Reading the War Diary for my father's RASC Company, it said that the Company was supplying thirty three 3-ton lorries to No. 8 Dispersal Unit, at Hereford, in August 1945. Does anyone know what sort of activities would be going on, at Dispersal Units, to require large amounts of transport? Thanks, Gordon
Possibly to move a lot of troops and equipment around, as it was also a Demobilization centre. And were running out of raincoats by March 46. Release Clothing (Hansard, 27 March 1946)
Hi Gordon Further to RCG's reply, dispersal centres were the final stage in the process of release and all those about to be released passed through a dispersal centre. As at 17/10/45, there were 9 Military Dispersal Units under command of the respective UK Army Command or District (i.e. Scottish - No 1 at Edinburgh; Northern - No 2 at York; Eastern - No 3 at Northampton & No 5 at Guildford; London - No 4 at Regent's Park; Southern - No 6 at Taunton; Western (2 x units) - No 7 at Ashton-under-Lyne and No 8 at Hereford; Northern Ireland - No 9 Combined Military Collecting and Dispersal Unit at Belfast). Those returning from abroad for the purpose of release also passed first through a disembarkation centre. As at 17/110/45, there were 6 Military Disembarkment Camp Units, also under command of the local Command or District; Southern - No 1 at Reading & No 2 at Slade; Eastern - No 3 at Shorncliffe; Western (2 x units) - No 4 & No 5 at Carlisle (also Group HQ); Northern - No 6 at Strensall. Steve
Thanks RCG. I liked the bit from Hansard, very appropriate for the 250th Anniversary of Charles Macintosh's birth, and of course Wales gets a lot of rain! Gordon
Hi Steve, I've obtained my Pa's Military Records. He was a driver with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, and an ex POW. The records say that on 9th Aug 1945, he was attached to No 8 Motor Transport Group. Presumably that would have been at Hereford, which is only a short distance from Monmouth? It was my Uncle who was in 585 Coy RASC, which was working at Hereford - which would explain how they came to meet in the autumn of 1945. Gordon
Hi Graham The reference number on my copy of the War Diary is: WO166/17260 and there is another number by the side C492817 Kind regards, Gordon
Just a quick question on these units and centers if I may. Is it known if troops returning home on demob would pass through the nearest center to where they lived or could it be any center?
Hi Gordon, Thanks for that. I was looking for 587 Coy Motor Transport Company RASC, Feb/1943-Aug 1943. (close to 585 Coy) I can find the above diary,(WO/16617260) but it cover's Jan-Dec 1945. Can't find the above dates. Thank's again, ....Graham.
I think it's possible they were processed at the nearest dispersal centre to their home. When my father was demobbed in December 1945 after returning from Germany, he came via the Ashton-under-Lyne MDU, which was the nearest to his home on Merseyside. But this may have just been a coincidence.
With 4.3 Million men and women urgently wanting to get home after the war the Services are not going to be p ing about, working out if its near their homes. they would be allocated in blocks, where and when to go, possibly worked out by where regiments base depots were. As you know men from any part of the UK, could be in any regiment. It stands to reason lot of the 4.3 million would be demobbed at a centre closest to their home. But it did not matter anyway, as their all received a free rail warrant to get them home.
It's a little hard to read, but by the looks of post #3 - No3 Shorncliffe. Shorncliffe Army Camp - Wikipedia
Thanks for this information Steve. I took a look at my grandad's army release book. He had been in Burma then India after the end of the war. In it there are clearly 2 stamps on the date 26th March 1946. One with Reading and another with Guildford these tally with the disembarkation centre and dispersal centre lists above, Did these actions usually occur on the first day the soldier returned to the country ? thanks Rob
Many of the Polish men that I worked with in the 60's were camped in the Hereford area after they had all fought in the war (One carried photo of the Polish flag being raised at Casino as he was one of the men doing it). Having just quickly looked online I was surprised how many camps in the UK held Polish Forces and their families all over the UK. Probably enough to begin a new thread if there isn't one already. If anyone was in the post war TA you will recognise some of the locations as WETC (Week End Training Camps). They must have needed transport to get there and to disperse as I doubt there were many buses straight after the war. Herefordshire was a rural area and the camps often isolated.
