More abbreviations

[MParnham]

Would anyone have any idea what the following may refer to - it is contained in a letter referring to a family casualty killed on the 25th Sept 1915. The letter is written to the war office

“Reference - 2nd Lieut C. Hurst-Brown. 44004/2 (C.3.A.L.)"

Name, rank and number seem obvious – but what about the - (C.3.A.L.) ??

Thanks

Martin

[gericht 1914]

“Reference - 2nd Lieut C. Hurst-Brown. 44004/2 (C.3.A.L.)"

Name, rank and number seem obvious

Not as obvious as you may think, Martin.

Prior to 1920, officers didn't have numbers! This number is most likely to be a reference number for something that I'm sure some other forum member will be able to help you out with.

Dave.

[roger]

This is only a guess but it looks like 44004/2 (C.3.A.L.) is a map ref. maybe to the location where 2nd Lieut C. Hurst-Brown became a casualty. Or maybe not, like I said just a guess

Roger

[MParnham]

Oops - I live and learn (mainly live according to my wife!). Map ref an interesting idea I will try persue it, I have a couple of relevent maps.

Many thanks Roger, Dave.

Martin

[roger]

Martin, if my guess proves to be correct please let me know, I might have learnt something myself, accidentally of course

Roger.

[gericht 1914]

i think it is more likely to be a file/correspondance reference rather than that of a map. To be honest, it doesn't look like the type of map reference you would expect (usual format is map number followed by a letter(for the particular grid square on the map), followed by a number (going into the closer grid), followed by a letter (for the quadrant of that particular square) followed by at least 2 numbers (for the exact point)).

For example, if he was killed outside the church in the centre of Loos itself, the reference would be :36cNW G35B7.5. Mind you, I suppose it could be a reference from some other type of non-military map. What's the date of the letter? Is it post-war?

[roger]

i think it is more likely to be a file/correspondance reference rather than that of a map.

You're probably right there but either way it would be nice to know.

Roger

[MParnham]

You're probably right there but either way it would be nice to know.

Roger

I can't match it to any trench map I have, I have with the aid of the forum pinned down were he was mortally wounded within a few yards (! ) and I can't see the significance of this number to this location. The letter was written within 2 or 3 weeks of his death by his father (my wifes great grandad), he was trying to clear up when his son died.

I fear you may be correct and it is simply a bureaucratic file reference, still I have learned that he had no army number and that this must apply to his younger brother (also a Second Lieut) who was killed 3 months earlier.

many thanks to you all

Martin

[Terry_Reeves]

It is a file or corespondence reference. You may already know, but there is a file for him at the National Archive, WO339/23648. You may be able to match that reference in the file. The correspondence continues until 1919. The is also a file for a 2Lt D Hurst-Brown - WO339/4180, presumably his brother.

Terry Reeves

Edited 29 December , 2005 by Terry_Reeves

[MParnham]

Thanks Terry - we have seen these, it was in these files that we came across this set of numbers - they appeared out "of the blue" in his file on the letter from his father, we could find no other reference to them - and thought (wrongly!) they must be his army number or something similar.

Martin