3rd Anti Aircraft battalion BEF 1939 RASC

Discussion in 'RASC' started by Russellrowantree, Nov 18, 2013.

  1. Russellrowantree

    Russellrowantree New Member

    Hi I am researching my wife's grandfather involvement in the BEF as part of the RASC, he joined the RASC in Belfast and was posted to the 3rd A.A., on his Army Form B200b, his unit is cited as 3rd AA, 11-5-39, then Belfast 3.A.A./4 2-9-39. Then Moilized & Posted. 556/40 3 AA B?? Coy.

    Then in the part of the form, Military History Sheet, O/Seas B.E.F 23-11-39. 5-6-40. 193 DAYS, then home 6-6-40.

    Can anyone explain where the 3rd A.A. were posted over the above period and did they leave via Dunkirk.

    If anyone can help it would be very helpful.

    Stephen
     
  2. Russellrowantree

    Russellrowantree New Member

    Hi I am researching my wife's grandfather involvement in the BEF as part of the RASC, he joined the RASC in Belfast and was posted to the 3rd A.A., on his Army Form B200b, his unit is cited as 3rd AA, 11-5-39, then Belfast 3.A.A./4 2-9-39. Then Moilized & Posted. 556/40 3 AA B?? Coy.

    Then in the part of the form, Military History Sheet, O/Seas B.E.F 23-11-39. 5-6-40. 193 DAYS, then home 6-6-40.

    Can anyone explain where the 3rd A.A. were posted over the above period and did they leave via Dunkirk.

    If anyone can help it would be very helpful.

    Russellrowantree
     
  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    3rd AA in this context is almost certainly 3rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade who were attached to BEF GHQ. According to the BEF movement summaries, 3 AA Coy. RASC left Aldershot on 5/12/1939 along with the Brigade Workshop RASC. However, Brigade HQ and the Advance Party had left on 5th November so it's quite possible that smaller groups of RASC had travelled in the meantime.

    The War Diary for 3 AA RASC in the National Archives is numbered WO167/433

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_q=WO167%2F433

    It runs from September 1939 to June 1940 so you may be fortunate and find that it includes details of evacuation. If you can't get to the National Archive yourself, then there are several regulars on here who will copy the pages for a small charge.

    If you have additional queries, it might be worth starting a new thread under the 1940 sub-forum with reference to 3 Anti-Aircraft Brigade. Although your man was RASC, he was supporting a unit of the Royal Artillery and his movements will have reflected theirs.

    I've just realised that a poster on this forum has a site with a couple of photographs of the unit in 1940:-

    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/44915-3rd-ulster-anti-aircraft-brigade-company-royal-army-service-corps/
     
  4. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    The unit identification confuses me. Anti-aircraft work was the responsibility of the Royal Artillery, not the RASC. My guess is that the "AA" may to something other than anti-aircraft, though I can't guess what. If he was RASC but attached to an anti-aircraft unit of the Royal Artillery, then it would be 3rd Heavy AA (HAA) or 3rd Light AA (LAA) Regiment RA, not 'anti-aircraft battalion.' Some people on this site are very good with army abbreviations and decoding what they mean.
     
  5. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    There are two threads running on this...and I posted on the other one yesterday:- :rolleyes:

    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/11266-rasc-dunkirk/#entry594353

    Although it seems that 3 AA Brigade Coy. RASC travelled to France at the same time as 3 AA Brigade, presumably to support them, they had been replaced within that organisation by 92 AA Brigade Company RASC prior to 11th April 1940.

    3 AA Brigade Coy. RASC are shown in Andrew's book as Lines of Communication troops and they displayed the unit serial '136' on a red/green RASC diagonal background surmounted by the white band with narrow black stripe indicating LofC troops.

    Probably only their war diary will show precisely where they were, although the personal photographs on the site that I linked to do show them in St. Nazaire at some point. Presumably their job was to support the LofC Anti-Aircraft Artillery units (2 AA Regt. and 8 AA Regt. RA, under command of HQ LofC Royal Artillery)
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Posts/Thread merged :)
     
  7. Russellrowantree

    Russellrowantree New Member

    Thanks to Rich Payne and TTH for a very quick response. I am really amazed at the information you were able to provide so quickly, I will try and source the Andrew's book you mentioned Rich, it would be very helpful if you could provide the title of his book.

    The person I am researching is one Private James Ewart who enlisted with the Special Reserve, R.A.S.C. on the 11/05/39. The Army Form then states, SUPPLY RSS (RSS could be R88) (B) 3RD A.A. 11.5.39.

    Would it be useful if I scanned the records I have and maybe you could understand them better.

    Where could I find out if the 3rd A.A. were the heavy or light guns

    Thanks again.
    Stephen
     

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