Deciphering Army Service History

[wecanbeheroes]

The VJ Day 75 commemorations prompted me to get my Uncle Ronald Wallace Slade's WWII army service history out that I applied for a few years ago.
I have always struggled to read certain parts of the history as the handwriting isn't very clear. I had some help on this board a while ago but I still don't have everything deciphered, so I would really appreciate some help with this.

https://imgur.com/a/bmr1qT2

Many thanks in anticipation.

[Spikey68]

I get " Please sign in or register to access this page. " when I click the links

[wecanbeheroes]

Thanks for letting me know. I just edited the links. There is one link that shows all 3 images. Hopefully it should work now.

Thanks again 

[MaxD]

There is rather a lot on those three sheets - it may be best if you pick out which entries are giving difficulty .  The way to do that would be to list them by the date over on the right of the sheet .
Example - 14 6 44 - (Transferred to REME, posted to Holding Battalion)

MaxD

[wecanbeheroes]

Thanks. The sections I'm having trouble with are:

Page 1

8/11/44

Page 2

24/11/44
3/5/45
27/7/45

Page 3

19/11/45
14/1/46
19/7/47

I hope that helps

[MaxD]

8 11 44 (this follows his attendance on a Vehicle Electricians course)  Classified Vehicle Electrician Group B Class III wef (with effect from) course, returned to unit [his own], ceased to be attached [to] this group [the training group] wef
e 10 11 44

24 11 44 [This is at 9 Central Workshop REME) Posted from Mobilisation and Holding Centre REME and TOS (taken on strength) this unit

3 5 45 [At 1 Base Workshop] - TOS from 24 Reinforcing Company

27 7 45 Both FCA and S/Bad refer to to him moving from one command  to another no longer under Allied Land Forces SE Asia but the exact initials elude me

19 11 45 Posted to 24 Advanced Based Workshop Singapore

14 1 46 [two connected entries] SOS {Struck off strength] to REME Base Workshop Singapore [and] TOS from 24 Advanced Base Workshop (in English goes to REME Base Workshop from 24 ABW, is SOS the former and TOS the latter)

19  7 47 [Goes with the accidental injuries recorded later]  Admitted British Military Hospital Singapore

If the two missing sets of initials get solved fine but you can really ignore them.  The units he was going to came under different top level commands and this is what was being recorded here.  1 Base Workshop was in Burma

Hope this helps to clarify things a little.

Max

[wecanbeheroes]

Thank you Max. That is all really helpful - thanks for explaining things too as it is all a little beyond me!
The mention of Burma stands out as it is a long standing family story that Ron was in Burma during the war.
Just to put a face to the name, there is a photo I've had for years, which my Aunt Stella (Ron's Sister) had in her collection and she always said 'that's our Ron in the Burma jungle' - I've colourised the B&W photo - Ron is on the left.



Do you know what 'taken on strength' meant?

Also on another page of his army record it states:
(printed on form) 'Nature of Engagement' - written in here is 'AC' - do you know what this means?

Thank you

[MaxD]

Taken on strength (the opposite of which is struck off strength) means comes on to  the books of (SOS  - off the books) so and so unit. The number of soldiers in a unit is known as the unit's strength.  If you are posted you go off strength unit A and on strength unit B unlike "attached" where you are temporarily with another unit but not on the strength - as when he was "att" to the training group in Sep 44.

AC is a hangover from the system of classifying people on enlistment in WW1 where it meant conscription (as opposed to a regular voluntary engagement) - I've looked at this before and the exact meaning is Army Class.  It was essentially meaningless in WW2 as the entry systems were different but they had printed the forms based on went before.  (Where have we heard something similar recently)

MaxD