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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: ivorjbody on Friday 11 November 11 18:41 GMT (UK)

Title: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Friday 11 November 11 18:41 GMT (UK)
Can anyone decipher this war record(http://) please? I know he signed on for the Kent Buffs and then joined Royal Flying Corp . I think he went back  into  the Buffs or in between a Cadet in the Royal Irish Constabuary, as he was wounded by an IRA attacked in Q companies hotel headquarters in Dublin by E company. He the joined the RAF and retired as a Squadron leader.
ivor   

Copyright images removed
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: forester on Friday 11 November 11 21:52 GMT (UK)
Ivor,

He has two medal index cards. The other one is under Gerald Body, but they are virtually identical.

He was a Territorial, 5th Battalion, probably pre-war and went overseas as Private 1440 with 1/5th Bn, probably via India with the original draft and on to Mespot as shown on his 15 Star details. He must still have been with them early 1917 as he also has the six digit service number.

http://www.1914-1918.net/buffs.htm

According to the MIC he was commissioned into the Buffs, but I can't find an entry in the London Gazette to confirm or date it.

His RAF details are also eluding me. The RAF was formed in April 1918. If you know that he was in the RFC, then it may have been on attachment.

His British War and Victory medals were issued by the RAF. His Star was issued by the Army 18/5/21. It looks like the application for his medals was made late 1920.

I can however pick him up post war and as you say he was back in the Buffs. These four LG entries chart his later career, from re-establishment in the Buffs, through to promotion to Lieutenant, resigning his commission and finally to re-enlisting in the ranks.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0gui/

Phil
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Friday 11 November 11 22:22 GMT (UK)
Thanks Phil. That is brilliant. I have painstakingly gone through every flightglobal on the net since 1910. I found out things like the station commander's name at Upper Heyford 1932 who reprimanded my dad, as his two sons were picking mushrooms from the runaway while Gordan 40's and Handley page Hindari bombers where trying to take off in very bad wind conditions and did not want two kids in the way. There is even a photo of the c/o in flight in his aeroplane. Nowhere in any of the Gazette listings can I find my fathers promotion or postings. There must be every other member of the RAF promotions and postings. Like postings to RAF Seaford or RAF Ismailia where we all went.
Thanks again for the information ivor
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: forester on Friday 11 November 11 23:46 GMT (UK)
Ivor,

Am I still on the right track?

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34887/pages/4020

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35292/pages/5661

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35725/supplements/4257

Phil
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Saturday 12 November 11 09:02 GMT (UK)
Phil. You certainly are. I do not know how to thank you? I have been trying for about 3 years to find his records. I say 3 years but gave up about a year ago, as I thought I had exhausted every avenue known to me. Thanks Thanks again.
ivor
Title: Best Forum Site ever
Post by: ivorjbody on Saturday 12 November 11 09:12 GMT (UK)
 ;)I have been trying to find out my dad's Gazette promotion entries for about 3 years and had an answer from a Phil with the details. What with other replies to my queries I can honestly say RootsChat is the best forum. Well done rootsChat and thanks to everyone involved.
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: forester on Saturday 12 November 11 17:00 GMT (UK)
Ivor,

Regarding the later batch of LG entries, his service number 352463 is consistent with civilian enlistments in the period Sept 1919 to June 1925. The second number 43819 would be his officer number on promotion.

Had you considered applying for his service record from the MoD? I believe it costs about £30 and takes months. As he re-enlisted, I don't know if it would cover the pre-1922 service.

Phil
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Saturday 12 November 11 19:03 GMT (UK)
Phil. I had but I am the only one interested and being eighty in February perhaps it is not worthwhile. I found this thanks to you and I wonder if this was becaused he volunteered or whatever you did to become a Cadet in the Royal Irish Constabulary. Just wondered what ""restd" & "oapt" is. I have asked Petermc of the RIC rootschat pages as my dad was shot by the members of "E" company of IRA in April 1921. I have been in contact with a grandson of one of the attackers, which I think is nice and worthwhile :-
Date:
26 April 1921
Issue number:
32304
Page number:
3357
Score:
101.92%
., The Buffs.? Lt. G. A. Body is restd...- 3rd Mar. 1921. Oapt. G. G. ''Chambers... Mlaonainairia Good- enaugih (late O. G''dis... GARRISON ARTILLERY. 2nd iLt. G. Wood


 
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: forester on Saturday 12 November 11 20:33 GMT (UK)
Ivor,

That section only shows the search results. Four seperate Gazette entries. They will not make sense until you click on the "See PDF" button for each one.

The one you quoted reads "5th Bn The Buffs - Lt G A Body is restored to the unit. 6th April 1921.

If you have any problems finding the relevant entries, let me know. I usually have to scan the page 3 or 4 times before I find it.

Corisande is the Irish expert on this board. Hopefully he will pick this thread up.

Phil

Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: PeterMc on Saturday 12 November 11 21:43 GMT (UK)
Ivor, like Phil I also couldnt find the Gazette entry noting his appointment to the RFC/RAF but here is one to note his relinquishing his temporary commission:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32280/pages/2675

and of course your excellent photo, out of interest -

http://irishconstabulary.com/topic/755/Q-Company?page=2

Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: forester on Saturday 12 November 11 22:54 GMT (UK)
Thank you Peter for the link to your website. Being able to see a photo especially makes the research more than a series of searches.

With the info from your thread I can now provide Ivor with more LG entries up to his father's retirement:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37486/supplements/1180
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38194/supplements/799
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38209/supplements/1116

Phil
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Sunday 13 November 11 13:58 GMT (UK)
Thank you Phil and Peter. It is great we help each other, well really you help me!! I have just sent a photo of Flt.Lt.Guy Branch 601 squadron and George Cross which he would have received a few days after he died in the English Channel in 1940 to a relation. I had it as I have been selling an album of VC's and GC's memorbillia given to RAFBF Princess Marina Rustington.
ivor
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: corisande on Tuesday 19 June 12 16:36 BST (UK)
There are LG entries for his WW1 service

1918 Mar 16. The undermentioned, from Officer Cadet Units, to be 2nd Lts.: E. Kent R— Gerald Alfred Body.

1918 Nov 3. The undermentioned are granted temp commns. as 2nd Lts. (O.): —. G. A. Body (2nd Lt., E. Kent R., T.F.).

1919 Sep 16. 5th Bn., The Buffs.—2nd Lt. G. A. Body to be Lt.

And his WW1 RAF record is obviously brief but can be got from TNA - click for link  (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8635642&queryType=1&resultcount=1) cost £3.50 online download.
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Thursday 21 June 12 14:54 BST (UK)
Thanks ivor

There are LG entries for his WW1 service

1918 Mar 16. The undermentioned, from Officer Cadet Units, to be 2nd Lts.: E. Kent R— Gerald Alfred Body.

1918 Nov 3. The undermentioned are granted temp commns. as 2nd Lts. (O.): —. G. A. Body (2nd Lt., E. Kent R., T.F.).

1919 Sep 16. 5th Bn., The Buffs.—2nd Lt. G. A. Body to be Lt.

And his WW1 RAF record is obviously brief but can be got from TNA - click for link  (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8635642&queryType=1&resultcount=1) cost £3.50 online download.

Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: corisande on Thursday 21 June 12 15:02 BST (UK)
Ivor

Whilst you are there, am I right in thinking that he gave up his commission in early 1920s to re-enlist in the ranks, and that he was a Flight Sergeant when WW2 began
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: ivorjbody on Thursday 21 June 12 18:23 BST (UK)
Hi yes you are quite right. Why would he resign and join the Royal Irish Constabulary, not for political reasons, I hope but possibly for money? I am going to waffle on a bit with nothing to do with Ireland. A lot of Body's joined the Kent Buffs  including my dad he was a 2nd lieutenant and then I thought he joined the Royal Flying Corp as an Observer, but there is no trace of this. I did a stupid thing many years ago and gave a log book of his to a Hotel we stayed in at  Clacton, as they collected forces memoribilla. It was when he was in India testing aeroplanes possibly 1910. We have quite a few photos of him standing by old type planes which had crashed landed and he was in full helmet, goggle etc standing by them. I cannot get to them now as my brother in very funny about these, especially as I contacted through Roots a Grandson of one of the IRA attackers at the Hotel at North Wall 1921 which I thought was fantastic. My brother had other ideas. My second cousin once removed Colonel John Body of the Buffs defeated the Turks or they suffered heavy casualties and where about to be overun when a Sand storm came and when it passed by there were no Turks to be seen. He then entered Baghdad this being in 1917. He has many memorials in his name in Kent and Sussex and he opened the Tenterden War Memorial in 1920 and a few of his cousins were named. I feel he probably did not realise they were so closely related to them.
That's it sorry to bore you and thanks again for you information
ivor
Title: Re: G A Body's War Record
Post by: corisande on Thursday 21 June 12 19:38 BST (UK)
Ivor

Thanks for that.

Actually he did not resign to join the ADRIC - more he had to resign at the end of the war. What he actually had was a "tempory commission" as in

1918 Nov 3. The undermentioned are granted temp commns. as 2nd Lts. (O.): —. G. A. Body (2nd Lt., E. Kent R., T.F.).

So when the war ended they had to resign. They could then sign up for the Auxiliaries, but that was not a "army" job, it was "civilian". The pay was good by the standards of the time. An Auxiliary who died in Ireland did not get a War Grave, but an soldier did.

After that they could join the "Reserve of Officers", but that was not a job. If they wanted a full time job, then they had to re-apply for an army commission, or if that was not forthcoming, they resigned their Reserve Commission and could then accept a position in the ranks. Which is what I assume G A Body did.