Understanding Military Service Records

[AdrianJackson]

My wifes grandfather served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve of the Royal Naval Division in the first world war and I have just obtained his service record but don't understand a lot of the codes used on it.
Are there any military experts on here who may be able to help? I've copied below the bits I would like some advice on in bold text;

06/08/1917. Drafted to Nelson Battn B.E.F. from 2nd Res. Battn. Blandford. ( I assume this is British Expeditionary Force?).
06/09/1917. BEF D.O.58. Joined XIII Corps Draft Training Depot, from Base Depot, Calais. 30.8.17. (Is this Draft Order? does the number have any significance?).
05/10/1917. BEF D.O.64. Joined Nelson Battn. from XIII Corps M&R Camp, 27.9.17
12/01/1918. HA/18244(2) Adm16.GH.Le Treport. 5.1.18. Otitis Media Mild. AFB/104-80a
18/01/1918. HB/9782 Adm: 1st Southern GH Edgbaston, Birmingham, 10.1.18. SMO informed.
18/01/1918. BEF.D.O. 8. To 150th Field Amb. 3.1.18.
21/01/1918. BEF.D.O. 9. Invalided, 8.1.18. Inf. Mid. ear.
27/01/1918. Recd. AFB/103, 7.8.17, emb. Folkes. disemb. Boul; 8.8.17, jd. BD. Calais. 7.2.81, form forw. to SCO.B'ford.
24/04/1918. AFW/3016 recd. Furlaugh 23/4/18 - 2/5/18 Class I
23/07/1918. Drafted from 2nd Res.Battn. Aldershot, to Hawke Battn. B.E.F.
25/08/1918. HAWKE.63. To Reg.Dep.63rd.RN.Div.Al'shot. 22.8.18.ex 'L'IBD.Calais
05/09/1918. Recd. AFB/103, 25.7.18, emb.Dover, disemb. Cal; (Surplus B.Class. 'B' iii 25.7.18, j. "L"IBD.Cal. 10.9.18, form forw. to SCO.A'shot
26/08/1918. DO/165, (Reg.Depot) ?.on S. from E.F. to date, 23.8.18. ex "Hawke" Battn.
07/10/1918. DO/195 Reg.Dep. Returned from Agri : fur: to date 7.10.18.
21/10/1918. DO/204.Reg.Dep.T.off.S.on trans to R.N.Dep.Ports to date pm 19.10.18
01/11/1918. AFB/103, & AFB/122, f8,) recd from SCO Aldershot filed.
07/12/1918. RNV.1, MHS, & Med.Inspection report. to AG/9.

The family believe that he was gassed during the war and he died at the age of 46 from Broncho Pneumonia and Asthma.

If anyone is able to help with decyphering the above it would be very much appreciated.

[Richard in Perth]

I'm no military expert so can't help with the acronyms, but I would say that "Furlaugh" is a mistranscription of Furlough, which is a leave of absence in military speak.

[AlanC]

This link should help;

http://www.1914-1918.net/interpret.html

[Janet]

I understand that furlough is just leave, not leave of absence! All soldiers would have been able to take leave at certain times and my G Grandather was no exception. I have all his records which includes Furlough at certain times, quite a number of them. He left the Army with an exemplary record with 5 Good Conduct Badges and no convictions for anything!

BEF I am almost certain means British Expeditionary Force
Reg Depot is Regimental Depot
RNV is probably Royal Navy Volunteer
MHS might be Military Hospital Ship
SCO Senior Commission Officer
SMO Senior Medical Officer
Hawke apperas to be a battallion so the number beside it might be the regiment
Not too sure about the others.

Janet

[Janet]

GH might be General Headquarters?

Janet

[Janet]

Reg Dep Regiment depart

DO/195 Reg.Dep. Returned from Agri : fur: to date 7.10.18.
21/10/1918. DO/204.Reg.Dep.T.off.S.on trans to R.N.Dep.Ports to date pm 19.10.18

Reg Dep Regiment departs,
Reg Dep on Transit to Royal Navy Depart ports
Fur is furlough which is leave

Correction SCO is most probably Senior Commanding Officer
Janet

[AdrianJackson]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I think I have now picked the bones out of it and put it on a time line,

07/08/1917. Embarked at Folkestone
08/08/1917. Disembarked at Boulogne, joined Base Depot in Calais
29/08/1917. Left Base Depot Calais to join Unit.
30/08/1917. Joined XIII Corps Draft Training Depot (M&R Camp)
27/09/1917. Joined "Nelson" Battalion.

(26/10/1917 - 10/11/1917 2nd Battle of Passchendaele. 30/12/1917 Action of Welsh Ridge)

03/01/1918. To 150th Field Ambulance.
05/01/1918. Admitted to No16 General Hospital, Le Treport with Otitis Media (infection of middle ear).
08/01/1918. Invalided.
10/01/1918 Admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital Egbaston Birmingham. Senior Medical Officer informed.
23/04/1918 - 02/05/1918. On Leave.
23/07/1918. Drafted to "Hawke" Battalion from 2nd Reserve Battalion.
25/07/1918. Embarked Dover, disembarked Calais. Joined "L" IBD in Calais.
22/08/1918. To Regimental Depot 63rd Royal Naval Division, Aldershot.

From the above, he had 2 spells of active service in France & Belgium (27/09/1917 - 03/01/1918 and 25/07/1918 - 22/08/1918). Unfortunately, I still don't know what all the codes mean or what "L" IBD is. If anyone out there can help decipher these I would be very grateful.

[Katarzyna]

Only ref to M&R I could find was *maintenance and repair*

"L" IBD This is explained here : The Infantry Base Depots in France

So Infantry Base Depot 17 at Etaples became L IBD

[AdrianJackson]

Thats brilliant Katarzyna, thanyou. Only the codes to go now