AMES in India/Far East

[Resmoroh]

Hello All,
I am poking about in the depths of the RAF organisation in India/Far East in WW2. I note (in various Commands/Groups) a large number of AMES (Air Ministry Experimental Stations(?) – euphemism for ‘radar’?). I note that they were numbered – going to 4 digits (up to 8xxx). OK, so there were a lot of them. There are a very few where the number is a 5-digit number in the 14xxx series. Does anybody know what these ‘14xxx’ AMES Units were? They were, clearly, different from your normal 'run-of-the-mill' AMES - but what did they do? Probably a task for Ian The Radar when he is next on the circuit!
TIA
Peter Davies

[Ian Brown]

Peter,

The unit number of an AMES indicates the type of equipment it used. The first number or numbers are the equipment type, the rest are the unit number. Units beginning with 8 used Type 8 metric GCI; those beginning with 14 used the Type 14 centimetric GCI radar.

I hope this helps.

[Resmoroh]

OK Ian, Mni tks,
Got the picture. Simple when an expert tells you!!
Yrs Aye
Peter Davies

[Ian Brown]

Peter,

Which units are you interested in, as I might have information about those specific ones?

[Resmoroh]

Ian,
Tks yrs. There is no specific Unit I am interested in. It was just that - while fossicking for something else in the world of SEAC, etc, - I noted the differences in AMES Unit numbers (and wondered why). Units safeguard their Seniority very jealously. When, after Op CORPORATE, the Memorial was placed in Stanley I noticed that my Unit (the MMU - a Reserve Unit) had been placed above MCSU (a Regular Unit) in the inscriptions. When I got back to UK I contacted the Protocol Dept to point out what I thought might have been a bit of an error. I was told (somewhat 'sniffily' I thought) that as the MMU had been formed before the MCSU the MMU was, therefore, Senior in the Unit hierarchy to the MCSU - end of story. I had (erroneously) thought that the AMES Unit numbers had been allocated in strict numerical progression. Your info that first two digits were the AMES Type number solved the problem.
Tks yr help
Peter Davies

[Rob Stuart]

Peter, the following link may be of interest:

http://www.rquirk.com/cdnradar/cdnseacradar.htm

[Resmoroh]

Rob, Hi,
Mni tks for the heads up on that Canadian Radar Mechs site. Very interesting indeed. Elfinblues may also obtain a vast amount of background information in the 224 Grp quest!!
Rgds
Peter Davies