# Some abbrevations



## dollard (23 May 2011)

I am looking at an Uncle'service record and there are some abbrevations that aren't explained. Can someone please help explain them?
Att fap to NRMA. What is Att? Attached? It is used many times. I know the rest.
Appointed L/Cpl, appointed A/Cpl
Qualified driver  M/C
Att fap to Records Acton CMHQ. What could Acton be?
CTBA to 9C REpat Depot. What is CTBA
Gtd T.T. Could this be granted travel time (this is at the end of his service)?


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## Michael OLeary (23 May 2011)

Att fap to NRMA. What is Att? Attached? It is used many times. I know the rest.

To be attached meant you would belong to that unit temporarily, with the intent of eventually returning to your own parent unit. Attached "fap" = "for all puposes", i.e., pay, equipment issues, rations, discipline, the ability to give you any task, etc. = full ownership except for a formal posting to the unit.

Appointed L/Cpl, appointed A/Cpl

Lance Corporal
Acting Corporal

Qualified driver  M/C

Motorcycle

Att fap to Records Acton CMHQ. What could Acton be?

Acton is a place - _"Canadian Military Headquarters (CMHQ), London, located in Acton, and more particularly with the work of the Records Branch."_

CTBA to 9C REpat Depot. What is CTBA

Cease to be attached

Gtd T.T. Could this be granted travel time (this is at the end of his service)?

Travel time; which could be either inclusive to granted leave dates, or in addition to.


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## dollard (23 May 2011)

Thank you very much for translating those abbrevations. I notice one more; "Qualified M.T. driver Class III (Wheeled). I wonder what M.T. would be and why would they say wheeled.


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## Nfld Sapper (23 May 2011)

Maybe because they also have/had tracked vehicles.....


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## dollard (23 May 2011)

One more question if I may.
In 1943 Sept 1 he was appointed L/Cpl then he relinquished this rank of relocation to Vernon 6 weeks later. In 1945 July 20 he was again L/Cpl. Then in 1945 Sept 6 A/Cpl.  I wonder why he would relinquish rank? Which is higher L/Cpl or A/Cpl?


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## Michael OLeary (23 May 2011)

dollard said:
			
		

> Thank you very much for translating those abbrevations. I notice one more; "Qualified M.T. driver Class III (Wheeled). I wonder what M.T. would be and why would they say wheeled.



M.T. - Motor Transport (originally to distinguish it from the kind fueled by hay)


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## Michael OLeary (23 May 2011)

dollard said:
			
		

> One more question if I may.
> In 1943 Sept 1 he was appointed L/Cpl then he relinquished this rank of relocation to Vernon 6 weeks later. In 1945 July 20 he was again L/Cpl. Then in 1945 Sept 6 A/Cpl.  I wonder why he would relinquish rank? Which is higher L/Cpl or A/Cpl?



Some soldiers, on taking on the supervisory duties assigned a Lance Corporal, found that it was not to their liking, either because of the responsibility or because of the new separation they needed to maintain from their old friends in the ranks. Some relinquished rank at their own request to return to their section mates. It was not uncommon and was not necessarily an indication of inadequate skills exhibited by the soldier.

A/Cpl is senior to a L/Cpl.


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## dollard (23 May 2011)

Thanks a lot Michael.


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## Blackadder1916 (24 May 2011)

dollard said:
			
		

> One more question if I may.
> In 1943 Sept 1 he was appointed L/Cpl then he *relinquished this rank of relocation to Vernon 6 weeks later*. In 1945 July 20 he was again L/Cpl. Then in 1945 Sept 6 A/Cpl.  I wonder why he would relinquish rank? Which is higher L/Cpl or A/Cpl?



In addition to the explanation provided by MO'L,  there may be another reason why your uncle reverted in rank to private (trooper?).  The rank of L/Cpl was an "appointment" granted within a particular unit in which the soldier was serving.  There was no guarantee that a "Lance Jack" would keep his one stripe if he was posted to another unit.  If I recollect correctly from the other thread in which you discussed your uncle, he was transferred from 2nd Bn, Can Scots to the 31st (Alberta) Recce Reg't in late 1943.  Perhaps that transfer coincided with his relocation to Vernon.  If the gaining unit had no vacancies for L/Cpls, or the gaining CO did not want to accept him as a L/Cpl, or the losing CO was not inclined to recommend that he be retained in that rank, the odds were that he would lose his stripe.


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## Rifleman62 (24 May 2011)

> The rank of L/Cpl was an "appointment" granted within a particular unit in which the soldier was serving.  There was no guarantee that a "Lance Jack" would keep his one stripe if he was posted to another unit.



I believe in practice, a soldier was "posted" to a new unit in his substantiated rank. This was in the old. old QR & O's.

Same with Lance Sergeant.


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