Information request

Submitted by Grahame Roberts on Thu, 01/27/2022 - 23:35

I have just come across some envelopes of my father who was in Hong Kong and i know visited Australia at the end of WW2. 

Can anyone point me in the direction of what the Malaria and Hygine Unit No 7 was involved in, what ship they were assigned to etc and help me understand the abbreviations:

D/Jx 731593, Mess 24.  Was that his service number and what does the D/Jx mean.

What is F.T.P   R.A.F.T.  mean.

Thank you in anticipation

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Hi Graham,

Do you have your father's full name (so I can look up his service number for example) and if possible, a photo of the document in question so I can see the context of the numbers and letters? 

Kind regards

David

Hi David

 

Thank you for your offer, i have very little to go on at the moment except:

Sidney Hanson Roberts born 1924.

Malaria and Hygine Unit No 7 was listed on the envelope

D/Jx 731593, Mess 24.  Was that his service number and what does the D/Jx mean.

What is F.T.P  &  R.A.F.T.  mean.

Thank you

I'm not much help I'm afraid.

I can't find your father in the military records - by name or using that number as the Service Number that would link to his name. But the records are not all complete....so don't lose hope. Which made me think if he might have volunteerd for service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and then got attached to the Royal Naval malaria unit. 

It seemed back in 2008 somebody asked the same question as you here

Explanation of letters: D/Jx

According to that link the prefix D would stand for the designated home port of Devonport (C = Chatham and P = Portsmouth).

The "J" stands for Long Service Seaman or Communications. The "X" after the main letter indicates that the rating was engaged after the new pay code of the early 1930s was introduced. And yes, the series of numbers would be his service number. 

For example: John Barford Lindop who served at the end of WWII had the service number: D/Jx 540875

 

 

R.A.F.T. = Rear Admiral Fleet Train (of the British Pacific Fleet)

So the R.A.F.T. was in command of the British Pacifc Fleet. The Fleet Train or British Pacific Fleet was garrisoned in Manus Island, Australia and then Hong Kong.

In the wikiipedia entry here (if you scroll down), there is a (loooooong!) list of names of ships that ended up in Hong Kong ie. HMS Venerable, HMS Indomitable and HMS Vengeance...but really it could be any number of those ships your father could have been on. 

I am wondering if F.T.P, = Fleet Train, Pacific 

On Find a Grave in Blacon Cemetery he is named as Sydney Hanson Roberts but in the UK Calendar he is named as Sidney Hanson Roberts

Born 24 April 1924 Chester, Cheshire West and Chester Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England

Death 10 February 1967 aged 42 years Chester, Cheshire West and Chester Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England

Burial Blacon Cemetery Chester