REME 20 Beach Recovery Section Docs and Other Items

[Spitace41]

Hi all. I recently purchased a group of medals and documents to a chap who served in REME in NW Europe. According to his AB64 he was a vehicle mechanic and judging by the stamp on an (admittedly post war) driving permit he served at some time with 20 Beach Recovery Section.

I would appreciate any help interpreting his service from his AB64 book as it looks like he was remustered in the Army Catering Corps (if I'm interpreting that correctly?) but then the officer who signed off these earlier entries is the same one that signed the back of his October 1945 driving permit, so I don't know if he was attached to the ACC and then returned to REME or what. Any help interpreting this chaps service would be much appreciated. All the best.

[Spitace41]

More photos

[Rick W]

Very nice mate.
Cheers Rick

[brickie501]

... I would appreciate any help interpreting his service from his AB64 book as it looks like he was remustered in the Army Catering Corps (if I'm interpreting that correctly?) but then the officer who signed off these earlier entries is the same one that signed the back of his October 1945 driving permit, so I don't know if he was attached to the ACC and then returned to REME or what. ...

I don't 'know' AB64s, but I don't think "ACC" is Army Catering Corps in this context...

I'm 'current REME' so I'm basing this off a modern perspective but the page in question is describing the individual's progression as a tradesman & the 'Remarks' column does not need to show their unit.

The first entry is as a "Fitter" (can't 100% make out / interpret specifics - possibly "W.V." for 'Wheeled Vehicles' but 'A' is normally, at least today, associated with tracked stuff?) & the second is as a "VEH-MECH"; with both being of the same Class 2 status. Therefore, I think the 'remustering' is as a result of a change in the Army's trade structures (classifying relevant people as Vehicle Mechanics) being applied.

Thus the "ACI" (whatever that actually stands for) is the 'generic' instruction for a change & the "Part 2" is the confirmation of how it applies to this individual; which would also then be reflected in their AB64. Therefore my interpretation is:

"Remustered in accordance (with) ACI {Army Command Instruction?} 1562/44 {No 1562 of 1944}. (Individual's classification affirmed by/published on) Corps {of REME?} Part 2 {Order?} No 687 (dated) 23 Jun 44."

The next entry is his advancement to 'Class 1' (Supervisor in trade) status, with the remarks being:

"Passed Trade Test & Reclassified (as Class 1 tradesman). (Result published on) Unit Part 2 Order No 12 (of) 4 Jun 44", with details entered in AB64 on 9 Jun 44.

Hope that helps?

EDIT:

Some Corps history by way of extra 'evidence' / rationale: REME did not exist at the time of the first entry on that page, in July 1942 - outside of large workshops, 'mechanics' were of their relevant unit capbadge & typically known as 'unit fitters'. The Corps was formed in Oct 42 & various associated trades introduced. People would have 're-capbadged' at the time but the 'ACI' & subsequent Corps Part 2 would be the 'paperwork catching up' to, respectively, define the new structure & classify each individual appropriately within it.

[Spitace41]

Hi Brickie. That's some super information and I appreciate your modern perspective. It all sounds very plausible. I did query why on the eve of D- Day a trained vehicle mechanic would have joined the catering corps but your explanation of the ACC abbreviation makes sense to me. I'm sure there's a way I will be able to request this chaps records at some point and find out the extent of his involvement with REME beach recovery.


Just to edit. I also believe by his service number that he would have started out in the Suffolk Regiment.

Many thanks.

[Spitace41]

Also just read on another site that "A" did indeed indicate "Armour" with grades II and I indicating able to work without supervision and able to supervise respectively. Thanks for setting me off on that track.

[toot]

a great find.

[Spitace41]

Thanks. That's the rest of the lot. Also got his father's ww1 medals. His Dad was KIA.

[brickie501]

Hi Brickie. That's some super information and I appreciate your modern perspective. It all sounds very plausible. I did query why on the eve of D- Day a trained vehicle mechanic would have joined the catering corps but your explanation of the ACC abbreviation makes sense to me. I'm sure there's a way I will be able to request this chaps records at some point and find out the extent of his involvement with REME beach recovery.


Just to edit. I also believe by his service number that he would have started out in the Suffolk Regiment.

Many thanks.

Glad to help! While I'm not familiar with AB64s or some abbreviations etc of the WW2 era (& I have to confess that, at least in Army aviation, we would now use "IAW" as a short form of 'in accordance with'), it does make me chuckle just how many things about the Army are still exactly the same today.

Just to add that, while the moving of REME tradesmen between organisations would be entirely possible (& actually very likely just before D-Day, if a deploying unit suddenly found itself deficient of a key person like a trade supervisor), I would expect any record of an individual being posted or temporarily attached elsewhere to refer to the exact unit / sub-unit eg 9 Sqn XXX, rather than a Corps as a whole...

So although that's not what I think is going on with this page... having looked up a bit of their history, the Army Catering Corps was created (in 1941) as a subsidiary of the Royal Army Service Corps. Thus there were things like mobile bakeries back then - & such organisations would have had vehicles & equipment that would need looking after - but these were RASC units & only actual catering staff were actually in the ACC. Sgt Rayner clearly didn't become a chef in mid-'44 as he has advanced as a Mechanic in the next entry &, more importantly, there is no mention of that trade in the AB64.

The specific Fitter 'distinction' & trade 'Group' parts are bugging me though...

On reflection, the fact that "A" is within a section of a form for all tradesmen in the Army (for some of whom an 'armour' distinction would have no relevance) makes me think it represents something else here... since the Army loves classifying things, I suspect it may be more likely to indicate to which group of trades the individual's own employment belongs... most likely for pay purposes.

His likely starting in the Suffolks makes "WV" standing for Wheeled Vehicle Fitter a good fit in an infantry context but, against that, I note Wikipedia shows their having a 7th Battalion that converted to a Royal Armoured Corp Regiment in 1941...

As you say, it would be great to get a record of the units he served with so as to piece together more of the individual history... it may be worth contacting the REME Museum in Lyneham (although I am not sure what research services they are able to offer at the moment & there is probably no guarantee of their having full records for individuals).

Nice group of items by the way

[Watchdog]

I am inclined to agree with Brickie here and I don't think it is ACC for the Catering Corps either. ACC rings a bell but that is going to take a few pints of ale to drag the answer out I reckon

One thing I can contribute is that ACI stands for Army Council Instructions which were superceeded by DCI or Defence Council Instructions in the mid '60s (I believe DCI remain extant?). In civilian parlance these are a kind of "Newsletter" that are issued periodically and posted on all unit noticeboards. They are held on record in unit orderly room files (I guess computerised these days?) and contain everything that the Defence Council require the soldiery to be aware of. This covers everything from policy in general to requests for volunteers to take part in "non-invasive tests" during chemical/biological "defence" experiments! That always made me laugh but some people actually did volunteer for an extra days leave and a small payment Probably illegal today!

Anyway, that's a great set. Thanks for showing.

Regards

Mark