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Abbreviations And Titles WWI

yogimon

master brummie
I am tracing my husbands family tree and by all accounts his grandfather's occupation was a driver MGC. I have looked up these letters and all i can come up with is a classic car. Would anybody be able to throw some light on this? If so it would be most helpful.
 
Is this around the war years, if yes, then it could mean Driver, machine gun carriage.
 
I am tracing my husbands family tree and by all accounts his grandfather's occupation was a driver MGC. I have looked up these letters and all i can come up with is a classic car. Would anybody be able to throw some light on this? If so it would be most helpful.
I think you'll find that MGC stands for Machine Gun Corps, yogimon. Your husband's grandfather being a Driver leads me to think he may have been in the MGC (Motors) as opposed to the MGC (Infantry).
 
Yes it was during the war years. The date i have is 1918. Thank you for your information. I did'nt even think of the Military as my mother- in- law has never mentioned that her father was in the army. Of course he would have more than likely been involved in WW1 . At least i have something to go on with now.
 
I have an army list of abbreviations I can look at if you don't find what you want, when I ordered a copy of my relative's Army Records. They are WW2 though. He was AWOL a lot. Nico
 
Even though I have a wad of military abbreviations Chocks, they are not all listed on the war records that I have. If I have a run through the ones I can't find maybe you would have an idea what they mean?
Nico
 
Many thanks to you all for getting back to me. I have since found out that it did mean Machine Gun Corps. Apparently my husbands grandfather did serve in the WW1. he was issued with medals. Its amazing what information the Geneology site can bring up
 
My friend's dad now 90 served in WW2 in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he never received his medal. She applied for it and he was able to receive it for his 90th birthday recently. I don't know if she had to pay for it though. I visited a local WMC by chance where some Royal Warwickshires were members. The piano struck up their regimental song. It is a rousing march but all I can remember of it is .......somthing somthing something for the Royal Warwickshires, tum tum te tum tum and here comes Mabel! I wonder who Mabel was?
 
Even though I have a wad of military abbreviations Chocks, they are not all listed on the war records that I have. If I have a run through the ones I can't find maybe you would have an idea what they mean?
Nico
Put 'em up Nico, there's enough old sweats on here, somebody will come up with an answer !
 
Even though I have a wad of military abbreviations Chocks, they are not all listed on the war records that I have. If I have a run through the ones I can't find maybe you would have an idea what they mean?
Nico

I'll give it a try Nico. IM them to me if you like. Or as Maypolebaz said "Put Em Up"
 
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Machine Gun Corps were motorised on Motorcycles (Clyno) and sidecars, as well as some light cars and 'portees' (light lorry chassis.
 
Well Baz I have spemt ages putting them on, this thing said I was not logged iin and I was, and its lost them all. But I will do it again at some point.

Here goes:
A/WO 11 CSM I know what all that means, but what is Acting Warrant Officer is it higher than a CSM?
P/A WO 11
WD Vehicles
Contravening RO
Granted FA not (what I think tee hee)
Posted to X (VMA) then something unreadable maybe X is a secret destination, then AFT EAP to 4KSW
SOS BOAR ( I know that bit( then Embarked NWE
TOS
Unit KSCI DWR
5 Wounded WE then a date.
P/L CPL (Corporal), U/A CPL, P/A CPL, W/S CPL
ACI Army Council Instruction, If it's that what does it mean please?
Also his medals read Awarded 1939/45 Star 146145 then maybe Battalion then
France and Germany Star 2070 Held?
Defence Medal 1939145
WE 2.4.45 (date I guess) 515.45 This is listed under medals also
Thank you in anticipation.
Just been out with the lurgy, 0 degrees .need 3 hairnets!
Over and Out Nico
 
A/WO II CSM is actually a lower rank than CSM Nico, it's a Warrant Officer II who's doing the job of a CSM. (More when I get back from a meeting). Baz
 
Working through your list Nico, You are right on those you thought you knew.
P/A = Paid Acting
U/A = Unpaid Acting
WD = usually maens "War Department"
RO = Regimental Orders
and DWR is the Duke Of Wellington's Regiment

as for the others I'll need to do some more research. Lets hope Maypolebaz can fill in the blanks.

Chocks
 
The rank of Warrent Officer, or Company Serjeant Major, is a senior Warrented commissioned rank, and to qualify you need to be a SNCO already, possibly a Colour/Sgt in the infantry, Staff/Sgt in the Corps, the rank is designated at 2 levels WO2, CSM, or WO1, RSM or QSM, or Conductor, in the Ordinance Corps. There are 2 addional ranks found only in the Brigade of Guards, Superintending Serjeant Major, (Guards Depot, ALADW), and London District Regimental Serjeant Major, whose badge of rank is 4 cheverons mounted by Royal Coat of Arms and Crown.
paul
 
Thank you Paul, my relative was a CSM Colour Sergeant Major and went up and down the ranks during his service. As Baz explains he must have been Acting Warrant Officer CSM. Would that be lower than a CSM then and saying that not everyone would be elible to be? Also is there a military badge with crossed swords or crossed anything. My sister spoke with a medium, whilst I beleive in genuine gifted people, there are many charlatens. I was told it could be the emblem of the physical training corps. I know he was in charge of the army football team at one point.
 
Nico , As far as I am aware there was 't a rank of "Colour Sgt Major", during war time due to loss's, if the rank ahead of you is incapaitated for what ever reason then the next in line is promoted as, (acting, either paid or unpaid), if this is not 'substantiated', (confirmed), then after hostilities have ceased you return to your former rank, I know of a few crossed emblems "swords (PTI), "rifles", (marksman), crossed flags, (signaler). ther may well be more but the old grey matter is old now. If ther is anything of which I knowing about it is communicating with the deceased sorry!!
paul
 
He was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and then the Duke of wellington's Regiment. All the living relatives told me he was a Colour Sergeant Major and rose fast through the ranks as his record states. Could the above have crossed swords? It is easy for so called mediums to manipulate people and there readings could apply to anyone.
Some things I have been told don't match his records though.
Fascinating what you three have told me though, thanks again. Nico
 
Chocks has done a good job in translating that lot for you Nico. A couple I've noticed . . . . SOS BAOR- Struck off strength BAOR (Germany). NWE would be North West Europe TOS-Taken On Strength WE is With Effect, (another way of saying "starting from this date").
 
NO ;
Its not what you think it is ;
Its taken from the self loading automatic riffle which was used by the infantry forces of the army especialy in the royal warickshire forces
and used in the latter war of yester years
It is indeed a weaponary rifle called the SLR ; abreathated because of its self automatic fast round shoting of bulletts of so many bulletts per minute
it is a very fiece riffle weighing about 28 pounds in weight i think it was it was a single mans soldiers weapon ; for every soldier on the infantry ;
it fittitted into the under neath of the SLR riffle just below the trigger it was a steel metal case that just clipped into the the weapon
in when you have loaded i think it was about fifty bullets into this case [ cartridge ] which the soldier would load himself when in action;
where ever he was in action in the trenches where as before with the militry it was only single shots one at the time but with this weapon it was like a machine gun rapid fire if you wanted to shoot fast and continueing fire orjust what shot at the time it gave you the option of either fire power
thats where the term comes from MGC ; SELF LOADING MAGERZINE GUN CASE / CARTRIDGE ;
I know that for myself because i learnt to used that weapon and used it when i was in the royal warickshire regiment of fusaliars [ 1st battelion reg ;]
And thats the militry terms for it MGC;
Have your selfs a nice day everybody best wishes Astonian;
 
Hello Astonian. Very detailed information. I am so glad I got the war records I wanted even though it took along time to get hold of them and I had to prove I was related etc which was hard for me.We have found this really fascinating. A relative tells me they can tell a person's rank by his uniform e.g. how plaited rope goes in or doen't go in to his pocket etc denotes his rank.Perhaps you can tell me who Mabel was who features in The Royal Warwickshires regimental song? Or is she just made up? A popular name of the day.
Best Wishes to you too. Nico
 
Yes he has Baz as have you. What does Struck of Strength mean though?
While you were permanently in an army unit Nico, you were counted as "on the strength" of that unit. If you were posted to another unit, or demobbed, for example then you were taken off the nominal roll or "struck off strength".
 
Although Astonians information is probably correct, it wouldn't be relative to your records Nico. The SLR Rifle didn't come into use with the army until the mid to late 60's.
 
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