Service Record Promotion Details. Help!!

[Dave6335]

I wonder if someone could help by explaining the following for me:
From the London Gazette I have various promotion details for my father's army service during and after the 2nd World War.

1) In 1959 he was promoted from Major to Lieutenant Colonel on the Empire List (1). What is/was the Empire List?

2) In September 1961 - quote from the Gazette - Lieutenant Colonel from Empire List (1) to be Lt Col (Empire List (1)) retaining his present seniority - Exactly what does this mean?

3) Then on the 13th October 1961 - Lieutenant Colonel (Empire List (1) to be Supernumerary to Establishment


4) Then in September 1963 he was appointed from the Empire List (1) to the Special List. What is/was the Special List?

Finally, and this will no doubt sound very silly and naive of me to many, my father's service number does not appear to be exclusive to the Army. It also exists in the RAF. Was that common practise?

A lot of questions I know but they will help me to build a better picture.

David

[DeeBoneham]

Hi David
Ref the service number.  The RAF and the army ran their service number list completely separately till they lately brought in our current JPA computer system so there are lots of duplicate numbers.  You will also find there are duplicate numbers within the army as up to one point even the regiments within army ran their own lists.....
Do you know what Regiment he was in? I suspect he might have been overseas in one of the Empire countries to be on the empire list.  Someone with more army knowledge will be able to tell you more.  The 1961 one he might have transferred from one place to another but retained rank and seniority (time served in that rank and therefore closeness to promotion) when he did. 
Dee