Meaning of "off strength" in an Ultra report

[gilles collaveri]

Hi Guys,

on an Ultra report, I have this sentence:

"From ZG1 Technical Officer 8/3,
Off strength Third / ZG1, JU88 C-6, works N° 750814,
Crashed 100% on night training "

Everything is clear for me, but the sentence "off strength",

is this a wrong translation of a German sentence ? (just like Wnr was translated "Works N°)

or does it have another meaning that I missed ?

Thanks for your advice

Cheers

GC

[Chris Goss]

On strength would mean available for use; off strength would mean posted away or unavailable

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by gilles collaveri

Everything is clear for me, but the sentence "off strength"

is this a wrong translation of a German sentence ? (just like Wnr was translated "Works N°)

It's not a wrong translation, it's a standard English military term. For example:

• An army battalion might have an "established strength" of 700 men, the number it should normally have (the German »Sollstarke«).
  
• However on a particular day it is lacking 20 men, so it has only 680 "on strength" (also referred to as the unit's "actual strength" = German »Iststarke«).
  
• During the day 5 men are lost in action, they are no longer on the strength of the battalion, they are "off strength."

P.S. "Works No." is not a wrong translation either: "works" is another English word for "factory" (e.g. steelworks) and "No." is an abbreviation for the Latin "numero" = number.

[gilles collaveri]

Thanks Nick and Chris for your prompt and precise answers.

I wish I spoke English as well as you do..

GC

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by gilles collaveri

I wish I spoke English as well as you do..

GC

We've had a lot of practice!

[Chris Goss]

I wish I spoke French as well as you!

[gilles collaveri]

Merci vous deux!!

[Chris Goss]

Etes vous aussi (sorry John B for slipping into another tongue)