beresford69 Posted 15 April , 2011 Share Posted 15 April , 2011 As part of the North Russian Relief Force, my Great Uncle sailed from Tyne Dock on the Porto on 27th May 1919 and was greeted as he got off the boat at Archangel by (his brother) my Grandfather, who according to an old family letter was ‘APM in Archangel’. It was the last time they saw each other. Has anyone heard of this term and what it stands for? My Grandfather was I understand in the 24th (Tank Corps) Officer Cadet Battalion until released from the service mid-1919. Presumably the position was in some way connected to that but perhaps someone with knowledge on the events in North Russia at this time might know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 15 April , 2011 Share Posted 15 April , 2011 Hi, It could be APM: Assistant Provost Marshal Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 15 April , 2011 Share Posted 15 April , 2011 Can't think what else it could be other than Assistant Provost Marshall - effectively running the military police and looking after security. Can't see a Tank Corps connection though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 16 April , 2011 Share Posted 16 April , 2011 Hello Geoff Assistant Provost-Marshal was a staff job - technically a "special appointment" at a headquarters - and so there was no particular affiliation with the Tank Corps or any other branch of the Army. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Mc Posted 16 April , 2011 Share Posted 16 April , 2011 Just a long shot, but was his name Alfred, Hugh or Sidney B? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beresford69 Posted 16 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2011 Thanks to everyone who's made a suggestion here. Peter, I think we may have been in touch already about another matter! His name was Captain Marcus Beresford Lendrum. This is the only sketchy record I have of his service. His records were apparently among those destroyed in 1940. He was commissioned into Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers, 9th Battalion on 6th March 1915. Arriving in France in October. He joined the 108th Brigade Machine Gun Company on 22 Jan 1916 and subsequently the Tank Corps. Lieutenant 1st Oct 1916, Acting Captain 1st March 1917. He served with the Officer Cadet Battalion throughout 1918 before being released from the service mid-1919'. A newspaper cutting indicates he was at Hazeley Down, Wiltshire in April 1919, presumably still with the Tank Corps - (there's quite a bit on this Forum about the 24th (Tank Corps) Officer Cadet Battalion being there. Its just a bit of a mystery how a few months later he turns up in North Russia as an 'APM'. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 16 April , 2011 Share Posted 16 April , 2011 He served with the Officer Cadet Battalion throughout 1918 before being released from the service mid-1919'. A newspaper cutting indicates he was at Hazeley Down, Wiltshire in April 1919, presumably still with the Tank Corps - (there's quite a bit on this Forum about the 24th (Tank Corps) Officer Cadet Battalion being there. Its just a bit of a mystery how a few months later he turns up in North Russia as an 'APM'. Geoff The Tank Corps appears to have often assigned officers and men who had "gone through the mill" to work away from the front and working in the Officer Cadet battalion would fit (the RFC/RAF used to do something similar so that veterans would do a stint as flying instructors). I would imagine that with the Armistice the numbers going through the Cadet Battalion would dwindle so that he might have been under employed and volunteered for other duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beresford69 Posted 16 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2011 That would seem to fit. Apparently he was 'lame' as a result of being wounded badly in the ankle by shrapnel at the front and I know that he wasn't able to full extend his arm. Still, he lived to the ripe old age of 85. We have heard recently that his mllitary records, whilst definitely not in Kew, may now be in Glasgow so that is something we are going to follow up. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 16 April , 2011 Share Posted 16 April , 2011 Apparently he was 'lame' as a result of being wounded badly in the ankle by shrapnel at the front Yes the officer detailed to command the touring tank company in the USA was similarly injured and I've, vague, details of another slightly disabled tank officer seconded to an overseas recruiting commission. It seems that the Tank Corps were good at recycling rather than retiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beresford69 Posted 17 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 17 April , 2011 Its funny, googling around on this subject I found the attached item which had just been sold on Ebay. Its dated 1st June 1919 and its very likely that as The Porto arrived in Archangel on 5th June, the Captain Reid (Deputy Assistant Provost-Marshal) here was my Grandfather's deputy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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