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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Magdalen on Saturday 08 January 22 15:55 GMT (UK)
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My MIL was in the WRENS from 1943 - 46. We have her service record but are struggling to understand the abbreviations. We know she was in the Signals and finished as a Teleprinter Operator as we think she'd done some secretarial training before the war. Against the Rank / Rating Held we have Wren (G) several times then Wren H G R, then Wren S, then Wren H S R, then Wren T/P and finally Wren P O/P.
Does anyone have any idea what these initials stand for. I have seen G occurring on badges to indicate a Steward and one document also has the word Steward against her name, but these are not badges. Any help in deciphering this would be much appreciated as I have drawn a blank on line despite some very inventive Googling! Happy New Year to you all, Meg
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This topic has been discussed in a previous thread:
"Hugh is absolutely right, the progression in pay for a specialist rating was from Wren (S) - Wren (Lower Specialised Rate). meaning employed in a specialised category after completion of specialised training and then Wren (HSR) (Higher Specialised Rate) having served for a minimum term at S rate (I think 3 months)."
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=754201.18
Tony
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Thanks, that answers what the S and HSR stand for but what about G and HGR? Thanks, Meg
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G may be General.
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Yes, that has been our best guess to far so thanks for that. Meg
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Thanks, that answers what the S and HSR stand for but what about G and HGR? Thanks, Meg
Can you post the relevant piece for context please?
Regards
Hugh
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Good morning, the details are on the attached service record (extract). It would be helpful to understand the progression from Wren(G) to the higher ratings and then to the final role, although Tel (P) (O/P) is fairly self-explanatory.
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Hi Meg,
I was hoping you may have had an original record but I see you have a transcript. I havn't yet seen the abbreviation H.G.R. used in any of the documents I have found.
She joins as a Wren (G) - General duties.
My understanding of the progression would be that on successful completion of training she would progress to the L.S.R. (Lower Specialised Rate) and after holding that for a further 3 months becoming elligible, if recommended, for the higher rate of specialised pay (Higher Specialised Rate).
I have seen G occurring on badges to indicate a Steward and one document also has the word Steward against her name, but these are not badges.
She obviously specialised in communications so I would not read to much into the badges for steward.
She finished as a teleprinter operator I will see if I have anything of interest hidden away in any files and get back.
Regards
Hugh
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Hi Hugh, I left it for my husband to do as I had to go out and he didn't do what I asked as I thought I had made it clear I wanted the original not the transcript. I've just looked in his file and there is the original so will get him to redo it and attach the correct one.
Sorry about that.
Meg
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Here is the extract from her record card that says more or less the same. The rest of the stuff we have is more or less blank.
Meg
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Hi Meg,
Sorry for the late reply.
Looking at the original it looks like she does join up as a Wren Steward. I have trawled all of my sources and I cannot find a specific reference to HGR so I am guessing here that it means higher [unspecialised] rate and of course happy to be corrected.
Wrens joining on general duties or unspecialised would go on to an unspecialised rate and would progress depending on successful completion of training and recommendation.
It would appear she changes categories to communications and specialises in teleprinter operations. Normally, on completion of training, she would be put on the lower specialised rate of pay and after three months and a recommendation she would move to the higher specialised rate of pay.
Regards
Hugh
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Thanks very much Hugh. Part of me is glad you were unable to help as I looked everywhere I could think of and I am a professional researcher so have pretty good research strategies to call on. I think you are most probably correct and as it is of no great importance other than personal interest for my husband I am happy that we have all tried our best.
Meg
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Perhaps the R is for Radio. The G was for general duties (in the military GD). So she upgraded from G to HS . Radio may have involved morse code or teleprinter...
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Thanks, we'll add it to the possibilities. We know she was a teleprinter operator towards the end of her service.
Meg
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Perhaps the R is for Radio. The G was for general duties (in the military GD). So she upgraded from G to HS . Radio may have involved morse code or teleprinter...
In the service record: the Wrens skill for example, Wren G or Wren S or Wren T/P or whatever and next to it there should be a notation as to which part of the pay grade they are on such as LSR or HSR. There was a requirement to do this on service records from 1943.
So it is important to be able to distinguish between the skill and the rate of pay. The Communications branch during WW2 had many skills such as W/T, V/S, T/P and others. You did not get a Wren HS - there was no such branch.
Regards
Hugh
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Thanks for the clarification. Meg