Hello everyone,
I am researching the WWII service of my grandfather and would appreciate guidance on where to look for records relating to possible covert or special duties, as his service record appears deliberately sparse in places and family history suggests he undertook secret work.
Personal details:
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Name: Fred Cato
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Date of birth: 27 April 1917
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Place of birth: Perth, Western Australia
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Marital status during service: Married
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Next of kin: Amy Cecilia Cato (wife)
Service details (confirmed via NAA records):
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Army numbers: W83482 (also appears as W43050 / F/V306 in associated records)
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Rank: Private
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Initial unit: No. 7 (Geraldton) Battalion
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Mobilisation / enlistment location: Geraldton, WA
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Mobilisation attestation: 2 January 1942 (WA)
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Enlistment noted: 3 June 1942
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Taken on strength: 10 June 1942 (Geraldton, WA)
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Occupation prior to enlistment: Pneumatic pickman / labourer
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Medical classification: Class I (fit for full service)
Relevant service record observations:
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His Service and Casualty Form (B.103) includes a handwritten posting entry dated 1 September 1943 with abbreviated wording that appears to read along the lines of “S.S. No 9 (2) (E)” (exact interpretation unclear).
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The entry is non-descriptive and does not resemble standard infantry postings.
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There are gaps and vague terminology where more detail might normally be expected.
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Family history indicates he was involved in secret work using a lugger named Oberon, with movements to Thursday Island / northern Australia.
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He never spoke about his wartime service, even to his wife, which has made research difficult.
I am seeking advice on:
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Whether this type of service pattern could indicate attachment to special duties, maritime support, or intelligence-related units (e.g. SRD / Z Special Unit support roles, or other covert operations), even if not explicitly named in service records.
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Where additional records might exist beyond the standard service file, such as:
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Unit war diaries
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Detachment or transport records
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Naval or small-craft logs
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Allied Intelligence Bureau / SRD files
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Thursday Island or Torres Strait operational records
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Whether others have experience interpreting similar abbreviated or vague postings in WWII Australian Army files.
I understand that many covert or sensitive duties were deliberately recorded in minimal or coded ways, and that some records may remain incomplete or scattered across different collections. Any guidance on where to look next or how to interpret these entries would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much for your time and for any assistance you can provide.
