Billeting Records

[bethsam]

Hi folks

I wonder if anyone out there knows if there are any billeting records for American GIs during the second world war? A work colleague wants to trace some that were posted to her aunt's building in Edinburgh.

I'd be grateful for any advice or hints to pass on.

Regards
bethsam

[Currie]

Hello Bethsam,

What you’re very optimistically looking for is some sort of register of every house in the UK that was used to billet US service personnel, and maybe other nationalities, during WW2 and that will have a record of each and every such person who ever resided there.

The scenario seems to be that at time of War a number of soldiers arrives at a particular locality and requires accommodation. Their officer, who must be of field rank, i.e. Major, or above, issues a Billeting Requisition to the local constabulary or other civil authority who then finds suitable accommodation for them. The Army then has control and whoever moves into the place is the Army’s business. It seems to have worked something like that. Here’s a Parliamentary Debate about the matter from 1943. http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/? ... 0a.1359.10

There’s a reference in the records of the Scottish Home Department 1942-1946, at the NAS, to American Forces being given these powers of requisition.
“Circular No. 5164: Billeting Of American and Dominion Forces. An Order Authorizing General Or Field Officers Of The American Forces To Issue Billeting Requisitions.”

It was probably only the officer who issued the requisition who would have known who went where.

That’s my guess,
All the best,
Alan

[bethsam]

Thank you Alan

Your post was extremely helpful in understanding how the billeting system worked. We'll just have to try other ways of finding out their names. If you come across anything that may guide us in the right direction we'd be very happy to hear from you.

Regards
Bethsam