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Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 12:43 pm
by alroch4
I'm hoping someone can help me decode a few entries in my uncle's WWII service record:
1. Does I.C. stand for "Internal Combustion"?
2. I believe C.A. means Canadian Army. What does the (C) and (O) mean?
3. Something about being on a Sketching Course. I can't make out most of the other words.
4. I have no clue. Looks like he was demoted from Lance Corporal to Guardsman.
5. I have no clue.

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Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 6:39 pm
by BFBSM
1. You are probably correct regarding I.C.
2. No idea.
3. Looks like: Proc (deduced from first line of 4.) on F(iel)d Sketching Course Grp. 35
4. Proceeded on Field Course & At(t)ached to 1 G? RU (Guards ? Replacement Unit)
A(bsent) W(ithout) L(eave) AA.1547. Reduced to ramk G(uard)s(ma)n. Draw Light Pay $1.30 p.d.
5. T(echnical) T(raining) Qualification C(anadian) A(rmoured) C(orps) Operator "C" (connects with line above, and increase of pay) as a G(un)ner Oper(ator) "C"
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Tue May 28, 2024 7:46 pm
by klambie
1. Yes, Internal Combustion. To distinguish from drivers of horses in the early war / pre-war period where they were still in use
2. Cdn Army Canada vs Cdn Army Overseas. Don't know but probably related to different admin between the two
3. Agree with BFBSM. Might guess Regtl Pay rather than Light. Regtl Pay is just standard pay I think, he probably got a bit more as a L/Cpl
4. Possibly Intel Course? Bears some relation to a Fd Sketching course.
Attached to 1 Cdn General Reinforcement Unit. This was the holding unit for personnel outside the typical Infantry/Armoured Corps/Artillery RUs. Know it held Medical/Ordnance/Provost troops.
21 Cdn Armoured Regt was the Governor Generals Foot Guards, so Guardsman would be their lowest rank (equivalent to Private in the Infantry or Trooper elsewhere in the Armoured Corps
5. Trades Test to confirm he still had the required skills. Possibly Driver, but Oper (related to previous entry) might be a better guess.
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 8:23 am
by alroch4
Thank you!
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record - part II
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:00 am
by alroch4
Hi, me again, I'm seeking additional help, please and thank you.
1. Admitted to ? [Guardsman]
2. Transferred to 13 General Hospital – where was this hospital?
3. Discharged from 13 General Hospital
4. Struck-off-strength UK IT/5?
5. Struck-off-strength Canadian Army (UK) on ??
6. Taken-off-strength Canadian Army (CMP? - Corps of Military Police??)
7. Disembark Italy - G(un)ner Oper(ator) "C" [Trooper]
Also, what is the difference between the “Statement of Service” vs “Service and Casualty Form” found in the military personal’s file.
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 9:44 am
by Phil
Entry 1 and 2 look to be in the same handwriting. That being the case I don't think 1 is "Tank" since you can see a example of an uppercase T in 2. Potentially "Park", and in that case it is likely Park Prewett.
Official History of the Canadian Medical Services, 1939-1945, Vol 1 Organization and Campaigns, Page 90
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/theme ... s-1-en.pdf

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And then No. 13 General Hospital seems to have been in Cuckfield,
Official History of the Canadian Medical Services, 1939-1945, Vol 1 Organization and Campaigns, Page 128
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/theme ... s-1-en.pdf

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For 4, it looks to me as,
Struck-of-strength to UK IT/5 Gnr op 'C', I take this to mean he's left the hospital to travel to Italy, though it's important to note that again, 4, 5, 6 and 7 look to all be written at the same time, in the same handwriting, and seemingly him leaving the UK for Italy, as 5 is marked as
on Emb[ark]. Ending with 7, which I read as
Disemb[ark] Italy.
Edit: Updated for corrections and clarity.
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Thu May 30, 2024 2:28 pm
by klambie
Agree with Phil's review.
Don't do much Italy but suspect 6. is CMF - Central Mediterranean Force aka Italy. Fits with move from UK/NW Europe to Italy.
Somewhat unique with someone serving in France and later transferring to Italy, don't recall seeing that before.
Don't know the official difference between those documents but the file you have received is actually a consolidation of multiple files the Army held on him (at least Ottawa and London and likely his unit for his initial time overseas). Each place had different aspects they were concerned with. Very useful for comparison of entries, filling gaps (entries did sometimes get missed) etc.
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Fri May 31, 2024 7:49 am
by alroch4
Thank you very much Phil and Ken.
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:16 pm
by alroch4

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Another set of clarifications...please and thank you!
1. Taken on strength Canadian Army (M) – Does the M stand for Mediterranean?
2. Taken on strength X-4 Canadian Army Corps “D” (5 Bn?) Gunner Operator C
3. Reverts to regular rate of pay $1.50
4. Posted to X-4 CACTU Canadian Armoured Corps Training Unit
5. Struck off strength to X-4 CACTU Canadian Armoured Corps Training Unit Canadian Army Corps “E”
6. Taken on strength from X-4 CACTU Canadian Armoured Corps Training Unit to Canadian Army Corps “D”
7. Posted to X-4 list “G” ?? 25 CADR Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment (Elgin Regiment)
8. Struck off strength to 3 Canadian Armoured Reserve?
9. Taken on strength from X-4 list “G” ?? ADR?
10. Struck off strength to X-3 Canadian Army Corps “E”
11. Taken on strength to 3 Canadian Armoured Reserve Regiment?
12. Struck off strength ?3 X-3 list Canadian Army Corps “E”
13. Taken on strength from X-3 list Canadian Army Corps “E”
14. Posted to X-4 (4 Bn?)
15. Posted to X-4 (G Sqn - ADR?)
16. Struck off strength to 3 3 Canadian Armoured Reserve Regiment?
17. Taken on strength from X-4 Canadian Army Corps (D) ‘G’ ? ADR
18. Struck off strength Canadian Army (???) Embarkation Italy 21 Feb 1945
Disembarked France 23 Feb 1945
Re: Help with Uncle's WWII Service Record
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2024 7:52 pm
by Phil
Here's my take on some of these,
Cdn Army (M) = Militia
Canadian Army Corps “D” (5 Btn) = 5th Battalion
G Sqn = Squadron
ADR = Airfield Damage Repair
S0S C.A. (C.M.F.) on Embarkation Italy = Central Mediterranean Force