Family Historian User Group

Just received my dad's WWII army service records after about a 4 month wait. What a mass of jargon and acronyms!!!

Google has helped with some of it, but while I can find references to 'X2 Lists' and 'X4 Lists' (in the context of being transferred onto and off of them, often after being wounded) I've not been able to find out what they mean. I did find 'Y List' = not assigned to any particulat unit, so assume it's something along those lines.

Does anyone know what these X2 and X4 lists were, or where I might find out?

David

PS - if anyone's come across a guide to interpreting these service records a pointer in that direction would be most welcome.

PPS - fascinating stuff these records, well worth the £30. My dad, whilst 'in the field', lost an item of clothing worth £4.74 and was stopped £2 off his pay!!

ID:4326

Found this on t'internet. It makes sense generically - let's hope it makes sense in your father's case.

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The “X” list is maintained in 5 sections,

THE X (i) LiST comprises all ranks posted to fill vacancies in authorised WEs [War Establishments]

THE X (ii) LiST comprises all ranks evacuated on medical grounds

THE X (iii) LiST comprises
Confirmed prisoners of war,
Personnel officially declared missing,
OR [Other Rank] under un-suspended sentence of detention or imprisonment (personnel undergoing field
punishment remain on unit strength),
Deserters

THE X (iv) LiST comprises all unposted reinforcements and incoming reinforcement drafts.

THE X (v) LiST
When officer personnel attend as students at courses of instructions or schools
When other rank personnel attend as students at courses of instruction for more then twenty-eight days
All candidates for OCTU [Officer Cadet Training Unit] will immediately transferred to X (v) list
All personnel acting as instructors at courses or schools

I would like to echo David's PPS regarding service records.

I know a fair bit about my late father's WWII RAF service in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (as was), and thought £30 was rather steep when I looked into obtaining his records. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

My records arrived in a little over three weeks including registering my Next of Kin status. The copies were of a very high quality the same size as the originals, and were printed in colour on high-quality art paper. They came with a glossary of abbreviations, and were posted in a board-backed envelope, which arrived in pristine condition.

More information can be found at http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_rec ... cords.html

I did have to telephone a couple of queries: everyone I spoke to was unfailingly helpful.

Brian

I forgot to mention...

Many Royal Air Force Acronyms/Abbreviations can be found at
http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/acronyms.htm
and
http://www.raf-families-federation.org. ... ations.asp
Also many 1914-1918 abbreviations can be found at
http://www.1914-1918.net/abbrev.htm

I'm sure there a many other sites.

Brian