G A Body's War Record

[PeterMc]

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

[forester]

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

[ivorjbody]

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

[corisande]

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 cost £3.50 online download.

[ivorjbody]

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 cost £3.50 online download.

[corisande]

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

[ivorjbody]

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

[corisande]

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.