Abbreviation ADRT

[ainslie]

In a 1939 Register entry, W.B. Pearch is entered as 'Lt-Colonel retired', living in Folkestone.  In the visible right hand margin is written '.*..years commissioned service.  Last job ADRT Scottish Command'.

*The number of years cannot be seen.
Can anyone please explain ADRT?
This officer was born in 1877, served in the Boer War and had been with King Edward's Horse in Liverpool pre 1914 but no medals seem to have been earned for WW1.  He lived in London and Kent after 1918.

Ainslie

[MaxD]

AD is almost always Assistant Director (a staff appointment at Major of Lt Col level usually in a headquarters) and you have a choice of Railway Traffic  or Railway Transport both of which titles existed.

MaxD

[ainslie]

Thanks for that.  It seems likely, though the timing would have to be explored.
A

[MaxD]

As a Major, he was appointed Railway Transport Officer attached to (unnamed) HQ Units Royal Artillery in Oct 1914 (LG Dec 21 1914) and was made a Deputy Assistant Director Railway Transport in Dec 1918 (LG 10 Dec 1918) and made Temporary Lt Col in that job in 1919 (LG 8 Jan 19).  None of the entries specify the HQ he was serving but the outline is of an older officer who had done his bit in the Boer War, offering his services in a (possibly only) home based staff job and seemingly ending as ADRT in Scottish Command.

Leave the timing after 1919 to you.

MaxD

[ainslie]

Max
That is an excellent piece of detection and I do not believe Pearch would have served on after the war, though enjoying his rank.
Those appointments fit with the absence of war medals.
A