William Bloor

He joined the Royal Army Service Corps at Stoke-on-Trent on 27 July 1937 and was posted to 2 Training Company. He qualified as a Driver IC (Internal Combustion, rather than horse waggon driver) on 4 Aug 1937. On 21 Aug he passed his 3rd Class Army Education Certificate, then the 2nd Class on on 21 Feb 1939. He served in turn with 27, then 63, and from 29 Sep 1939 86 Company RASC. 

He was posted to Auxiliary Units, Scout Section 25 May 1941. The next day, he was attached to HQ Company 8th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders at Huntly, confirming he had been posted to the Scout Section based at Blairmore House at Glass. Men were typically attached to a local unit for pay and rations. On 11 Oct 1941 this changed to 79th (Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment Royal Artillery, because the Gordon Highlanders were converting to an anti-tank regiment. On 18 Oct 1941 he forfeited 10 days pay and was stopped £1 from his pay. No reason is given but this was the type of penalty applied for damage or loss of Army equipment. All of these entries were signed by Captain R Gordon-Lennox, the Intelligence Officer.

In 6 Nov 1941 he was posted to Coleshill House. Shortly after, on 21 Dec he was admitted to St Margaret’s Hospital, Stratton, on the Highworth Road. It is understood he had suffered a serious head injury. On 21 Feb 1942 he was transferred from Stratton to the Military Hospital at St Hugh’s College in Oxford. He finally returned to Coleshill on 27 Mar 1942. Interestingly he was then attached to a series of nearby Royal Artillery units for both rations and accommodation indicating he was not sleeping at Coleshill House. 

On 20 Jul 1942 he awarded 10 days confinement to barracks by Lord Glanusk for an offence involving a lorry, also forfeiting 3 days pay. This did not prevent him being awarded his second Good Conduct badge on 31 Jul 1943.

From 25 Feb 1943, he was placed on the Lodging List at single rate. This indicates he was living in a billet with funding for this. This was initially until 5 Mar 1943, but subsequent entries in his service record do not mention accommodation, suggesting this continued. From 3 Apr 1943 he was attached to RAF Brixham Newton for rations. He remained at Coleshill until 30 Jun 1944 when the regular element of Auxiliary Units was being rapidly wound up.

After Auxiliary Units he went to the Holding Company of No.1 RASC Mobilisation Centre before embarking for Europe on 1 Aug 1944. He spent 4 months in France, 7 months in Germany, 3 months in Holland and 2 months in Belgium from where he was discharged, leaving the Army in May 1946.

His testimonial stated, “He is very temperate and has at all times been a very willing and honest worker. He is a  good and careful driver.” He was awarded the 1939-45 War Medal, 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star and the Defence Medal in May 1949.

He was discharged from Reserve Liability 30 June 1959