REME UK Unit Locations - WWII

[hokum50]

Having just received a copy of my late father's Service records, I would be most grateful for the identification and location of the units in the UK where he served (albeit for only two and half years having previously been employed in a reserved occupation).
While initially destined for the General Service Corps and reporting to No 1PTC Seighton (assume Primary Training Centre) he was posted to REME Holding Bn and trade tested, a month later, at Woolwich.  Having been tested he remustered as an Electrician Grade A Class III immediately transferring to the Corps of REME.
His first posting was to 26th AA W/S Coy (does the AA stand for Anti-Aircraft and W/S for Workshop?) - because he was admitted to CRS Knock can I assume 26 AA W/S Coy was located there?
Next came an Electricians Course at No 3 AA Command School at ? where he was reclassified Electrician (Vehicle & Plant) Gp A Class III.
Followed by postings to:
No. 17 AA W/S Coy at ?
No. 22 AA W/S Coy at ?
A Course at No. 2 AA Command School at ? where he was reclassified Electrician (V&P) Gp A Class II.
Finally completing a course at No. 1 TTC at ?
Finally an entry SOS on posting to "Y" List pending...... Would this refer to him being "Struck off Strength" on becoming non-effective pending Demobilization?
Not the most exciting Army career, but as an electrician on his late enlistment, the Corps was a natural discipline for him to be employed in.
Regards
Crab

[MaxD]

Could you put some dates to each?  The regiments (which were all LAA Light Anti Aircraft) and their workshops companies (WS Coy)did move around.

There were a number of reasons why a man was moved to the Y (non-effective) list but if yours is followed by reference to discharge then that is the reason for this one.

MaxD

[hokum50]

Max D
Many thanks for your reply.  The following dates I've extracted from Form B103.
20 May 43 - Joined No.1 PTC, Seighton
1 Jul 43 - To REME Holding Bn.
10 Jul 43 - 26th AA W/S Coy
13 Oct 43 to 24 Nov 43 - Course at No. 3 AA Command School.
There is no formal record on Form B103 of any posting after the Command School course only his reclassification and remustering to Elect (V&P) Class III wef 27 Oct 43 (this was an entry by the Admin Off at 3 Cmd School of Terchnology).
The next Form 103 entries reads as follows:
Part III Order 16/45 - 6 AA W/S - Posted to 17 AA W/S Coy REME wef 1 Feb 45 & S.O.S unit shown same date (26 AA W/S Coy REME).
Then on same date further entry:
Part III Order 17/45 - 6 AA W/S - Posted to 22 AA W/S Coy REME wef 5 Mar & ctbn (or ctba) to this unit wef same date.
19 Apr to 5 May 45 - Course at No. 2 AA Command School .
12 Jun to 11 Aug 45 - Course at No. 1 T.T.C. then trade tested on 11 Aug and upgraded to Elec(V&P)II.
21 Nov 45 - SOS this unit (22 AA W/S) on posting to HQ Static Wksps REME No. 6 Gp.
30 Nov 45 - Demob.
Finally what rank,other than Private, was Cfn please.
Regards
Crab

[MaxD]

Easy ones first!
Cfn is the abbreviation for Craftsman, the REME trem for a private soldier.
No 1 PTC you have - Seighton Chester
REME Holding battalion - Catford South London

The remainder is giving some difficulty.  I said earlier that I assumed they were all Light Anti Aircraft regiments based on the fact that there were no Heavy AA regiments with the numbers given.  The title of the thread says UK units but I find (for example) 17 LAA and 22 LAA in Italy in 1945.

Would you  mind posting the original of his posting story and check his other records for similar looking entries so we may be totally sure which units we are talking about.

MaxD

[hokum50]

Have just noticed an error on my part re the Part III Order 16 & 17/45, the originating unit was 16 AA W/S and not 6 AA W/S and "Place of Casualty" states UK in both cases.

However, despite have problems trying to apply Snipping Tool, I will persevere and will try and copy all the relevant pages of his posting history.

Crab

[hokum50]

I still haven't got to grips totally with Snipping Tool, so I hope this is readable.

Crab

[MaxD]

Totally readable!

First an apology.  I interpreted the numbers related to the workshops  earlier as being LAA Regts, each of which had its own workshop.  Example, 26 LAA Regt RA Workshop REME in the Middle East 43-45.  However, just to make it difficult for those of us today, there was also a 26 Anti Aircraft Workshop Company, in UK and that is the unit he is serving with when he goes to the school for his first electricians' course.

My search was initially in the definitive tome by Routledge on the Anti Aircraft Artillery on the basis that where the regiment was, so was its workshop, hence my puzzlement about the theatre of war. Now clear that the requirement is to concentrate on the REME.  I shall change direction forthwith!

More in due course (and if there is a REME expert out there, please weigh in!)

MaxD

[MaxD]

You have correctly interpreted the sequence of units despite the record having records made out of sequence, the important date is the date of the "casualty" over towards the right hand side - not unusual.  You also noted no record of the posting from the Electricians course to 16 AA Wksp Coy

That said, I regret that I can find no mention of the units and their locations in any obvious (to me) on-line sources, including a more specialised forum.  While I wouldn't discount a member having knowledge of one or other of the units and knowing where it was, there is, as far as I can find, certainly no handy list entitled "Location of REME units UK 39-45".   

There are war diaries although they do not all cover the dates.  Investing in the war diaries however would be a relatively expensive business just to find a unit location.

Should no better response come along here, I would suggest, for a small outlay, either a research visit or a written request to the REME Museum.  http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/research/

Sorry not to have been able to help, fingers crossed for  a real REME expert!

MaxD

[hokum50]

Many thanks in your interest in my search, it is much appreciated.
If a REME man suddenly comes upon my problem so much the better - failing that I'll follow your suggestion.
Regards