Thanks, Bruno and Joss, that helps a lot.Bruno wrote:Hello,North of 60 wrote:From what I can gather from the records (PDF of pertinent sections available, if this would be any help), he arrived at 3 PRC 2 Sep 43, then eventually through P.T.S. (Pilot Training School ?) Ringway and 42 O.T.U. to 296 Sqn on 20 August 44.
He was then attached to HGCU from O & RTU from 18 Sep to 1 Dec 44. Seemingly in the middle of this, he is attached to Fairford (26/10/44), and then TOS 1665 HCU on 4/12/44.
From there, he seems to go to 38 Grp W.T.S. (Wireless Training School ?) on 18/2/45 until he goes to 299 Sqn on 6/3/45.
There are a couple of unreadable entries, picking up again when he seems to come back to Canada 23/7/45.
There are a couple of abbreviations that I can't seem to figure out - on 7/7/44 there is an entry " GTBD (might not be D) from ORTU to 42 OTU "
Then on 4/3/45 the entry read " C + BA 38 Grp WTS ".
I have no idea what those two entries mean.
Chris Garven
Inuvik, NT, Canada
Thanks to the help of Joss Leclercq here is the meaning of some the abbreviations:
PRC is Personnel Reception Centre, a place where people in transit would wait before starting a new course, especially after crossing the ocean. You knew when you left, not exactly when you would arrive, so there was some delay between them.
TOS : Taken on Strength (SOS : struck off Strength).
GTBD : Flying Training and Support Units since 1912, Sturtivant & Hamlin, Air-Britain, doesn't show this acronym. Closest is GTPS : Glider and Tug Pilots School. That would make sense for someone later posted to No. 38 Group.
WTS had a double meaning : Wireless Telephony School or Weapons Training Squadron. Probably the latter as the former disbanded in 1919.
To add: P.T.S is the Parachute Training School.
Here is for the moment.
Best regards.
Bruno
Looking at the record, it is definitely GTB The D is a little uncertain, however.
I will ask about that when I am at Kew at the end of the month.
I am assuming that OTU is Operations Training Unit or something similar.
I actually got a very good list of abbreviations from Library and Archives Canada. I will post it on here when I get a chance. That will probably be after I get back from the UK in early September.
The list of things to check at Kew and the Edinburgh Archives seems to be growing as the days get closer. I just found attestation papers for my biological grandmother's father (my dad was adopted) for the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Winnipeg. On the form, it states that he had been in the "Northumberland Fusiliers" for 5 years. That would have been prior to his coming to Canada, so sometime about 1895 to 1912. Now I have to find out if Kew has paybooks or other records for the Fusiliers.
Exponential growth of tasks!
Again - thanks for the help.
Chris in Inuvik, NWT, Canada
