John Joseph Orr

He enlisted in the Territorial Army joining 351st Battery, Royal Artillery. He attended their annual camp on 30 Jul 1939 for 15 days, shortly after being embodied on 1 Sep 1939, just before war was declared.

11 Sep 1939 Posted to 349 Battery, 137 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery at Blackpool.

23 Oct 1940 Attached to No.3 Recruit Centre, RAF Headquarters, Padgate, near Warrington. This was the RAF basic training centre. It is unclear why he was attached there and it was only for a day.

14 Dec 1940 Attached to No.3 Technical Training Group, Nottingham, to attend a course of instruction. Afterwards he returned to his battalion at Larkhill. 

5 Apr 1941 He was posted to the 3rd General Trade Training Battalion Royal Signals, Huddersfield. Transferring to The Royal Corps of Signals his rank became Signalman instead of a Gunner. On 29 May 1941 He passed the Class III Trade Test for Group A Signals Electrician there. It seems possible he had been identified for recruitment to Auxiliary Units and this prompted the transfer.

4 Jun 1941 He was posted to HQ Auxiliary Units. In 16 Jun he was admitted to RCS Haverhill for 6 days, indicating that he had been at Bachelors Hall, Hundon, the Auxiliary Units Royal Signals base nearby. This his supported by his appearance in the 1944 photo labelled as the “Batchelors ‘all gang”. These were the first recruits to Auxiliary Units Signals and were building the first wireless sets at this location. On 31 Jul he was granted a week of leave.

15 Oct 1941 Passes Trade Test Class II as Signals Electrician.

4 Mar 1942 He was derated to Class III for one month for “lack of diligence”.

On 15 Aug 1942 he ceased to be attached to the Medical Examination Centre, Southern Command, Taunton.