249 Troop Carrying Company, Royal Army Service Corps

Discussion in 'RASC' started by jmp180, Sep 1, 2017.

  1. jmp180

    jmp180 Junior Member

    Further to my previous post regarding my Granddad and being part of the BEF, later in the war he was posted to 249 Troop Carrying Company. The dates I have are 01/02/43 to 23/02/46 . It says he was in North Western Europe from 17/08/44 to 02/12/45. He did tell my dad that he was at Neijmegen. I would like to find out where he was and what the unit was involved in. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    A general starter for you - Royal Army Service Corps, Troop Carrying Company
    Despite mechanisation most British Army units - especially infantry were largely foot propelled. When the unit was required to move they needed transport - that's were the RSC TCC's come in. Usually attached to the 'Echelon of a higher formation they moved troops to where they were needed.
     
  3. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    The only thing I could find is that they were allocated to the 2nd Army. The War Diaries should have more information in them.
    Regards

    Danny

    249 Coy : Coy RASC (Trp Carrying) 3 Plt X 3-Ton
    Allotted to : Second Army
    Number of Units in 21st Army Group : 8
    War Establishment :
    III/116/117
    118/121/2
    122/3

    Unit Serial Number : 23820 (a) – (h)

    File numbers for the War Diaries at the National Archives are :

    WO 166/13061, War Office : Home Forces: Royal Army Service Corps. Companies. 249 Coy, 01/01/1943 - 31/12/1943

    WO 171/2415, War Office : Allied Expeditionary Force, North West Europe (British Element): Royal Army Service Corps. Companies. 249 Coy., 01/01/1944 - 31/12/1944

    WO 171/6230, War Office : Allied Expeditionary Force, North West Europe (British Element): Royal Army Service Corps. Companies. 249 Coy. , 01/01/1945 - 31/12/1945


    This information from Motor transport units rasc

    General Transport Company (Troop Carrying) RASC

    Transport for troops (carrying the marching personnel of one infantry brigade including bicycles), and for the carriage of 270 tons of stores when not employed on troop carrying.

    Headquarters of a Motor Transport Company

    The headquarters will have the following additions

    Captain

    batman

    cook ACC

    3 X Transport Platoon with five sections of troop carrying vehicles (3ton 4 X 4 QLT)

    2 X Relief Driver Increments

    1 X workshop serial 2
     
    Paul Simpo and Aixman like this.
  4. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Can confirm on 3 May 45, 249 Company (Troop Carrying Vehicle) RASC was in Brünen south of Rhede (HQ 1 Corps) part of 22 Transport Column command 2 Army with 1 Corps for admin, on 14 Jun 45 moved to 30 Corps District with technical control 21 Army Group, meaning could be sent anywhere as required by 25 Aug 45 the company was under 51 (Highland) Infantry Division for admin, no location found as yet but an area stretching from Cuxhaven in the north down to Hannover, on 26 Sep 45 C Platoon was part of CRASC 1 Corps District Troops in Münster until 6 Dec 45, probably when the company was disbanded hence the War Diary finishing
     
  5. Sheila118

    Sheila118 New Member

    Hi,

    Looking for guidance, help and any suggestions on reading material to help put some order to the War Diaries associated with the 249 Company (Troop Carrying) Division of the RASC.

    I am researching the Services Records of Vernon Partington my father-in-law and received the War Diaries yesterday, so far I have printed them out and looked at timelines and clarification of verbal information we have.

    I am taken aback a little as to how emotional it makes you feel. He joined RASC 15.2.1940 spent time training and moved around quite a bit was based at Strornness, Orkney Islands was attached to the 7th Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) at Lerwick 18.8.1940. Moved to Preston Lancashire and the 34th Motor Coach Company which was renamed 58 Troop Carrying Co 22.4.1942 the company was renamed Feb & April 1943 and Vernon was made a Corporal. He was attached to several units and spent time at the Shorncliffe Camp leading up to DDay. He arrived in France 18.8.1944 via Landing Craft Tank from Gosport arriving at Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches and quickly makes his way to Belgium (7.9.1944) from there into Holland and finally into Germany coming home in 1946 as a Sergeant. It appears that here was some involvement with Belsen and also the movement of Displaced Persons in Germany when the war ended. He also told us that he had transported POW and also operation STORK at Aurich. Not a lot came forth from Vernon, it wasn't something he wanted to talk about and also I am sure some of it was a blur with all the movement and attachments, head down and keep moving, he did say that he spent his nights sleeping under his wagon ready to go as and when needed and that he and a fellow comrade were interned by the Russians for 2 weeks as they wandered into there area.

    Thank you for your time reading this, we also received an answer to where he was when a picture was taken, I will post that next it would be wonderful to obtain more information and try to find out who the other people in the picture are, a definite clue on the back of the picture.

    Kind Regards
     
  6. Sheila118

    Sheila118 New Member

    Picture attached along with the page from the diary for the week... loads of questions on the abbreviations and understanding, but will leave that for another time..

    Many Thanks
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Sheila118

    Sheila118 New Member

    Vernon far right on picture...
     
  8. idler

    idler GeneralList

    It's difficult to think of any further reading material bar general campaign histories that would put his movements into context. The reason the Troop Carrying Coys were usually controlled by the higher formations - Corps, Army and Army Group - was to keep them busy. If, say, an infantry division was in defence, its own vehicles would be largely idle. Consequently, there may be little rhyme or reason to their activities.

    When there weren't troops to carry, the seats in the TCVs (Troop Carrying Vehicles) could be removed and stowed so the lorries could carry stores like any other transport coy. If you haven't done so, it might be worth Googling the Bedford QLT which was the modified version of the 3-tonner used for troop carrying

    You could also try contacting the Royal Logistics Corps Museum to ask if they have anything specifically on 249 Coy. The RASC history, The Story of the Royal Army Service Corps 1939-45, includes potted histories of a handful of different types of unit for 'flavour' so there might be others in the archives. Bit of a long shot but you never know...
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  9. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Hi,
    the 249 Coy was billeted in my village, Baelen ( now Balen) from 24/10/44 to 9/3/45.
    the coy was under command at that time from 44 Transport Column ( HQ in Neerpelt or Overpelt)
    this Coln was part of the No 8 Army Roadhead
    the HQ of the 249 Coy was in the local hotel "Den Engel" ( gem box 15-4418 ) the other ORs (Other Ranks) were billeted in schools and private properties.
    for the Church service they used the local cinema "Alcazar" see billeting order (gem box 15-4447): "Cinema hall required each Sunday morning from 0900 to 1300 hrs"

    met vriendelijke groeten,

    Hendrik
     

    Attached Files:

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