital in Oct 44 followed by convalescence in Jan 45. Out of there Mar 45 and is transferred to the infantry R Fus via a Reinforcement Depot. From RF to MDU May 45. Is injured and goes to a CCS Aug 45, then hospital (in Italy). Is returned home via the Lines of Communication.
MaxD
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That is very useful, thanks MaxD. I'll hone my scan and posting skills tomorrow with the postings sheet.
Would a war diary give details of where and when he was injured?
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I should really say don't know. War diaries are like the Forrest Gump box of chocolates. If he was commissioned almost certainly. If he was an other rank in the thick of action, highly unlikely. If the unit was a small one and out of the direct fighting then the possibility is a bit greater. I find it best to say that the diary should (even a caveat there) give an idea of what was going on around the relevant time from which you could say "he was probably wounded when .....".
The second hospitalisation which mentions the CCS looks like an injury. Not sure about the first one (could be illness) - is there an entry preceding the admittance in Oct 44? Do you have his Medical History sheet?
MaxD
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He was not commissioned so guess he would just appear as "OR".
There is nothing obvious before Oct 44 admittance.
I don't appear to have a medical history sheet. Is that because I am not NOK, nor could I find any to get permission, so just made a general application? It could be that it is lurking somewhere in the pile and, being unfamiliar with Army records, I've not spotted it yet.
Thanks again. :)
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As a sergeant perhaps more chance! Med history often not with the docs.
MaxD
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Just wondering if he might be listed on the casualty lists on FindMyPast - have you checked?
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Good idea ShaunJ but could not find him.
MaxD....do I assume that his medical history is lost or possibly with hospital records? I am sure mum said he went straight to a hospital when he returned as he was on a stretcher.
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Reading further, it appears that medical records are not routinely released for WW2 service folk, I am sorry to have misled you. I did find reference to "[on specific application] each case is considered on its merits".
Definitive advice in the link:
http://www.army.mod.uk/welfare-support/23212.aspx
MaxD
70 General Hospital was in Udine north east of Venice in the time frame
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It's not a problem, I'm very grateful for your help.
Thanks to you I now know that he was in Italy....the last place I could find was Gibraltar!
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Another page:
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the other half:
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Oops....got those out of sequence. Sorry. :(
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Now understand something you mentioned elsewhere about moving from RF to RA and then back again which I was hoping to see. 107 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery was actually formed out of 14 Battalion Royal Fusiliers so the transfer was not just him but all of them who overnight changed their RF cap badges for that of the Royal Artillery.
More later.
MaxD
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Thanks for the explanation MaxD; much appreciated.
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Posted and joined Initial Training Centre (as a Fusilier) 15 Nov 1939
Posted to 14 Holding Battalion (a sort of limbo while he awaited a “proper” posting) 14 March 1940 (at Tonbridge Kent)
Posted to No 1 Infantry Base Depot (continuing training) 18 April 1940
Posted to 14 OD Battalion (OD not known** but this is back to the same 14 Battalion RF) 23 April 1940
Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal and granted the pay on the same day 11 Nov 1940 (army bureaucratic processes)
Appointed unpaid Corporal (wears two stripes but doesn’t get the pay) 19 Sep 1941
1 Jan 1942 has the great pleasure of being transferred with the battalion to the Royal Artillery, specifically 107 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
There seems to be a bit missing beneath the printed “for Col. i/c Infantry” and we seem to have got out of sequence. Something in 1942 is deleted and then in March 1945 he is transferred back to the Royal Fusiliers and returned to UK in November 1945. This overlaps and cross checks with the final part of yesterdays sheet.
1942 to 1944 must be somewhere. If he stayed with 107 LAA they went to N Africa in June 1943 The first hospital in 1944 is I think No 2 Gen Hosp in Catania Caserta Italy.
I need also to check whether 467 (yesterday) is 467 LAA Battery within 103 LAA Regiment,
MaxD
** see my next post
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This is really helping to build a picture of his military life, thank you.
I had to split today's page; will try another page tomorrow and try to keep that one whole!
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Perseverance always pays off.
I passed on 14 OD Battalion - see the link:
http://rrflondon.2day.uk/siteFiles/files/RRFLondon_RFLocationofBattalions_1246371704.pdf
MaxD
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Plenty of reading there for me. :)
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Sorry Nanny Jan, I'm tripping over myself again. No 2 General Hospital was in Caserta Dec 43 Sep 45 not Catania, I've altered my earlier post.
MaxD
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Thanks again. My scan/crop/post assistant has now gone away so no more service sheets.
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Oh gloom - I was looking forward to completing the story!
MaxD
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So was I! I can scan and crop a little but unable to get the size down. I'll try an email when they get home in a few days.
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Marking this as completed.