WW2 service records

[PanBiker]

It has just taken about 16 months but a bit of good news for today. I had an email from the National Archives with a link to download my dads service records. 37 pages in total, some repeated information and interesting reading. I have lots of dates that I can apply to his six and bit years service before he was demobbed to the Z reserve, subject to recall for another 4 years if required, didn't know that.

No detail on his BEM (Mil) award only the dates. I can also see that he did 96 hours in the guardhouse for having contraband equipment belonging to His Majesties Army at one point when he shouldn't. No actual circumstance but it involved a single round of .45 ammunition! I will never know. I know he went in medically A1 and left Iceland as B7 and downgraded from infantry. East Yorks first then the RAOC where he became Armoury Store-man Ist class, which is the role he won the medal in. He was discharged to the reserve with the rank of Corporal.

National Archives haven't asked for any money yet.

[Stanley]

Good to hear you have at last got some information out of them Ian. Yes, transfer to the reserve on demob used to be standard practice. I don't know what they do now. They wanted to keep their hooks into trained soldiers. I think I was given seven years in the Reserve when I cam out in 1956 but can't be sure. All I know is that I never heard from them again......

[PanBiker]

I got the "Z" reserve wrong. He was eligible for recall until age 45 which on demob in April 1946 would be until 1963. He was actually discharged from reserve liability on the 30th June 1959 when he had just turned 41 years of age. I suppose he could have ended up in Korea or various other theatres! his medical downgrading probably kept him from recall.

[Tripps]

I came as a mild surprise to me when I was discharged to be given a package telling how me how and where to go back if recalled. They kept that quiet. I thought twenty two years was plenty enough. I just wrapped it all up and ignored it.

Too old now - but I can't imagine going to war now for what passes as a nation. I can't imagine those killed in WWII would have gone if they could have seen into the future.

[Tizer]

My father joined the RAF in March 1939 just before the Military Training Act of 27 April and served until 26 November 1945 but he was on Class `G’ Reserve until 30 June 1959.

[Stanley]

David, once again I agree totally. When I see bits of current political nonsense including the way the poor are treated I always think to myself, "Is this what they fought for?" Kipling had the politicians weighed up when he wrote Gunga Din.
One of the things I learned from doing the interviews for the LTP was the fact that there was immense enthusiasm in 1914 and men flocked to enlist for the war that was going to be over by Christmas. One thing is sure and certain, that could never happen now....