Hello The 36 Army Transport Coy RASC embarked for Normandy on 13 June 44. On 31 May the war diary records that CRASC 46 Transport Col spots were issued to all ranks. The only other mention of CRASC 46 Transport Col is when 36 AT Coy reported their location on 17 June once disembarked. I understand CRASC stands for Commander RASC rather than my first thought Canadian which seems to be recorded as Royal Canadian ASC. Can anyone advise what 46 Transport Col was and their role from 31 May 44 onwards with regard to Normandy please. Thank you Brian
Brian, RASC Transport Columns were small headquarters units which were used to control several RASC transport companies. If you look on the TRUX section of the website you will find a full description of their role and organisation. I don't suppose the war diary for 36 Army Tpt Coy has information on the type of vehicle they used? Regards Tom
Tom many thanks. The only reference I can spot on types of vehicle used are to 3 and 6 ton, which I assume were fairly standard - but no make\type. If I do come across anything I will post. Cheers Brian
Brian, The 46 Transport Column landed in Normandy on 15 June, with last of the vehicles coming ashore on 16 June. It looks like the companies under their command in July were: 36, 432 and 463 Army Tpt Companies and 287 Armd Div Tpt Coy. Regards Tom
Tom this is more than I expected thank you. Just do not know where all this information comes from, the dates tie up with those in the 36 war diary (great when it all comes together). I do not suppose we know where in Normandy they came ashore. I know they used rhinos and I had been led to believe it was probably Juno. Many, many, thanks Brian
Tom you asked above re types of transport used- I have made a very rough transcription of war diaries for the 36 Army Transport coy from pre embarkation to following landing - Just a few mentions of makes of transport used. Cheers Brian 14 May 3 officers and 10 NCOs attend waterproofing course at Thronham Park under instruction from HQ 46 Transport Column. 8 other ranks reinforcements received from 279 Coy. 15 May collecting 4 x 15cwt water tank lorries from Swindon. 16 May Units waterproofing course commences under instruction from special instructor lent from 12 Corps. Stores arriving well, 4 tons today. Dispatched o\c workshop to Feltham to hasten spares. 17 May Collection of heavy Ford utility car from Castle Ashby nr Northampton. Coy changed over to overseas accomtrange 2nd echelon. 18 May Collecting; 33x 3 commer GS from 53 YRD, 2 X 15cwt Bedford Water Tank Lorries from Shrewsbury, 2 workshop technical vehicles – special release 2107 Old Stamford Park. 6 x 6 ton allocated to 432 coy RASC (Army Transport) for preloading. 19 May Arrangements made to collect all water proofing kits on 22nd from Rolcase Stores Depot Hallam. 22 May Collect all water Proofing Kits, all drivers going through water splash in own vehicles at rate of 20 an hour. 24 May Collect all outstanding controlled stores i.e. 285 Stens, 2 PIATs. Visit by GOC in C E Control District Major General E C Hayes. Vehicles collecting all fitted jerrycans and 110 ???????????????. Medical Inspection and Vaccination on Unit Lines. 25 May Bigot transport detail; 19 x 6 ton and 50 x 3 ton to Stefford ASD for loading. 40 mm and 75 mm ammo; 33 x 3 ton to 88 General Hospital for loading, 14 x 6 tons to Silvertown to load RE heavy equipment (authority 2nd Army). CRASC 46 Transport Column visited unit re position re Mobility. 26 May Bigot transport detail: Completed by 17.00 hours and all vehicles preparing for stage “A” waterproofing. 28 May Codeword Cornelius in force from 09.00 hours 29 May Conference O. C. Coy at Column HQ from 11.00 hours to 16.30 hours for briefing of Coy COs. 30 May Instruction on Sten Guns and PIATS. 31 May CRASC 46 Transport Column spots to all Ranks 1 June Further reinforcements received total number now 43 3 June Collected 2 x 3 Sloris lorries (fitted bins) from 70 VRD Todcaster type Dodge. 6 June D-Day received written instructions from movement control for Officer to report 10.30 hours June 7 to RTO Northampton re movement of Coy to marshalling area. Surplus stores returned to ADOS. 10 June Officer reported movements to Dunstable 9.30 hours and plotted up movements order. Commanding officer left with CSM 16.00 hours for marshalling area T2H.Remainder of Coy pulled out 21.00 hours. 11 June Movement to Marshalling area completed by 12.00 hours. Casualties Nil. Coy split in to 3 Craft serials together with vehicles; MTS/S 64, MTS/S 66 and LTS 43. Vehicles and personnel regrouped in T2 by Craft serials. 12 June Stage “B” waterproofing completed, drew lifebelts, 24 hour ration etc. 13 June 6.00 hours, first convoy of vehicles leave marshalling area for embarkation Royal Albert Dock, 15.40 hours second convoy of vehicles leave marshalling area for embarkation Royal Albert Dock. 14 June At Sea 15 June 20.00 Convoy arrived off beaches Normandy 16 June 10.30 hours commenced unloading vehicles into Rhinos, unloading proceeded all day. Vehicles unloaded report to assembly area and carry out partial dewaterproofing. 17 June Unloading of MT Ships continues. Report to CRASC 46 Transport Column to report location of Coy. Unloading of MT Ships completed by 23.00 hours. Preloaded vehicles left assembly area; 50x 3 ton and 16 x 6 ton to 1 L of C terminal, 33 x 3 ton medical stores to 88 General Hospital La Dilivarande. 18 June location sheet 7F/1 M/R 835792 Esquay Sur Seulles; Vehicles arriving at location all day. 19 June 1 x 6 tom Maudsley badly damaged on landing and awaiting evacuation; 1 x 15cwt Bedford in drowned vehicle park and awaiting inspection.14 x 6 ton still loaded with RE Stores for 883 Quarrying Coy and awaiting dispersal arrangements. 20 June Transport ST Army Detail 362 – 33 x 3 ton for ammo,100 ton to Normestoun 21 June Transport ST Army Detail 362 still working; ST Army Detail 365 – 56 x 3 ton to stand by. 22 June Transport ST Army Detail 365 standing by, 14 x 6 preloaded RE stores delivered with empty return to location 23 June STAD 329 8 x 3 ton 669 A W Coy RE M/R 946776 – duration of detail 3 to 4 days. 24 June STAD 417 15 X 6 ton reported to Squad Leader Carter at 407 AFAP M/R 853803. 25 June 1 x 15cwt STAD 429 on detachment air tech intelligence 83 Group main RAF for duty Cruelly – Cherburg. 26 June 20 x 6 ton 46 OR detail - ammo RAF 28 June STAD 7 X 3 ton 33 RHU M/R 7888806 carrying 136 personnel 205 CRC 30 June STAD 501 15 x 3 ton report 977 AD Coy RE at SUN EAST M/R 915818 detail 570 men to CRIS Works Commes
Brian, The platoon of 6 ton Maudsleys are what I had expected. Interesting about the platoon of Commer 3 ton GS drawn on 18 May, thanks. Incidentally, it looks like 36 Coy passed from under command 46 Tpt Coln to 30 Corps Troops on 15 August 44. Cheers Tom
Tom sorry there was not more - the war diary for move to 30 Corps reads 8 Aug but any information I suppose recorded on the move can be a few days out. Thank you for your interest. cheers Brian
Tom sorry to raise this again after such a long time but just revisiting some of my earlier work on pulling bits together. Do you have the source for the dates please. They fit with the dates in the diary for the 36 Army Transport Coy but if there is additional reading on the landing and movements afterwards it would be useful to try and get hold of them. Cheers Brian
Brian, From WO171/245- 2 Army ST Branch WD for 1944 I have the following extracts for 36 Coy RASC: On 23 April, 2nd Army issued orders for a redistribution of various 6 ton vehicles, included was an instruction to 67 Armd Bde Coy to transfer 33 x 6-ton Maudsleys to 36 Coy. Next mention is on 26 Jun 44 when 2nd Army ST Branch recorded that 36 Army Tpt Coy required one Commer Q4 3-ton 4 x 2 and one Maudsley Militant 6-ton 4 x 2 to replace vehicle casualties. Then, on 1 August 1944, the WD notes that 36 Coy RASC is placed under command 1 Cdn Army. On 31 August, 1944 the WD notes that 36 Coy RASC (with 3 x 3-ton and 1 x 6-ton platoons) is operating under 45 Tpt Coln in the Falaise Cushion Area where it was helping to clear the "Cushion area" forward with a capacity noted as 450 tons. From WO171/2250 - 44 Tpt Coln WD 2 Sep 44 - CRASC returns with instructions this HQ moves to EVREUX area tomorrow. S.Sup.O. leaves for recce of new location and new Coys under command who are to be 1, 28, 36, 104, 170 and 1619 Pl. 4 Sep 44 - 1 and 36 Coys have detail to lift 500 tons each of AMN from 4 Rd Head to 2 Cushion. 10 September 1944 RUGLES - HQ moves to new location 8F/6/846490. 1 and 36 Coys ½ mile to the W and N. 23 Sep 44 - Coys (i.e Nos 1 & 36) experiencing difficulty in equipping their extra Pl with NCO’s cooking + equipment. These Coys now running 5 Pl with the new Pl x 6 tonners. Every vehicle required on the road for 2 Army Maintenance. IMT effecting quick replacements of BLR vehicles. 28 September 1944 ENGHIEN - CRASC contacts 2 Army + learns that 1 + 104 Coys are transferred to 45 TPT COL and 36 Coy to 46 TPT COL. From WO171/2252 - 46 Tpt Coln WD 17 April 1944 - 36 Army Tpt Coy under comd. 15 August 1944 - 36 Coy RASC (Army Tpt) and 287 Coy RASC (Armd Div Tpt) passed under comd for all purposes 30 C Tps. Then, on 1 October 44, it records that 36 Coy RASC passed back under command of 46 Tpt Coln. On 29 Dec 44 - Instrs received for re-org of 36, 96, 287 and 701 Coys in accordance with Appx ‘H’. 29 December 1944 – vehicle state included: 36 Coy RASC (Army Tpt) – 2 pls 3-ton Commer; 1 pl 6-ton Maudsley, 1 pl 6-ton Mack It looks from Appx H that the plan for the new year was to change 36 Coy to being entirely equipped with 4 platoons worth of 6-ton vehicles. Regards Tom
Hi Brian, No problem, pleasure to help even if only with some random snippets. Good luck with your research. Regards Tom
31 May CRASC 46 Transport Column spots to all Ranks Does anyone have any idea what these spots are? Some sort of uniform patch or badge? I have never heard of a Transport Column patch. Dave
