Royal Navy Research Archive Forums
Personnel => Royal Navy => Topic started by: Deben on 25 April 2020 11:38:28 pm
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I am researching an Arthur Walter Gilder, Navy No JX275734 for a friend:
Any help appreciated with following questions please:
1) He was an A/PO Radar, with a suffix of R.C.........any ideas on R.C?
2). c/o GPO London BREE/45 13? Any thoughts on this address or BREE ?
3). Arthur was Lent to various establishments...can anyone decode:
Lent "V.B" ? 12 Nov -5 Dec 1943
Lent "RADEX" 15 Jan – 26 Feb 1946
Lent “Philadelphia” 6/7 Nov 1943
Lent “ Eastney” - I think might be HMS Mecury
4). HMS Pembroke (6 Jan – 11 Mar 1945)….. Did Pembroke have a radar connection? Or any link with Bletchley Park??
Many Thanks on any insights
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1] R.C – radar control : in the early days of the radar branch it was divided into ‘plotting’ and ’control’. RC ratings specialised in the use of fire control radar for the guns
2] GPO London was the normal postal address for servicemen, i.e "HMS Rodney, GPO London" - the mail was then directed to the barracks at Mill Hill, London, where it could be forwarded to wherever the ship was. I cannot explain the BREE bit ...
3]
V.B. = perhaps Victory Barracks (the naval barracks, Portsmouth)?
Radex probably refers to the building known as Radex House ( = RN Radar School, Portsmouth)
Philadelphia is curious – was he at Gibraltar at the time? the USS Philadelphia was there at about this time I believe
Eastney probably means Fraser Gunnery Range which was located at Eastney, Portsmouth
see: https://fraserrange.co.uk/history/
4] HMS Pembroke was the naval barracks at Chatham and had no particular radar connection. The only connection to Bletchley Park that I know of, is that the WRNS posted to various ‘secret’ establishments, such as Bletchley, were shown as serving at ‘Pembroke V” ( that’s a V meaning 5)
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Hi Philonauticus
Thank you for your response. i think I am a clearer on the Lent Philadelphia....Arthur was on HMS Royal Sovereign during her refit in the US (Brooklyn Navy Yard or NJ). He was P&V puts him on HMS Saker and HMS Asbury.....so i think he may have possibly gone to the Naval Yards at Virginia Beach (V.B) - It's a guess, but stacks up more geographically.
Could "Radex" possibly mean Radar Exercise?
When he was de-mobbed in 1946 it T/A Petty Officer Arthur Gilder is released to shore in "Class A. A&S Gr. No 38...S.161 R HMS Victory" Any idea on the meaning of the Class A & A&S Gr 38..., by any chance?
Thank you again
Paul
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Radex - it could possibly mean 'radar exercise' but such things would not normally feature on a service record
Class A meant released to shore, but liable to recall to service in the event of an emergency