A few translations needed from my Grandfathers service record

[gnorman]

Hi, my grandfather was a truck driver with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) serving in Egypt for most of the war. I was just hoping someone may be able to help me to translate some of the acronyms in his service record please so I can make more sense of it.

The parts I don't understand are:

Industry group; GW
Postings: DDOS (P) from 01.05.1943 & COPO (M.E) from 16.08.1944
Promotions: A/U+P/L/Cpl and later A/P/L/ Sgt
Action: RHAWF Draft Embarked for service overseas, 27.6.41

Many thanks, Luke
 

[philipsearching]

Promotions - I suggest:
Acting Unpaid and Paid Lance Corporal
Acting Paid Lance Serjeant

Philip

[MaxD]

The industries in which men were working as a civilian were grouped together in industry groups (!!) GW was the code for "Miscellaneous Metal Industries".


DDOS is Deputy Director Ordnance Services which is the headquarters that runs the  (guess!) in whatever theatre of war he was in.

COPO (ME) is another ordnance HQ or unit in the Middle East, can't find it at the moment.  There were Port Ordnance detachments which may be the PO bit?

RHAWF is the code for the draft (ie the men and units) that he went overseas with.  It doesn't "mean" anything.

MaxD

[gnorman]

Thank you both thats great.
Luke

[MaxD]

Bit late but thanks to friends elsewhere and  RAOC source book, COP (ME) is Central Ordnance Provision Office (Middle East), it was in Caro and was as said, a headquarters unit responsible for part of the army supply system.

If he was there at Christmas 1944 here's the Christmas Dinner menu!:

https://uk-menu-archives.co.uk/product/c-o-p-o-central-ordnance-provision-office-m-e-m-e-f/

MaxD