Tuesday May 7th, 1918
Work 6:15 and baths till 10:30. Cleaned my shorts. Very hot indeed.
Officer’s Record of Service Book (Army Book 439)
On April 15th, the Battalion diary recorded, ‘Every officer whose permanent rank is below that of Lt Col will be supplied with a record of service book, ‘Army Book 439’ which will be kept up according to the instruction contained within it.’ It seems that this document has only recently been created and issued. The instructions are simple and shown in this photograph.
Army Book 439 was an officer’s record of service and not an identity card. A printed page to this effect was subsequently issued to each officer with instructions to stick it into the booklet. An example is shown here, it has been stapled inside the front cover.
AB 439 was designed to contain an officer’s personal details and service history. Items included date of birth, home address, next of kin, and pre-war occupation. Others were the battalions and regiments the officer has served with, languages spoken, courses attended and promotions received, extra-regimental employment (eg time spent as an instructor), mentions in despatches and any rewards. According to the Battalion’s diary entry today, the officer also has to keep a record of any inoculations received.
The commanding officer had to sign to indicate the veracity of the information. There was also an opportunity for the CO to put in comments on the performance of the officer. An example of this is shown here. The review was written by the CO of the 2/4 Seaforth Highlanders in February 1918, about Lt Adam Anderson Gordon. ‘A very keen and hardworking officer who makes a very good company commander. He has been regimental gas officer and given every satisfaction – he has also been regimental bombing officer and performed his duties equally well.’*
According to entries in his booklet, Lt Gordon served with a variety of Battalions of the Seaforth Highlanders at home and abroad from 1915 to 1918. He was born in 1888 and lived in the Scottish Highlands, working as a commercial traveller for London-based Cox & Co. He returned to his job on demobilization.*
Personal Belongings
While providing a service record for the officer, its usefulness to the British Army seemed to end with the officer’s service at which point it became his personal property. This is evidenced by the following, from the records of the 18th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment when one of its officers, 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Charles Wright, was killed. He died at Méteren, in the defensive actions against Operation Georgette of the Spring Offensive in April/May 1918.
‘Mr George Samuel Wright received a telegram on 3 May 1918 from the Secretary of War informing him that his son had been killed in action and offering the condolences of the Army Council. His personal effects included a wrist watch, one officers advance book, a leather case containing portraits , one leather pocket case, letters, post cards, one AB 439, photos etc. and overseas chevrons…. He is buried in Méteren Military Cemetery’²
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 7th May 1918 – Saida
Work as before. All Officers in possession of Record of Services Book (AB 439) will have all records of inoculation entered on page 3.
References & Further Reading
¹ ‘Officers‘ on Tommy14-18.com
² ‘A Miners Pals Battalion at War: The History of the 18th Battalion, Middlesex Regt, Volume 2′, by Mike Hall, page 153
* pages from AB 439 of Adam Anderson Gordon’s Record of Service Book, Am Baile. Images may be subject to copyright.