1939 acronyms help

[debs_r]

Hi all.

I've just started researching my great grandfather John Rodgers and found him listed on the 1939 Register of England and Wales with the following occupation:

Labourer H M F Gunner R A
138th AA Battery RA

I've tried searching his name on Forces War Records but am absolutely clueless when it comes to regiments, etc. Can anyone help me work out what unit I should search under to find his service number (and hopefully apply for his records)?

I have his DOB, DOD and next of kin, etc. but would like to know more about his involvement in the war.

Many thanks for any help you can give me :)

Debs

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
As you have come to us from Forces war Records reading this (https://www.british-genealogy.com/forum/threads/82046-FWR-Members-Please-Read) will explain the connection.

The MoD are still holding service records from 1921 onwards. The good news is that you do NOT need a service number or regiment to apply for them. What you do need is a date of birth and a copy of the death record. This 'sticky' (https://www.british-genealogy.com/forum/threads/81920-Service-records-post-1921-incl-WW2-amp-after?p=585757#post585757) explains and gives the link to the application forms. Unfortunately I believe that at the moment it can take many months before you receive them.
The National Archives do have some war diaries and this (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides-keywords/?show=keywords&keyword-letter=w&keyword=war-diaries#step-three) is where you can read up on their research guide for them.
This (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1002487) is a record TNA have for the Royal Artillery 138th Anti Aircraft Battery
Christina

[timbo58]

AA -Anti aircraft
RA -Royal artillery
H M F His Majesty's Forces.

138th battery AA RA -is the nearest you'll get to a definitive unit designation.

You'll need his service records however to get anything definitive with any accuracy.

[Peter Goodey]

You could search the Royal Artillery attestations on FindMyPast. I would have looked for you but you haven't provided sufficient identity details.