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Remembered Today:

W.O. Secret Letter?


stevem49

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The chaps papers have listed his units and most seem normal.

One though has me baffled -

DLI 2/6th - Transferred WD (or WO) letter (secret) 29/gen No 6273 (ag?a third letter possibly j so agja) 9/1, 6 9 17 (Date I presume)

Why would a 'secret' letter be used to move a man to a 2nd line DLI battalion. Page of records below -

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1219/miuk1914e_124869-00025/125827?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dBritishArmyService%26h%3d125827%26indiv%3dtry%26o_vc%3dRecord%253aOtherRecord%26rhSource%3d1262&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord#?imageId=miuk1914e_124869-00028

There may be a simple explanation but for the life of me I cannot think what.

Thanks

Steve

ps - previous topic on this man

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=210649&hl=

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Never seen it before - thought maybe 29 General Hospital but I cannot find one.

Think it is 27/gen and ac&o, so will check that out

Steve

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The format seems very standard "War Office Letter", "Adjutant General" etc, except the word "secret". See examples in other threads - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22w+o+letter%22+%22gen%22+site:1914-1918.invisionzone.com&es_sm=122&biw=1366&bih=667

You mention clerical work in the other thread. Could it be something as mundane as "secretarial" or similar?

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Thanks for that. I think you are correct. I can see nothing in his papers that would suggest the need for a 'secret' letter. He was also TF joining in 1914, so a re-engaging could work with the letter.

Thanks again

Steve

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Steve

The secret part is not about the individual but about the content of the whole letter, which would have dealt with a wider subject. Normally when these letters are quoted they are associated with an Army Council Instruction. The letter was sent out by AG 2a. a branch of the Adjutant - General's department dealing with the infantry.

TR

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Terry

Many thanks for that. Think I need a course on army/forms and letters!

Cheers

Steve

ps - will close thread now, thank you all for the input.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Came across this in a service record. Why would the W,O. be involved in a mans transfer and authorise it by secret letter?

post-99311-0-83363000-1401567669_thumb.j

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It's not the first example I've seen recently - the previous one was effectively combing men out of home battalions to join a garrison battalion for service in France.

The War Office part likely refers to an instruction to transfer men who met the required criteria and the secret part is probably just to do with the classification of the original letter.

Craig

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Thanks Craig,

It's not the first I have seen either but the first I have copied.

I think this one was a man in RF.

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