TOPIC:

Charles Benjamin Thomas (1860-1942) was my great-uncle. He joined the Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) in 1890 and transferred to the Army Pay Corps in 1892. During Nov. 1899 - June 1903 he was in South Africa, promoted to Staff Sergeant in 1901 and to Staff Quarter Master Sergeant in 1904. He retired after 29 years’ service in June 1919 with the rank of SQMS and was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. I have found him in the Military Campaign and Medal Award Rolls with entitlement to the Queen’s South Africa Medal and the King’s South Africa Medal with the NATAL clasp.

The list of names has, as a written addition to the heading, ‘and A.V.C.’ and these same initials are marked against a few of the names on the list, including the name ‘462 S.S. Thomas C.B.’

My question is: what does AVC stand for? My guess is that the C may stand for ‘commendation’, but if so, what about the A and V? The National Archives has a list of abbreviations associated with this batch of records, with AVC standing for Army Veterinary Corps, but this does not seem the answer in this context.

Good Morning Thomas......

It looks as if he served in several units and the AVC could very well mean Army Veterinary Corps meaning he was attached to them and might have had his name put on their roll....

Mike

Hmm little bit of a mystery. I find no CB Thomas on the rolls of the Army Veterinary Department amongst the dressers, clerks and farriers. Can I ask for a scan ?

The Army Veterinary Corps was formed in 1911 from the Army Veterinary Service (1908) and the Army Veterinary Department ( from 1796 ) It became Royal in 1918. The acronym A.V.C. would predate the formation of the Corps by several years.

I have had a look at the rolls and can only see "A.P.C." ?

David,

Here is the information from the KSA roll (WO100/355p220)

CB Thomas' entry is second in the list. It looks like 'AYC' against his name but the title reads 'AVC' and so does the 4th entry.

Mystery indeed.