MB CONVOYS. Convoys serial MB1 to MB10 sailed from Southampton for Brest on September 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 23, 27, 29 and October 1. Nearly all the ships that have been identified are Mechanised Transport ships. Convoy MB1. Sailing from Southampton 10 September. Consisted of six slow cargo vessels: Astronomer. 8,401 tons. Mechanised Transport. Ashantian. 4,917 tons. Mechanised Transport. Castlemoor. 6,574 tons. Mechanised Transport. Eurymedon. 6,223 tons. Mechanised Transport. Glenearn. 8,986 tons. Mechanised Transport. Glenstrae. 9,460 tons. Mechanised Transport. Escorts Sardonyx. Venomous. Wren. Convoy MB2. Sailing from Southampton 12 September. Escorts Venomous. Wren. Convoy MB3 was cancelled. Convoy MB4. Sailing from Southampton 17 September. Consisted of eight fast cargo ships. Convoy MB5. Sailing from Southampton 19 September. Consisted of six cargo ships. Achilles. 11,404 tons. Mechanised Transport. Benalder. 5,161 tons. Mechanised Transport. Bengore Head. 2,609 tons. Stores. Siris. 5,242 tons. Mechanised Transport. ? ? Escorts. Achates. Sardonyx. Acheron. Convoy MB6. Sailing from Southampton 21 September. Consisted of seven cargo ships. Ashantian. 4.917 tons. Mechanised Transport. Benalder. 5,161 tons. Mechanised Transport. Colonial. 5,108 tons. Mechanised Transport. King William. 5,274 tons. Mechanised Transport. Melrose Abbey II. 2,473 tons. Stores. Strategist. 6,255 tons. Mechanised Transport. ? Escorts. Arrow. Anthony. Saladin. Convoy MB7. Sailing from Southampton 23 September. Consisted of seven cargo ships. Escorts Achates. Sardonyx. Acheron. Convoy MB8. Sailing from Southampton 27 September. Consisted of seven cargo ships. Escorts. Arrow. Intrepid. Convoy MB9. Sailing from Southampton 29 September. Consisted of six cargo ships. Escorts Acheron. Achates. Convoy MB10. Sailing from Southampton 1 October. Consisted of six cargo ships. Escorts. Acheron. Achates. The Escorts. Achates. A Class destroyer built 1929. H 12. 4 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 8 X 21” torpedo tubes. Acheron. A Class destroyer built 1930. H 45. 4 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 8 X 21” torpedo tubes. Anthony. A Class destroyer built 1929. H 40. 4 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 8 X 21” torpedo tubes. Arrow. A Class destroyer built 1929. H 42. 4 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 8 X 21” torpedo tubes. Intrepid. I Class destroyer built 1936. D 10. 4 X 4.7” guns, 8 X .5” AA, 10 X 21” torpedo tubes. Saladin. S Class destroyer built 1919. H 54. 1 X 4” gun, 1 X 3” AA, 8 X .5* AA, 2 X 20mm AA. Sardonyx. S Class destroyer built 1919. H 26 Scimitar. 1 X 4” gun, 1 X 3” AA, 8 X .5* AA, 2 X 20mm AA. Scimitar. S Class destroyer built 1918. H 21. 1 X 4” gun, 1 X 3” AA, 8 X .5* AA, 2 X 20mm AA. Vansittart. Modified W Class long range escort. Built 1919. D 64. 3 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 2 X 20mm AA, 3 X 21” torpedo tubes. Venomous. Modified W Class long range escort. Built 1918. D 75. 2 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 2 X 20mm AA, 3 X 21” torpedo tubes, Hedgehog. Wren. W Class destroyer built 1919. D 88. 4 X 4.7” guns, 2 X 2pdr AA, 8 X 21” torpedo tubes. Notes: A Class destroyers were the first of a number of flotillas built to a similar design. Each succeeding class introduced small modifications. Destroyers were built in flotillas of eight identical ships plus a Flotilla Leader with extra accommodation for the flotilla commander and his staff. S Class destroyers were all modified by having torpedo tubes removed and increased anti aircraft armament installed. Mike.
Ships sailing from Southampton. Personnel Ships. Amsterdam. 4,220 tons. LNER ferry. Antwerp. 2,957 tons. LNER ferry. Archangel. 2,448 tons. LNER ferry. Ben My Chree. 2,586 tons. Transferred from Bristol Channel January. Biarritz. 2,388 tons. SR ferry. Transferred to Dover-Boulogne leave service December. Brighton. 2,391 tons. SR ferry. Hospital Ship November. Bruges. 2,949 tons. LNER ferry. Canterbury. 2,910 tons. SR ferry. Transferred to Dover- Boulogne leave service December. Duke of Argyll. 3,814 tons. LMS ferry. Duke of Rothesay. 3,812 tons. LMS ferry. Duke of York. 3,743 tons. LMS ferry. Isle of Guernsey. 2,143 tons. SR ferry. One trip only September 4. Became a Hospital Carrier. Isle of Thanet. 2,701 tons. SR ferry. One trip only September 4. Became a Hospital Carrier. Lorina. 1,578 tons. SR ferry. Maid of Orleans. 2,386 tons. Transferred to Dover-Boulogne leave service. Monas Queen. 2,756 tons. Isle of Man ferry. Transferred to Dover-Boulogne leave service January. Manxman. 2,030 tons. Isle of Man ferry. Paris. 1,790 tons. SR ferry. Became a Hospital Carrier from January. Prague. 4,220 tons. LNER ferry. Princess Maud. 2,883 tons. LMS ferry. Transferred to Dover-Boulogne leave service December. Royal Daffodil. 2,060 tons. General Steam. Transferred to RAF November. Royal Sovereign. 1,527 tons. New Medway. Transferred to RAF November. Tynwald. 2,376 tons. Isle of Man ferry. Transferred from Bristol Channel January. Ulster Monarch. 3,791 tons. Belfast ferry. Transferred from Bristol Channel December. Ulster Prince. 3,791 tons. Belfast ferry. Transferred from Bristol Channel December. Vienna. 4,227 tons. LNER ferry. Viking. 1,957 tons. Isle of Man ferry. Worthing. 2,294 tons. SR ferry. Became a Hospital Carrier from January. Amsterdam, Prague and Vienna were three sister ships built for the LNER Harwich to The Hook service. They were considerably larger than the Cross Channel ferries and were designed for overnight crossings. This meant that all accommodation was in cabins so that fewer passengers could be carried, only 548. All three had special features including four special de luxe suites with private bath. 438 passengers were accommodated in standard first class cabins, mostly single. 104 second class passengers were accommodated in two or four berth cabins with wash basin with hot and cold running water. There were dining rooms and for the first time on a ferry there were several shops. Aft there was space for several motor cars. Vienna was modified to allow her use as a weekend cruise ship. Extra lounge space and promenade deck space was created. Destinations included Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Flushing, Ghent, Zeebrugge and Rouen. Duke of Argyll. Amsterdam, Prague and Vienna. Duke of York. Archangel. Antwerp, Bruges and Malines. The following are believed to have sailed from Southampton to Brest, Cherbourg and Le Havre, plus possibly others. The available information does not always allow destinations to be discovered. Mechanised Transport Ships. Achilles. 11,404 tons. Alderpool. 4,313 tons. Araby. 4,936 tons. Ashantian. 4,917 tons. Astronomer. 8,401 tons. Balfe. 5,369 tons. Barrwhin. 4,998 tons. Benalder. 5,161 tons. Bendoran. 5,567 tons. Benlawers. 5,943 tons. BenMacdhui. 6,869 tons. Biafra. 5,405 tons. Clan MacAlister. 6,787 tons. Clan MacBrayne. 4,818 tons. Only one sailing, to Brest September 17. Clan Morrison. 5,936 tons. Castlemoor. 6,574 tons. Only one sailing, to Brest, September 11. City of Rangoon. Only two sailings, to Brest, September 11 and 19. Colonial. 5,108 tons. Contractor. 6,004 tons. Cyclops. 9,076 tons. Dallington Court. 6,889 tons. Euryades. 5,801 tons. From March. Eurymedon. 6,223 tons. Only September. Glenearn. 8,986 tons. Only two sailings to Brest. September 11 and 19. September 29 Falmouth to Brest. Glenstrae. 9,460 tons. Only two sailings to Brest. September 11 and 19. September 29 Falmouth to Brest. Goodleigh. 5,448 tons. September only. Guinean. 5,205 tons. Hardingham. 5,415 tons. Historian. 5,074 tons. Inventor. 6,210 tons Kindat. 4,358 tons. King William. 5,274 tons. Only one sailing to Brest. September 21. La Paz. 6,548 tons. September only. Laplace. 7,327 tons. Llanarth. 5,053 tons. Loriga. 6,665 tons. September only. Mahanada. 7,181 tons. Only two sailings to Brest. September 14 and 19. Marina. 5,088 tons. Maron. 6,487 tons. Only two sailings to Brest, September 18 and 23. Matheran. 7,653 tons. September 21 to October 3. Siris. 5,242. Only one sailing to Brest September 19. Strategist. 6,255 tons. Only one sailing to Brest September 21. Yorkwood. 5,401 tons. Store Ship (Military). Belgravian. 3,136 tons. November 11 to Le Havre. Bengore Head. 2,609 tons. September 19. Blairnevis. 4,155 tons. October 22. Bristol City. 2,864 tons. September 17 to October 13. Cara. 1,760 tons. Only one sailing September 28. Clan Ross. 5,897 tons. To Brest September 14 to 23. Dido. 3,554 tons. From October 8. Dunkwa. 3,789 tons. Only one sailing, to Brest, October 15. Flaminian. 2,690 tons. Only one sailing September 23. Kelso. 3,956 tons. From October 29. Kyno. 3,946 tons. From October 22. Lombardy. 3,379 tons. From November 12. Maplewood. 4,566 tons. From October 29. Melrose Abbey. 2,473 tons. From September 21. Trafalgar. 4,530 tons. September 16 to Cherbourg. Frozen Meat Ship. Baltraffic. 3,297 tons. Sailed from Southampton until January. There were other ships operating in support of the BEF including leave ships and hospital carriers. These will be looked at in the section concerning personnel matters. There was one type of ship which was definitely involved in moving vehicles and equipment across the Channel for the BEF and that was the train ferry. Train Ferries. All the War Department locomotives seem to have been taken to France on the Harwich to Calais ferries. These were three identical purpose built ferry ships operated in WW1 by the War Department, They were then operated by various railway companies until they were once again requisitioned by the War Department in 1939. Harwich and Calais had specially built and equipped landing stages. These had an access ramp which could be raised and lowered to match the state of the tide. Complete trains could be loaded onto the ferry but more usually rakes of wagons or carriages were pushed onto the ferry by locomotive and pulled off by another locomotive at the other end of the journey. When locomotives were carried they were treated in the same way. Having live steam locomotives on a ship would have been highly hazardous. Paradoxically fire was always the greatest danger to ships. The three ferries had the imaginative names of Harwich Train Ferry No 1, Harwich Train Ferry No 2 and Harwich Train Ferry No 3. Records show that the first set of Dean Goods locomotives were shipped in a train consisting of a locomotive, a wagon, three locomotives, a wagon and a final locomotive. The locomotives had the driving rods disconnected and stowed in the tender. Presumably this configuration or similar was generally used. Railway wagons were also carried from Dover to Dieppe. The train ferries had planking laid between the rails so that they could be used for carrying vehicles. They were particularly useful in carrying heavy artillery which otherwise would have to be loaded onto cargo ships and on arrival in France would have a long and difficult journey by road or rail. Horses of 1 Cavalry Division in transit to the Middle East were also carried on train ferries. It is not clear if they were carried in railway wagons or carried loose. Train Ferry No 2. A prewar photograph. A late war photograph of a train ferry with the addition of anti aircraft guns, depth charges and its own landing gantry to allow it use ordinary docks and wharfes. A WD Austerity 2-8-0 on the right. Mike. It is hoped to add to the section on Southampton convoys. I have more information which cannot at the moment be correlated or made into a pattern. If you have any information or suggestions please feel free. I shall now have a short rest. The weather forecast is good and the garden needs me.
BEF PORTS. Ports had similar characteristics. Since ships may have to wait for a berth in the harbour or docks they need an anchorage which is sheltered from wind and waves, and preferably without currents. The approach to the port should have deep water and be free from shoals and obstructions. In the past a site at the mouth of a river was usually ideal since it usually provided the above and in addition usually provided a means of transporting goods up the river to towns and cities inland. In more recent times a railway with good connections became important. Ports have certain components in common. There are wharves where ships may tie up and be unloaded. There should be space to stack cargo waiting to be loaded or having just being unloaded. There may be transit sheds for the temporary storage of cargo which is valuable or prone to damage from the weather. There may be cranes, mobile or stationary, to assist in unloading, replacing or supplementing ships own derricks. Most ports have docks with locks and gates to maintain a constant water level. This greatly helps with loading and unloading cargo. Ports which handle passenger liners or ferries have different requirements and priorities. They do not need a constant water level so may be in tidal water. In the case of ferries convenience and a rapid turn around are important. They will normally have dedicated wharves or piers which they can reach without delay and start discharging passengers immediately. The passengers generally expect some covered facilities and a good rail connection. Since most ferries were operated by one of the big four railway company’s trains and ferries were usually closely coordinated. The UK ports. The greatest UK ports of London, Liverpool and Glasgow were not used for transporting or supplying the BEF. Southampton. Southampton handled a greater number of personnel and vehicle ships than any of the other British ports. There were several reasons for this: - The greatest concentration of regular army units in the UK was around the big garrison of Aldershot. There were other barracks in the south east as wll as training camps and exercise areas. For most of these Southampton was the nearest and most convenient port. - Southampton had good rail connections to the garrison towns and cities. - Southampton had well developed docks for passenger and cargo ships. - Southampton was well placed to despatch convoys to Northern France and Normandy. In many cases the docks at Southampton saw little change, except perhaps in the volume of passenger traffic. Southern Rail trains brought troops to the Southern Rail docks and troops were loaded onto Southern Rail ferries. Of course the Big Four rail companies, although very competitive, were accustomed to cooperating in allowing trains of other companies to use their tracks. The actual port of Southampton is some ten miles inland and accessed along the Southampton Reach which is a mile wide and has deep water channels. The Reach also has only some five metre tidal range and the advantage of some seventeen hours of the tide flowing in, an effect caused by the tide flowing in from one end of the Solent and then the other. It is sheltered by the Isle of Wight and the Solent provides a sheltered approach. In wartime the Solent provided a safe and convenient point to assemble convoys. An added advantage is the proximity of the great naval base at Portsmouth, which logically enough lies at the mouth of the Reach. Southampton also handled a considerable amount of stores and this traffic increased as the northern base area and the northern ports were opened in early 1940. Southampton to Le Havre. General stores. 103,000 tons. Southampton to Brest. General Stores. 126,000 tons Southampton to Rouen. General Stores. 15,000 tons. The Bristol Channel ports. After the first few weeks when considerable numbers of personnel were carried from the Bristol Channel to the western French ports the Bristol Channel ports carried stores and reserve mechanical transport. Avonmouth. Avonmouth is a relatively recent port. It is really a part of Bristol and is situated at the mouth of the River Avon. The docks are actually on the coast of the Bristol Channel. The oldest were opened in the 1870’s and the more recent in the early 1900’s. Again it was the railway that made it viable. In 1939/40 Avonmouth despatched 31,000 tons of cased petrol to Brest and 13,000 tons to Nantes. Swansea. Swansea developed as a port to serve the coal, steel and copper industries of South Wales. In the 1920’s it developed also as a port handling petrochemicals and thus a logical place at which to load cased petrol onto coasters. In 1939/40 Swansea despatched 10.000 tons of cased petrol to Brest and 57,000 tons to Nantes. Barry. Barry is some six miles from Cardiff and the docks were opened in 1889 as an alternative to Cardiff Docks which were becoming congested. The main cargo in the early days was coal which was shipped to many parts of the world, Welsh steam coal being much sought after in the days of steam power. The trade in coal declined and Barry became available for general cargo. The dock entrance is sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds by Barry Island but a large tidal range limits access to certain times of day. In 1939/40 Barry despatched 205,000 ton of general stores to Nantes. Newport. Newport docks developed along the river Usk much earlier but its importance grew with the growth of the coal and iron mining industries in the age of steam. By the 1930’s it was, like Barry, in decline. In 1939/40 Newport despatched 48,000 tons of ammunition to Brest and 13,000 tons to Brest. The Channel ports. Poole. Poole has a large sheltered anchorage which made it an important port trading with the continent and further afield. Eventually ships became too large for the Poole anchorage and docks and shipping moved to other ports. It remained a useful port for coasters and was served by the railway.In 1939/40 Poole despatched 55,000 tons of cased petrol to Caen. Fowey. Fowey is in Cornwall, halfway between Falmouth and Plymouth. It has a deep natural anchorage near the mouth of the River Fowey. It became a commercial port when the railway arrived, not in this case for holiday makers but china clay and metal ores from local mines and pits. In WW1 it became a military port for handling ammunition. Deep water, railway and a small population (in case of explosions) made it a suitable place for an ammunition depot with railway sidings. In 1939/40 Fowey despatched 21,000 tons of ammunition to Brest and 8,000 ton to St. Malo. Newhaven. Newhaven is on the Sussex coast and has been a harbour since the Middle Ages. Like many of the Channel ports and harbours it prospered by trading with France. It did not grow much since the Channel currents gradually washed silt and gravel across the harbour mouth until piers were built to control it. Like many harbours it grew with the arrival of the railways which brought holiday makers and cross Channel passengers. In WW1 it was a major personnel port. In 1939/40 Newhaven was used to despatch ammunition to Fecamp, which had been similarly used in WWI. 18,000 ton of ammunition were carried. Harwich. As the only safe anchorage on the east coast between the Thames and the Humber Harwich was for a long time an important naval base and a port trading with the Low Countries and Germany. It was a natural choice when the railway company started a rail ferry service to the Hook of Holland. In 1939/40 the Harwich to Calais train ferry carried. 24,000 tons of general stores, as well as railway locomotives, rolling stock and mechanical transport. Mike
Thanks Roy. You are right of course. I cannot think in metric. You will certainly know about Southampton. Corrected now. Mike
The French Ports. Each of the ports in the BEF Line of Communication area had a British garrison the size and composition of which varied according to role, and varied over time. Each port however had a small Garrison Headquarters for administration and control. This included: A Garrison Commander. Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel. A staff consisting of: A Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General (Captain). A Staff Captain. Serjeant clerk. 2 X clerk. A provost staff for the military police assigned to the port. This consisted of: Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal (Captain). Staff Lieutenant. 2 X clerk. A small RAOC ordnance staff consisting of: Warrant Officer. Serjeant clerk Clerk. A small RASC supply and transport staff consisting of: Captain. Serjeant clerk. 2 X clerk. A camp commandant (captain) or Company Quartermaster serjeant in charge of: Drivers. Orderlies. Cooks. Batmen. General dutymen. Ports used by the BEF also had a Royal Navy Port Officer who controlled all British movement to, in and from the port. Ships arriving would be allocated berths in the part of the port assigned to the British. Ships leaving would be formed into convoys and despatched back to the UK. The port officer would have to work closely with the BEF base and transportation organisations, with the French port authorities and with the Royal Navy regarding convoys and escorts. The Western Ports. Initially the western handled most of the stores for the BEF. These were landed at Brest, St. Nazaire and Nantes and taken to the Nantes and Rennes base areas. Later a new base area was opened around Rouen and using the port of Le Havre. Petrol and ammunition used smaller ports. Nantes. Nantes is a port some thirty miles up the River Loire. It came into prominence with the growth of trade with America, the Caribbean and India. In the eighteenth century it was the most important port in France. In the nineteenth century the increasing size of ocean going ships made Nantes impractical and a new port was established at the mouth of the River Loire at St. Nazaire. Nantes handled stores, cased petrol and MT. Six berths were made available but more MT berths were available if required. Unfortunately Nantes did not handle personnel so drivers for MT had to be landed elsewhere and travel by rail to collect the vehicles. After the initial period most of the vehicles were unaccompanied and destined for the RAOC Base Depot or the RASC Reserve Vehicle Park. Nantes. There are no docks as such but the river is lined with wharves equipped with cranes and with railway lines running along them. There is a transporter bridge in the background. This was a common feature of river ports when there was far less road traffic. A trolley ran along the high level framework and a platform hanging from it carried traffic across the river. St. Nazaire. St Nazaire is a port at the mouth of the River Loire. It came into prominence as an ideal site for the construction of large ships in the nineteenth century, and as a terminus for large trans Atlantic liners. At the same time it took over much of the role of Nantes, handling ocean going cargo ships and transferring cargoes to river craft and barges which then take them up the river. In 1939 St. Nazaire was used for ocean going cargo ships to carry stores for the BEF. These could be transferred to the railway for transport to the base areas in central Brittany. St. Nazaire handled ammunition, MT and frozen meat. Four berths were assigned to the BEF and more MT berths were available if needed. St Nazaire docks. A more recent photograph. The buildings are mostly post war but the general layout is much the same as in WW2. Brest. Brest is a port on the extreme tip of Brittany. It came to prominence as a French naval base in the seventeenth century and this remained its most important role. It was well placed to control shipping approaching the English Channel from the Atlantic, and a good place to intercept British shipping in the many wars between England and France. Its role as a commercial port was restricted by its not having access to a river to take goods inland but this was remedied when the railways arrived in the nineteenth century. Brest handled stores, cased petrol, ammunition and MT with drivers. Three berths were assigned to the BEF and more MT berths were available if required. St Malo. An ancient port town St Malo has a sheltered harbour and a good defensive position. For some centuries, and especially in the various wars between France and England, it was the base for privateers, corsairs and out right pirates. More recently it was a ferry port with routes to the Channel Islands, Plymouth and Poole. St Malo. Protected by a natural spit of land and by man made breakwaters St Malo provides a safe anchorage and a considerable area of docks. The ferry terminal is on the lower right of the picture. St. Malo handled Stores and ammunition for the BEF. Two berths were available. The Channel ports. Cherbourg. Cherbourg has a large natural harbour which has been greatly enlarged by the construction of breakwaters across the bay on which it stands. Situated at the tip of the Cotentin Peninsular it was for centuries an important naval base. Before WW2 it was an important terminus for large ocean going passenger liners. In 1939 it was mainly used for cross channel ferries carrying personnel. Cherbourg handled personnel and MT for the BEF. Two personnel berths and four MT berths were made available. Cherbourg ferry terminal 1944. Badly damaged and with a wreck in the centre. Map of Cherbourg. The ferry terminal with passenger buildings and rail connections is dead centre. Commercial docks are centre bottom and naval base on the left. There is a large sheltered anchorage inside the breakwaters at the top. Caen. Caen has long been a seaport. Some ten miles inland it has a river running down to the sea and this allowed small ships to reach the city. More recently a canal was built so that coastal shipping could conveniently reach the new docks and railway. The railway not only served the port but brought summer visitors to the resorts along the coast. In 1939/40 Caen was used by coasters carrying cased petrol. Caen assigned two berths for cased petrol coasters for the BEF. Caen Docks. The ten mile long canal connecting Caen to the sea is on the right centre of the map. It has berths for coasters and a rail connection. There are more berths in the docks in the centre of the map. There are rail connections with Cherbourg and with the Brittany and Rouen base areas. Fecamp. Well protected by cliffs Fecamp was traditionally a fishing port. Once famous for its herring it became involved in long distance fishing for cod and for whaling. These larger fishing and whaling craft needed a larger harbour and this was large enough for coasters. Fecamp provided two berths for handling ammunition for the BEF. Rouen. Rouen was a long established river port on the River Seine. It has been a port since Roman times and was one of the richest cities in France. Like most river ports had the combination of a navigable river and a suitable bridge site with the river not too wide and the ground sufficiently firm. The river provided a route from the sea to Paris and the bridge provided a north- south road route. Later the railway followed the same routes. Rouen had four berths for the BEF. They handled empty petrol tins, engineer stores and transportation stores. The stretch of river used by shipping. Both sides of the river are lined with quays. The bridge across the river via the Ile Lacroix was as far as shipping could get, although smaller river craft could continue upriver. One great advantage offered by Rouen as a port was that it was on the main Line of Communication railway route from the Southern Base marshalling yard at Rennes to the Line of Communication railhead at Arras. Le Havre. Le Havre was a port at the mouth of the River Seine. Although it was created as a port in the 16th century poor transport links prevented its growth until the late 18th century. For most purposes Rouen was a more convenient port. The arrival of railways and transatlantic steamers led to Le Havre’s development as a terminal for liners and for cross channel ferries. Le Havre became a very busy port as far as the BEF were concerned. Twelve berths were made available for the handling of stores, personnel and MT. Also. Dieppe was used for Hospital Carriers. Three berths were made available. These had good access for railway trains. Dieppe was also originally a fishing port which grew into a ferry port and port for cross Channel trade. In Victorian times it was a resort town. Boulogne was used for personnel and frozen meat. Three berths were made available. Calais was used for train ferries. The cross Channel ferry terminal was available. Dunkirk was used for train ferries. The cross Channel ferry terminal was available. Donges, near St Nazaire docks, was used for bulk petrol. An Anglo Iranian Oil Company terminal and refinery was situated there. Honfleur was used for bulk petrol. Marseilles was used for personnel and stores en route to and from the Middle East. Seven berths were available. It was part of the BEF Lines of Communication for administrative convenience. Mike.
Mike Apologies for disturbing this interesting thread. Probably you could help me filling some gaps. Checking your details for garrison HQs for Continental ports at the top of post #26 to locate WE table numbers, I only can find the following Continental garrisons in volume IV in 1939 or early 1940: IV/3 B/1 - Brest Garrison IV/3 C/1 - Headquarters, Havre Garrison IV/3 F/1 - Headquarters, St. Malo Garrison IV/3 G/1 - Headquarters, St. Nazaire Garrison. That's it. No sample WE as "Continental garrisons", let alone WEs for the other 10 ports you mentioned. It may be me, as the details might be hidden in other WEs. But as there are some "flaws" concerning administration especially of WEs during emergencies (the WE for St. Nazaire came only with A.C.I. 19.06.1940, none of the 4 mentioned WEs were ever cancelled in A.C.Is.) and there are also other sources for establishments as War Office letters: May I ask for your sources? Thank you! Aixman
Keith, Thank you for your photos. These are always interesting. I know that your knowledge of this era far exceeds mine so please feel free to join in. Wolfgang, I see the War Establishments to which you refer. I felt that since they cover only a limited number of ports it would be better to use the simplified establishment from a secondary source. This shows the basics of a garrison. I will look for the original but I fear it will not be of great help to you. With Roy monitoring the maritime aspects, Keith monitoring the military aspects and Wolfgang the organisational aspects we should manage very well. Thank you. Mike.
Operating the ports. The establishing of an organisation for the operation of the docks, or those parts of them allocated to the British. In the first few weeks the priority was to deliver a BEF of two corps, each of two divisions, to France. The transfer of personnel to the fighting front was relatively straight forward. Units were assembled at depots and barracks in the UK, called forward to ports for loading onto Cross Channel ferry ships, crossed to a port in France, usually Cherbourg for the fighting troops, then on by rail to an Assembly Area before continuing northwards to a Concentration Area and finally to their assigned positions. Vehicles were slightly more complicated since they had to be delivered to docks for loading onto cargo ships. They were normally driven to the docks by their unit driver who supervised its loading. The drivers, apart from a small number per ship, then boarded a personnel ship (cross Channel ferry) to be carried to France separately. A complication was that since units would need their vehicles as soon as possible after arriving in France it was necessary for the MT ships to sail three to five days before the unit personnel so that both elements should be at the Assembly Area at much the same time. Units carried four days supplies with them and very soon they would need replenishing. This meant that supplies would have to be sent by cargo ship to French ports as soon as possible. A makeshift base organisation forwarded the anticipated amount of supplies each day, while at the same time developing the base area. Ships arrived at French ports in convoys, fast convoys for personnel and slow for cargo ships. Personnel ships were all capable of more than 20 knots while slow convoys travelled at 10 knots. Disembarking from personnel ships presented no problems since they used berths normally used by cross Channel ferries which were designed for rapid disembarkation and turn around, and linked with railways. There were usually more cargo ships in a convoy than there were available berths. Ships anchored in the approaches and were called in to the berths as required. There was usually a naval Port Captain acting as harbour master and working closely with the army port operating units. Initially ammunition ships were given priority since it was considered important to build up ammunition stocks as rapidly as possible. Initially stores ships carried mixed cargo. It was thought wise to avoid loading ships with only one category of stores since if the ship was lost there would be a shortage of that category. In the early stages there were no reserve stores in the dumps. This system however caused problems for the dock personnel since as well as unloading cargo they had to sort it into separate categories on the dockside and arrange for the different categories to be loaded onto separate wagons for despatch to depots. In the meantime the dockside was cluttered and smooth unloading hindered. MT ships and cargo ships had to be unloaded in French ports using mainly unskilled labour, often companies of Regular Army reservists who had been recalled at the declaration of war but were surplus to their units’ requirements, supervised by Dock Group personnel. After the first somewhat makeshift phase more Dock Operating units arrived including more specialist Stevedore Companies. At each of the ports used by the British to support the BEF the French authorities provided a number of suitable berths for the exclusive use of British shipping. The allocation of berths was agreed well before the declaration of war and was considered by the French to be binding only for the initial despatch of the British forces. However the berths remained available for British use, even though they could not claim priority, and there do not seem to have been any problems. Naval operations were in the hands of the Royal Navy which had a Naval Officer in Charge at each of the ports used by the BEF. He and his small staff worked in cooperation with the French Harbourmaster and was responsible for the berthing of arrivals and for the forming of convoys and escorts for return sailings to the UK. The berths made available to the British were worked by British workers from Dock Operating Companies and Railway Operating Companies. In the early days British railway locomotives were not allowed to operate on the lines of French railway companies, mainly since they did not conform to French safety standards regarding brakes. They were permitted to operate in the dock areas and to form trains of wagons to be moved to dumps and depots by French locomotives and crew. In early 1940 it was decided that it would be safe to open a new base area around Rouen. This would mean a shorter sea crossing and a shorter journey from bases to the front area. The original bases around Nantes and Rennes continued to be used. There were three Dock Groups Royal Engineers each with a number of Sections. No 1 Docks Group arrived on 10 September and worked the ports of Nantes and St Nazaire. No 2 Docks Group arrived on 11 September and initially operated the port of Brest. Later it also worked Cherbourg. No 3 Dock Group arrived on 14 January and worked the ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Fecamp. Sailing of docks unit personnel. Details of the docks personnel despatched in September and early October are not available. There were also units of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps assigned to the docks. It is generally not possible to identify the companies concerned. 16 Docks Labour Company with Sections 73 to 84. Travelling from Folkestone. 2 other ranks and 1 vehicle. Road party sailing 27 October. 3 officers and 276 other ranks. Rail party sailing 30 October. 17 Docks Labour Company with Sections 85 to 96. Travelling from Folkestone. 2 other ranks and 1 vehicle. Road party sailing 2 November. 3 officers and 276 other ranks. Rail party sailing 6 November. 1 Stevedore Company. Travelling from Folkestone. 3 other ranks and 2 vehicles. Road party sailing 2 November. 4 officers and 245 other ranks. Rail party sailing 6 November. 2 Stevedore Company. Travelling from Folkestone. 3 other ranks and 2 vehicles. Road party sailing 14 November. 4 officers and 245 other ranks. Rail party sailing 17 November. 3 Stevedore Company. Travelling from Folkestone. 3 other ranks and 2 vehicles. Road party sailing 20 November. 4 officers and 245 other ranks. Rail party sailing 23 November. 4 Stevedore Company. Travelling from Folkestone. 3 other ranks and 2 vehicles. Road party sailing 12 December. 4 officers and 245 other ranks. Rail party sailing 18 December. Headquarters 1 Stevedore Battalion. Travelling from Folkestone. 5 other ranks, 2 vehicles and 2 motorcycles. Road party sailing 14 December. 5 officers and 12 other ranks. Rail party sailing 18 December. Headquarters 2 Stevedore Battalion. Travelling from Folkestone. 5 other ranks, 2 vehicles and 2 motorcycles. Road party sailing 14 December. 5 officers and 12 other ranks. Rail party sailing 18 December. Headquarters 3 Docks Group. Travelling from Folkestone. 19 Officers and 236 other ranks. Rail party sailing 13 January. Dock Section, 1 Docks Group. Travelling from Folkestone. 2 officers and 122 other ranks. Rail party sailing 13 January. Dock Section, 2 Docks Group. Travelling from Folkestone. 2 officers and 122 other ranks. Rail party sailing 13 January. Cargo Handling. Cargo handling was labour intensive. In most cases the docks and berths allocated to the British were served by dockside cranes. These may be static or mounted on rails and capable of being moved along the berths. All cargo ships had their own derricks and winches which could be used if dock side cranes were not available. In any case cargo was transferred in the hold to nets or pallets and then lifted onto the dockside. A team of stevedores worked in the ships hold and transferred cargo to the nets or pallets by hand. Loaded nets or pallets were hooked onto the cranes lifting ropes or cables. When the cargo was safely on the dockside it had to be removed from nets or pallets and then transferred to a temporary transit shed. This was usually done with trolleys but barrows or man power could also be used. When cargo had been checked and, if necessary, weighed it was transferred to sheds from which it would be collected by dock locomotives and rail wagons. Ideally dock locomotives would be diesel powered if handling petrol or ammunition. If steam locomotives were used they were fitted with spark arresters. Trains of wagons were assembled for transfer to depots and dumps. Ideally a train would carry a single commodity to a specific dump. However a mixed train could have its wagons rearranged in sidings en route. Vehicle Handling. The loading and unloading of vehicles were similar to that for other cargo. In this case a frame was used. This had slings hanging from it and a net which was fitted under each pair of wheels. Relatively little labour was required. The nets were placed in position on the ground and the vehicles pushed onto them. The vehicle could then be hoisted. Although it could look precarious it was apparently safe and effective. On board the ship the procedure was reversed. The vehicle was pushed off the nets and into position where it was tied down to prevent movement in rough weather. If not watched the dock personnel tended to move the vehicle using the starter motor, leading to a flat battery. A Guy 3ton 6 X 4 wireless lorry being unloaded at Cherbourg. Men in the foreground are presumably the vehicle’s ‘owners’. The dockers are hired French civilians. Vehicles destined for the reserve vehicle parks of the RAOC and RASC usually travelled to the parks by train. Flat bed wagons carried only one vehicle each. Trains were generally around 80 wagons long. The ships carrying reserve vehicles also carried a small RAOC or RASC party to supervise and account for the vehicles. These parties returned to the UK on returning ships. Newly unloaded vehicles on the dockside. Early Bedford 3ton lorries on rail flats. Note the twin rear wheels. Bedford 15cwt in the foreground. The nearest is an anti tank portee. Note the loading ramp on the side. Morris 8cwt PU on a SNCF flat wagon. Note that it is tethered fore and aft. The Battenburg markings on the door suggest a training unit. HEADQUARTERS DOCK GROUP. This headquarters can control up to five Docks Sections Personnel included: Lieutenant Colonel 3 X Major 4 X Captain Captain, Adjutant 10 X Subalter Regimental Serjeant Major Regimental Quartermaster Serjeant Warrant Officer for statistics 2 X Company Serjeant Major 12 X serjeant 15 X corporal 126 X sapper 2 X driver IC 23 X cook and general dutyman 9 X batman 2 X batman driver The above personnel included the following trades. 2 X blacksmith 2 X blacksmiths strikers 2 X boilermaker 4 X brakesman and shunter 2 X bricklayer 10 X carpenter and joiner 6 X checker 2 X clerk 15 X railway clerk diver 2 X draughtsman, mechanical 2 X draughtsman, railway 3 X driver, railway engine 5 X driver, plant 2 X driver, crane 2 X driver IC 2 X electrician 2 X locomotive fireman 6 X fitter driver 12 X fitter 2 X lineman, power 3 X machinist painter and decorator pattern maker 2 X plumber and gasfitte 8 X platelayer 2 X riveter 2 X storeman, technical railway 2 X tinsmith and whitesmith 2 X turner 4 X welder 38 X pioneer 23 X cook and general dutyman 9 X batman 2 X batman driver Attached RASC Captain 2 X staff serjeant 4 X corporal 10 X private Attached RAOC Ordnance Officer 4th Class Warrant Officer Class I clerk 2 X staff serjeant storeman serjeant ammunition examiner 10 X corporal 22 X private Vehicles. 8 X bicycle 2 X motorcycle 2 X car 2 seater 1 X car 4 seater 1 X 12 cwt van DOCKS SECTION Personnel included. Subaltern 3 X Warrant Officer Quay Foreman 7 X serjea 10 X corporal 101 X sapper The personnel included the following trades. 7 X brakesman and shunte 3 X carpenter and joiner 22 X checker 2 X clerk 16 X railway clerk 3 X driver, railway engine 5 X drivers, plant 12 X drivers, crane 3 X locomotive fireman 5 X stevedore 33 X pioneer STEVEDORE BATTALION Personnel included the following: Lieutenant Colonel Major 4 X Major or Captain Captain, Adjutant Captain, Technical Officer 12 X Subaltern Quartermaster Regimental Serjeant Major Regimental Quartermaster Serjeant 4 X company serjeant major 8 X company quartermaster serjeant 34 X serjeant 74 X corporal 853 X sapper 34 X driver IC The personnel included the following trades. 7 X clerk 5 X railway clerk driver mechanic 880 X stevedores 34 X pioneer 6 X driver of vehicles 4 X batman driver 11 X batman 9 X sanitary duties 4 X water duty Vehicles. 10 X bicycle 2 X motorcycle 4 X car 2 seater 1 X car 4 seater 5 X 30cwt lorry GS The Battalion Headquarters contained the following personnel. Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain, Adjutant Captain, Technical Officer Quartermaster Regimental Serjeant Major Regimental Quartermaster Serjeant serjeant clerk serjeant cook 2 X corporal 5 X sapper 6 X driver IC 3 X clerk railway clerk driver mechanic 2 X cook 2 X driver of vehicles 3 X batman sanitary duties 2 X bicycle 2 X motorcycle 1 X car 4 seater 1 X 30cwt lorry GS Each of the four companies contained: Major or Captain Subaltern, Technical Officer 2 X Subaltern Company Serjeant Major company quartermaster serjeant company quartermaster serjeant, quay foreman 8 X serjeant 18 X corporal 212 X sapper 7 X driver IC clerk railway clerk 5 X cook 3 X pioneer driver of vehicle batman driver 2 X batman 2 X sanitary duties water duty man 2 X bicycle 1 X car 2 seater 1 X 30cwt lorry GS Mike
BEF BASE AREAS. ‘The British Army in the field normally operates from an overseas base or bases, round which are grouped its supply stores and depots, reinforcement camps and base hospitals.’ From Military Engineering Volume VII, Accommodation and Installations. Official War Office publications are often very dull reading but they are succinct and easy to understand. Some unkind person said that it was so that even officers could understand them. I could not possibly comment. It had been agreed that Britain would send an expeditionary force of two army corps. This was composed of four divisions, all that were available in the UK, plus supporting troops and a large supply and maintenance organisation. It was agreed that the army corps would be in France within thirty three days of the declaration of war and that they would be deployed on the front line shortly afterwards. This timetable was achieved and the troops had taken up their position between Lille and Armentiers by 12 October. At this date there were some 152,000 army personnel plus around 10,000 RAF personnel in France. This large force needed to be supplied with all the equipment, food, ammunition, petrol, engineering supplies and all the vast range of items a modern army needed. It was agreed with the French that all, or most, of the stores and supplies required would be landed at ports on the west coast of France, in Brittany. The ports of Brest, St Nazaire and Nantes would be used and the main base facilities would be around Rennes, a major rail junction. From this base supplies would be sent north to the field army by rail, being held at a forward base around Amiens and Arras. These port and base areas developed until there were some 140,000 personnel engaged in their construction and operation. Although the BEF was totally mechanised it was not practical at that time to transport the amount of supplies needed by road. All forward transport would have to be by rail. Plans were made to obtain and despatch locomotives and rolling stock but initially, and for some time, it would be necessary to use French locomotives and operating personnel. Much of the following is taken from War Establishment tables obtained from the then Public Record Office (now the National Archive) at Kew. For some more obscure units and for the Base Area Orders of Battle I have drawn on Alan Philson’s ‘British Expeditionary Force Organisation and Order of Battle. Volume 3’. Line of Communication South District. Headquarters at Rennes. This district was in Brittany and initially contained Nos 1 and 2 Base Sub Areas. No 3 Base Sub Area was developed later further north. No1 Base Sub Area. This was the Northern Brittany Base Area around Rennes. It eventually consisted of: Headquarters South District. Headquarters Rennes Base Sub Area. Brest Garrison. St. Malo Garrison. Royal Engineers. 106 Army Troops Company. 114 Road Construction Company. 115 Road Construction Company. Headquarters No1 Transportation Stores Group. 1 Transportation Stores Depot. 2 Transportation Stores Depot. 156 Transportation Stores Company. 196 Transportation Stores Company. Headquarters Railway Workshop Group. 155 Railway Workshop Company. 199 Railway Workshop Company. 1 Railway Mobile Workshop. 2 Railway Mobile Workshop. Headquarters No 1 Railway Operating Group. 153 Railway Operating Company. 154 Railway Operating Company. Headquarters No 1 Railway Construction and Maintenance Group. Headquarters No 2 Railway Construction and Maintenance Group. 29 Railway Survey Company. 165 Railway Survey Company 150 Railway Construction Company. 152 Railway Construction Company. 157 Railway Construction Company. 161 Railway Construction Company. 652 Artisan Works Company. 669 Artisan Works Company. 679 Artisan Works Company. 687 Artisan Works Company. Plus Royal Signals. Headquarters Railway Telegraph Company. 71 Railway Telegraph Operating Section. 72 Railway Telegraph Operating Section. 21 Railway Line Maintenance Section. No 2 Docks Group. Headquarters 1 Stevedore Battalion 4 Company 1 Stevedore Battalion. RASC. 1 Lines of Communication Transport Company. 1 Reserve MT Company. 5 Reserve MT Company. 1 Supply Personnel Company. 2 Base Supply Depot. 1 Bulk Petrol Company. 2 Bulk Petrol Company. 3 Section, 1 Field Bakery Company. RAOC. 2 Base Ammunition Depot. 4 Base Ammunition Depot. 22 Base Ammunition Depot. 2 Port Workshop Detachment. Labour. 2 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (Four companies). 6 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (Ten Companies). 13 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (Three Companies). 14 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (Eight Companies). Plus 46 Infantry Division, not at full strength, for labour and training. In Rennes There was the Headquarters 1 Railway Operating Group and the Base Marshalling Yard for 1 Base Sub Area and 2 Base Sub Area. At Braye, on the eastern outskirts of Rennes, there was the Headquarters 1 Base Sub Area with a large camp of huts and tents and 156 Transportation Stores Depot At Baud, adjacent to Braye there were 154 Railway Operating Company, 155 Railway Workshop Company and a Sleeper Depot. At Betton, on the railway line five miles north of Rennes, there was a Base Ammunition Depot. At Foret de Tanouam, on the railway line eighteen miles north of Rennes, there was a Base Petrol Depot. At l’Hermitage, ten miles west of Rennes, there was a Base Supply Depot. At Bruz, five miles south of Rennes, there was the Base Ordnance Depot and the Engineer Park. At St. Jacques de la Laude there was a Transportation Stores Depot and a Ballast Depot. At La Gouesniere, eight miles south of St. Malo on the railway line to Rennes, there was a Base Ammunition Depot. At Moult Argences, ten miles east of Caen, there was a Base Petrol Depot. There were many other small units and facilities. No2 Base Sub Area. This was the Southern Brittany Base Area around Nantes. It consisted of: Headquarters Nantes Base Sub Area. St. Nazaire Garrison. Engineers. 2 Movement Control Group. 104 Army Troops Company. 110 Army Troops Company. 116 Road Construction Company. 117 Road Construction Company. 1 Engineer Stores Base Depot. 2 Transportation Stores Depot. No 1 Docks Group. 1 Stevedore Battalion (less 4 Company). 2 Stevedore Battalion. 3 Stevedore Battalion. 19 Field Survey Company. 158 Railway Construction Company. 159 Railway Construction Company. 663 Artisan Works Company. 666 Artisan Works Company. 675 Artisan Works Company. 653 General Construction Company. RASC. 2 Line of Communication Company. 2 Reserve MT Company. 6 Reserve MT Company. 1 Supply Personnel Company. (1 section). 2 Supply Personnel Company. (1 section). 3 Supply Personnel Company. ((1 section). 1 Petrol Depot. 1 Bulk Petrol Storage Depot. 1 Field Bakery. (1 section). 1 Field Butchery and cold storage. B Park Vehicle Reception Depot. Base MT Stores Depot. MT Heavy Repair Shop. RAOC. 1 Base Ordnance Depot. 2 Base Ordnance Workshop 1 Port Workshop Section. 1 Base Ammunition Depot. 6 Base Ammunition Depot. Labour. 3 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (14 Companies.) 4 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (3 Companies.) 7 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (16 Companies.) 1 Stationary Depot. 1 General Base Depot. 2 General Base Depot. 1 Transit Camp. RAF. Headquarters No 2 Base Area. 2 Port Detachment. At Carquefou, in the northern suburbs of Nantes, there was a Transportation Stores Depot operated by 156 Transportation Stores Company. At Verton on the southern banks of the River Loire there was a Base Petrol Filling Centre. At Blain, twenty two miles north west of Nantes, there was a Base Ordnance Depot. At Foret de Gavre, five miles north of Blain, there was a Base Ammunition Depot. At Fay de Bretagne, five miles south of Blain, there was a Base Petrol Depot. At Savenay there were 151 Railway Construction Company, 165 Railway Survey Company and a running shed and workshop for light locomotive repairs. At St. Gildas des Bois, ten miles north west of Savenay, there was a Base Stores Depot. At St. Nazaire there was 1 Mobile Railway Workshop with a railway and locomotive stores depot. Line of Communication North Area No 3 Base Sub Area. This was the Northern Base around Rouen which was being developed from January 1940. Much of No 3 Base Sub Area was still being constructed in May, in some cases construction had hardly begun. It was intended to be a partial replacement for the main Southern Base in Britany. It would reduce the distance between base depots and the front line by some three hundred miles. Headquarters North District. Headquarters Rouen Base Sub Area. Le Havre Garrison. Engineers. Headquarters 3 Movement Control Group. Headquarters 4 Movement Control Group. 2 Stevedore Battalion. (Less four companies). 212 Army Troops Company. 653 General Construction Company. 670 Artisan Works Company. 672 Artisan Works Company. 674 Artisan Works Company. 129 Forestry Company. 2 Engineer Stores Base Depot. Camouflage Factory. 3 Docks Group. 3 Railway Construction and Maintenance Group. 161 Rail Construction Company. 186 Transportation Construction Company. RASC. ‘E’ Section, 2 Line of Communication Railhead Company. 4 Reserve MT Company. 3 Line of Communication MT Company. ‘D’ Section, 7 Reserve MT Company. Headquarters 1 Vehicle Reception Depot. ‘B’ Vehicle Park. 3 Base Supply Depot. 5 Base Supply Depot. 1 Supply Personnel Company (two sections). 2 Supply Personnel Company (four sections) 3 Supply Personnel Company (sixteen sections). 2 Field Butchery and cold storage, 3 Field Butchery and cold storage. 4 Field Butchery and cold storage. 2 Field Bakery. 3 Field Bakery. 4 Field Bakery. 1 Base Petrol Filling Centre. 3 Base Petrol Filling Centre. 1 Bulk Petrol Storage Company (less three sections.) 3 Bulk Petrol Company. Advanced Heavy Repair Shop. Advanced MT Stores Depot. RAOC. 2 Base Ordnance Depot. 4 Port Workshop. 3 Base Ammunition Depot. 21 Base Ammunition Depot. Labour. 8 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (10 Companies). 15 Group Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. (5 Companies). 2 Transit Camp. 2 Military Prison. 12 Infantry Division. For labour and local defence. RAF Headquarters 1 Barrage Balloon Wing RAF. 924 (Balloon) Squadron RAF. Three flights of eight balloons. For Le Havre. 4 Port Detachment RAF. AA Defence. Headquarters 3 AA Brigade. Headquarters 79 AA Regiment (Base Defence). 246 AA Battery. Eight 3.7” AA guns (static). 247 AA Battery. Eight 3.7” AA guns (mobile). 248 AA Battery. Eight 3.7” AA guns (static). Headquarters 8 AA Regiment (Base Defence). 22 AA Battery. Eight 3.7” AA guns (mobile). 23 AA Battery. Eight 3,7” AA guns (mobile). 4 LAA Battery. Twelve 40mm guns. At Romescamps there was already a Regulating Station and Base Marshalling Yard which acted as Railhead for the BEF, receiving trains from the Base Areas and then sorting the stores and supplies, holding twenty days of reserves and forwarding them to the field army. In early May it was the Headquarters of 2 Railway Operating Group. At Abancourt-Romescamps there was a Base Supply Depot and a Base Petrol Depot. At Le Manoir, south of Rouen, there was an Engineer Stores Base Depot. At Motteville, north west of Rouen, there was a Transportation Stores Depot. At Elbeuf, up the River Seine from Rouen, there were heavy repair shops, At Matainville-Epreville, ten miles east of Rouen, there was a railway workshop. The workshop and heavy repair shops were intended to support the larger main line locomotives which were due to start arriving to work the long distance routes from the base area to the railhead. These routes had hitherto been operated by SNCF locomotives. The big 2-8-0 8F main line locomotives never did make it to France. They were used on railways in the UK or sent to overseas theatres but the newer 2-8-0 Austerities went to NW Europe in 1944/5. There were many other small units and facilities in the above three base areas and all along the Lines of Communication. Mike.
RAOC and RASC depots. Headquarters were usually based in large buildings in, or on the outskirts of, towns but other facilities were usually green field sites on which the Railway Construction units laid out sidings while other units constructed sheds and huts. Every site was different of course but there were examples given in ‘Military Engineering’, Volume VII ‘Accommodation and Installations’. Depots were located on or near existing railway lines and lines were laid to link the two. Sidings for the assembly of trains were also constructed. Although at first all base depots used temporary accommodation found by the French authorities the Royal Engineers immediately began to construct permanent sites. Responsibility for stores and supplies was divided between the Royal Ordnance Corps and the Royal Army Service Corps. The Royal Ordnance Corp was responsible for weapons, ammunition and vehicles, as well as a vast inventoryof other items. Its main base was at Nantes, with other depots at Brest and Le Havre. The initial installations were - Base Ordnance Depot at Nantes, followed by a second at Le Havre. - Base Ammunition Depots at Nantes and Brest. - Base Ordnance Workshop at Nantes. - Four Port Workshop Detachments Near railhead at Arras there were - Advanced Ordnance Depot - Advanced Ordnance Workshop Because of the fear of air attack it was decided that ammunition would be stored in depots concealed in wooded areas. This effectively concealed them from air observation but made access and handling difficult, not to mention the danger of fire. Later ammunition was kept loaded on trains. One train was pre loaded for each corps and as units or weapons in corps changed the composition of the train changed to match. The Royal Army Service Corps was responsible for the supply of food and fuel. A Supply Depot had sections for storing sixty days stock of the following: - cased and sacked goods (tinned food and loose vegetables) - forage (although there were no horses in the BEF there were mules). - fuel (except petrol), lighting materials, disinfectant and other chemicals. - unpacked commodities There was also a section for handling salvage (returned cases, sacks, tins etc) Near to the Supply Depot there were - petrol sub depot - frozen meat sub depot Petrol was always handled, stored and transported separately since there was always a danger of fire and explosion, plus the danger of contaminating food and other items. Intermediate Depots on the Line of Communication and Advanced Depots at Railhead held 30 days stock of all the above. Transport to Railhead was by rail, which was the responsibility of the Royal Engineers in co operation with the French railway authorities. It was agreed that the British Army would be responsible for all new rail facilities needed for the BEF. The new lines were those needed to serve the new depots, and to serve new airfields that were being built. RAOC. The RAOC was responsible for: the supply and maintenance of weapons and ammunition, the supply and maintenance of vehicles, except for RASC vehicles. The supply of stores, generally defined as non consumable items. The initial plan was for the following to be established: One Base Ordnance Depot. One Advanced Ordnance Depot. Two Base Ammunition Depots. One Base Workshop. One Advanced Workshop. Four Port Workshop Detachments. BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT War Establishment IV/1931/48/1 1 Base Ordnance Depot at Nantes 1 Base Ordnance Depot arrived in September and consisted of Headquarters and 1, 2 and 3, Ordnance Stores Company. 2 Base Ordnance Depot at Le Havre. An advanced party arrived on 27 October and was followed by the remainder of headquarters and by 4 Ordnance Stores Company on 10 November. A fire tender and trailer pump followed on 20 November. The remainder of 2 Base Ordnance Depot, 5 and 6 Ordnance Stores Companies, arrived on 3 January 1940. 2 Base Ordnance Depot. Advanced Party from Didcot. 2 Officers, 14 Other Ranks, 4 vehicles and 2 motorcycles. Road Party. Sailing 27 October. 2 Base Ordnance Depot from Didcot. 2 Officers, 15 Other Ranks, 7 vehicles and 6 motorcycles. Road Party. Sailing 5 November. 20 Officers and 286 Other Ranks. Rail Party. Sailing 8 November. Headquarters 2 Base Ordnance Depot from Didcot. 2 Officers, 25 other ranks, 18 vehicles and 3 motorcycles. Road Party sailing 29 December. 4, 5 and 6 Ordnance Stores Companies from Didcot. 38 Officers and 736 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 1 January. Total for 2 Base Ordnance Depot was 46 Officers and 1076 Other Ranks, plus labour from Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. Plan for a Base Ordnance Depot. The ideal plan taken from ‘Military Engineering. Volume VII.’ Based on depots used in WW1. Although no scale is attached to the plan some dimensions are given elsewhere. Each of the spurs or sidings should have a thousand feet of straight line to accommodate a standard train of forty wagons. Where sheds are built they should be some four hundred feet long by one hundred feet wide. The vehicle park has platform at the height of the railway wagon floor. The gun park should have an end loading ramp to allow the handling of heavy equipment. It was accepted that initially the depot would have to be on several dispersed sites until the new, purpose built depot was constructed. Organisation and personnel. The Base Ordnance Depot contained a headquarters and three Depot Companies. Most of the other ranks were storemen or clerks, with specialist trades in the repair sections. Executive Officers are administrative as opposed to technical. Depot Headquarters. 2 X Colonel, Ordnance Officer 1st Class 2 X Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Officer 2nd Class 6 X Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 2nd Class 5 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC 5 X Warrant Officer Class 1 2 X staff serjeant 9 X serjeant corporal 7 X lance corporal 23 X Private Storemen RAOC Warrant Officer Class 2 staff serjeant 5 X serjeant 9 X lance serjeant 4 X corporal 38 X private 2 X serjeant driver 2 X corporal driver 2 X lance corporal driver 30 X driver Attached Medical Officer 25 X general dutyman as 10 X batman 6 X orderly medical officers orderly sanitary dutyman officers mess cook officers mess orderly 2 X serjeants mess cook 2 X serjeants mess orderly cook 3 X Ordnance Stores Company. War Establishment IV/1931/50/2 Each Ordnance Stores Company contained the following sub depots: Mechanised Transport Sub Depot. Handling all vehicles except those for RASC. General Stores and Clothing Sub Depot. Armament, Engineer and Signals Equipment Sub Depot. Returned Stores Sub Depot. All returned stores had to be checked and repaired if necessary. MT Sub Depot. 2 X Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class 2 X Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 3 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC 5 X Warrant Officer Class 1 6 X Staff Serjeant 8 X serjeant 7 X corporal 9 X lance corporal 54 X Private Storemen RAOC 2 X Warrant Officer Class 1 2 X Warrant Officer Class 2 2 X staff serjeant 5 X serjeant 4 X corporal 6 X lance corporal 50 X private staff serjeant armament artificer, fitter 3 X shoemaker 2 X serjeant driver 2 X corporal driver 2 X lance corporal driver 36 X driver Attached 14 X general dutyman as 3 X batman sanitary dutyman officers mess cook officers mess orderly serjeants mess cook 3 X serjeants mess orderly 4 X cook General Stores and Clothing Sub Depot Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 2 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC Warrant Officer Class 1 Staff Serjeant 2 X serjeant 3 X corporal 2 X lance corporal 10 X private Storemen RAOC Warrant Officer Class 2 staff serjeant serjeant 2 X corporal 2 X lance corporal 12 X private Attached 6 X general dutyman as 2 X batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook Armament, Engineer and Signal Stores Sub Depot Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 2 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC Warrant Officer Class 1 Staff Serjeant 3 X serjeant corporal 2 X lance corporal 14 X private Storemen RAOC Warrant Officer Class 2 staff serjeant serjeant lance serjeant corporal 3 X lance corporal 13 X private Attached 6 X general dutyman 2 X batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook Returned Stores Sub Depot Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC serjeant lance corporal 2 X Private Storemen RAOC serjeant corporal lance corporal 7 X private staff serjeant ammunition examiner 20 X shoemaker 6 X textile refitter Attached 5 X general dutyman batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook The following are detached from the Depot Headquarters to coordinate the flow of stores from the base depot to advanced depots and via regulating stations to railhead. At this point GHQ or Corps road transport assumes responsibility for delivery. To Headquarters Line of Communications Sub Area. Warrant Officer Class 1 Clerk 2 X serjeant clerk 2 X clerk To Regulating Station clerk serjeant storeman corporal storeman 4 X storeman To Corps Railhead Ordnance Executive Officer staff serjeant clerk clerk 2 X serjeant storeman 5 X corporal storeman 10 X storeman To GHQ Railhead Ordnance Executive Officer staff serjeant clerk clerk serjeant storeman corporal storeman 2 X storeman To Medical Base Sub Area Ordnance Executive Officer lance corporal clerk clerk lance corporal storeman 2 X storeman Returned stores establishment is interesting since it indicates the types of items which are returned. Twenty shoemakers for repairing issue boots before reissue. Six textile refitters for repairing uniforms. One ammunition examiner to check ammunition before returning it to the Base Ammunition Depot. Vehicles were a problem. The Regular Divisions going to France in September/October were well up to establishment as regards vehicles but some types were in short supply thereafter and there were no reserves. Many rear area units, and some forward units, were issued with requisitioned civilian vehicles. Some of these were in fact similar to the WD vehicles and the owners/operators received a subsidy for buying them, maintaining them and handing them over on the outbreak of war. Most were simply ordinary civilian vehicles which inspectors selected for service. They caused difficulty with the supply of spare parts since there were many different vehicles and at first no catalogue from which parts could be ordered. In service the requisitioned vehicles combined with inexperienced drivers and poor maintenance caused a high rate of breakdowns. There was a very large list of stores required by units. The RAOC was supposed to hold a reserve to replace lost or damaged items but because of the need to send units to France according to a strict schedule and without delay many arrived with long lists of deficiencies. Units expected that the missing items would be provided on arrival in France. There was an obvious conflict of priorities. If RAOC depots issued new vehicles, spare parts and equipment to newly arrived units then the existing front line units could not rely on there being a reserve to replace their losses or maintain their equipment. Attempts to speed up production of equipment and to speed up its shipping to France meant that production standards were reduced as was the level of testing and checking. This meant in turn that the BEF depots had to carry out checks on their stock before it could be issued with confidence. It may be that only a small percentage was defective but there was no quick way of telling which individual items were in fact effective. Artillery presented particular problems since many of the regular army units were still using equipment which was obsolescent. Decisions had to be made as to whether new equipment should go to the existing units to replace the older equipment or whether it should go to equip new units. A change of artillery equipment meant that ammunition had to be changed also. Old stocks had to be recovered and new stock moved to the appropriate units and the sub depots serving them. Mike
BASE AMMUNITION DEPOT War Establishment IV/1931/54/1 Initially there were two Base Ammunition Depots, situated logically near the ports through which ammunition was unloaded. No1 Base Ammunition Depot at Nantes No2 Base Ammunition Depot at Le Havre It was decided later that it would be safe to use ports further north and a base area was developed around Rouen. Thus No 3 Base Ammunition Depot was established at Saint Saens to the north of Rouen. A new Base Ammunition Depot was planned to increase the capacity in the Nantes area. This was for some reason No 6 Base Ammunition Depot. The unit only arrived in April and it was still under construction and partly stocked when hostilities began. In addition to establishing two new depots it was decided to increase the ammunition holdings in depots. The original planned capacity was 21,000 tons of ammunition in each Base Ammunition Depot. In October this was increased to 34,000 tons per Depot. This figure took some time to be achieved however. The amounts were based on a requirement for 45 days supply of ammunition to be available to the BEF. The figure was raised to six months at the end of 1939. Unlike supplies, for which the rate of consumption was generally steady and predictable, the demand for ammunition varied widely. For many months there was little expenditure but the experience of WW1 was that when operations were planned large quantities could be required at short notice. Until May 1940 ammunition was being produced at an ever increasing rate but little was being expended. It made more sense to store the excess in France, where it would be needed, rather than in the UK. Also as the size of the BEF increased so the amount of ammunition likely to be required increased. Normally Advanced Ammunition Depots would have been established near railhead to hold stocks nearer to the front, especially when the lines of communication were so long. However the French authorities objected to any such depots being established north of the Somme. An alternative system was devised using standard rail trains which were preloaded and ready to move immediately. These were termed ASEs and each carried one days supply of ammunition for a Corps. Each Corps had an Ammunition Railhead, manned by personnel from the Base Ammunition Depot, to receive the ASEs. No1 Corps Railhead was at Ecoust, ten miles south east of Arras, while No2 Corps Railhead was at Aubigny, eight miles north west of Arras. The plan called for each Corps to have nine days stock of ammunition as follows: 1 Corps would have: Five days supply at Ammunition Railhead. Two days supply on ASE within twelve hours journey time of the Ammunition Railhead. Two days supply on ASE within thirty six hours of Army Railhead. 2 Corps would have: Seven days supply at Ammunition Railhead. Two days supply on ASE within thirty six hours of Army Railhead. Similar arrangements were made for 3 Corps when it was formed. Such a system has obvious disadvantages. The ‘standard’ train could not in fact be standard since each corps had a different establishment as far as weapons were concerned. The system was not flexible. It assumed that ammunition would be expended in equal amounts and at a standard rate. This is unlikely to be the case. However the alternative would be to replenish stocks from the Base and this was so far away that it could take days for the required ammunition to arrive. Note. The authorised wastage rates which were used as the basis for planning the supply of ammunition were: 25pdr- 35 rounds per gun a day. 60pdr- 30 rounds per gun a day. 6” Howitzer- 28 rounds per gun a day. 3” AA- 50 rounds per gun a day. 40mm AA - 40 rounds per gun a day. 2pdr AT- 5 rounds per gun a day. 3” mortar- 13 rounds per gun a day. 2” mortar- 10 rounds per gun a day. Small Arms Ammunition- 6 million rounds per Division each month. AT Mines- 1,500 per Division each month. In selecting sites for ammunition storage the following should be considered: Isolation from other depots and from inhabited civilian places. At least 700 yards but 1,100 yards for demolition explosives. A sufficiently large area to allow for wide dispersion of ammunition stacks. Accessibility of the site by rail, rail sidings within the depot area. The main line should be outside the area liable to be damaged by explosions. A Base Ammunition Depot normally consists of a headquarters and three ammunition companies. Headquarters. Lieutenant Colonel Ordnance Officer 2nd Class 4 X Major Ordnance Officer 3rd Class 3 X Captain Ordnance Officer 4th Class 2 X Subaltern Ordnance Executive Officers Warrant Officer Class 1 Storeman Warrant Officer Class 2 Storeman Warrant Officer Class 1 Clerk Warrant Officer Class 2 Clerk staff serjeant storeman staff serjeant ammunition examiner 2 X driver Attached 3 X cook 5 X batman sanitary dutyman general dutyman Attached RAF Officer serjeant corporal 8 X other ranks 1 X car 2 seate 1 X 15cwt truck 3 X Ordnance Ammunition Company. Captain. Ordnance Officer 4th Class. 2 X Subaltern. Ordnance Executive Officer. Clerks. Warrant Officer Class 1. Warrant Officer Class 2. 2 X Staff Serjeant. 2 X serjeant. 2 X corporal. 13 X private. Storemen. Warrant Office Class 1. Warrant Officer Class 2. Staff Serjeant. 5 X serjeant. 5 X corporal. 57 X private. 2 X serjeant ammunition examiner. Coppersmith. Painter. Carpenter. Fitter. Attached. 3 X cooks. Batman. General dutyman. Sanitary dutyman. Ammunition depot. Most ammunition was perfectly safe and did not require special accommodation. These heavy shells are not fused and will only explode if exposed to extreme heat. Because of the perceived threat of air attack it was decided that ammunition should be stored in wooded areas. No1 Base Ammunition Depot near Nantes was in the Foret de Gavre but No2 Base Ammunition Depot near Brest was in a temporary depot at Plouret. This remained in the temporary location throughout the campaign even though the site was wet and access was poor. Note that the copper driving band on the base of the shell is protected by rope rings. If this band is damaged the shell will not follow a true trajectory when fired. If seriously damaged it might jam in the breech with unfortunate results. There is a coppersmith on the establishment of the ammunition company to repair such damage. Theft of the copper was not uncommon although none seems to have been recorded as stolen in France. From the Record of personnel and vehicles sent overseas. Headquarters 4 Base Ammunition Depot from Bramley. 5 other ranks and 4 vehicles. Road Party sailing 2 February. 10 Officers and 13 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 4 February. 11 Ordnance Ammunition Company from Corsham. 3 Officers and 106 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 4 February. 12 Ordnance Ammunition Company from Bramley. 3 Officers and 106 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 4 February. 13 Ordnance Ammunition Company from Bramley. 3 Officers and 106 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 4 February. 14 Ordnance Ammunition Company from Bramley. 3 Officers and 106 other ranks. Rail Party sailing 4 February. Mike
ORDNANCE WORKSOPS. HEADQUARTERS BASE ORDNANCE WORKSHOP War Establishment IV/1931/51/2 2 Base Ordnance Workshop at Nantes was a long way from the front line and much repair and maintenance work was carried out nearer to the user units. There were a GHQ Worksop, Army Field Workshops and an Advanced Ordnance Workshop (see below). Base Ordnance Workshop carried out work beyond the resources of skill and time of the more forward units. The workshops were responsible for work on all equipment, weapons and vehicles except the vehicles of the RASC. 2 Base Ordnance Workshop was an early arrival. If fighting started soon after the Declaration of War it would have been much needed. The main body arrived 14 September to find that only one site, a garage of 5,000 square feet, had been obtained. The estimate of immediate minimum need was for 135,000 square feet and much more as the BEF increased in size. Pressure was brought to bear and by 4 October the French authorities had found six buildings with a total of 250,000 square feet. Machinery was soon installed and early work was mainly repair to vehicles which suffered damage on the long road journey from the ports to the front. No2 Base Ordnance Workshop at Nantes This Headquarters provides a headquarters for the base workshop and for headquarters of each of the three ordnance workshop companies which are allocated to it. Headquarters 3 X Colonel, Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 1st Class 2 X Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 1st Class 6 X Major, Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 2nd Class 3 X Assistant Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 3 X Assistant Inspector of Armaments 2 X Workshop Executive Officers 3 X Ordnance Executive Officers corporal driver lance corporal driver 10 X driver IC Medical Officer Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 11 X batman 2 X general dutyman 3 X cook 2 X sanitary dutyman medical officers orderly 2 X motorcycle 3 X car 4 seater 2 X 12cwt van 2 X 30cwt lorry GS 1 X 3ton lorry GS MT Section. corporal draughtsman, mechanical 4 X draughtsman mechanical Warrant Officer Class 1 Clerk staff serjeant clerk corporal clerk lance corporal clerk 2 X clerk Warrant Officer Class 2 Storeman serjeant storeman lance corporal storeman 3 X storeman Armament and General Section. 3 X draughtsman, mechanical corporal watchmaker 4 X watchmaker Warrant Officer Class 1 Clerk staff serjeant clerk corporal clerk lance corporal clerk 2 X clerk Warrant Officer Class 2 Storeman serjeant storeman lance corporal storeman 3 X storeman ORDNANCE WORKSHOP COMPANY War Establishment IV/1931/53/2 The Ordnance Workshop Company carries out repair and maintenance work on all equipment. Later in the war the repair and maintenance of vehicles and signals equipment would be the responsibility of the newly formed Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Headquarters Major, Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 2nd Class 4 X Captain or Subaltern Ordnance Mechanical Engineer 3rd or 4th Class Assistant Ordnance Mechanical Engineer Ordnance Executive Officer Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 3 X batman cook MT Section Warrant Officer Class 1 Armament Artificer 2Warrant Officer Class 2 Armament Artificer 11 X staff serjeant armament artificer 3 X Warrant Officer Class 2 Artisan 3 X staff serjeant artisan 13 X serjeant artisan 13 X corporal artisan 13 X lance corporal artisan 157 X artisan serjeant clerk corporal clerk 4 X clerk corporal storeman 3 X storeman Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 3 X general dutyman 5 X cook sanitary dutyman Artisans included: 14 X armament artificer, fitter 5 X blacksmith 5 X coppersmith 7 X driver mechanic 7 X electrician 42 X fitter 51 X fitter MT 3 X grinder, precision 8 X hammerman 2 X machinist, metal 6 X motor assemblers 32 X motor mechanic 5 X painter riveter 8 X textile refitter 2 X tinsmith toolmaker 6 X turner vulcaniser 3 X gas welder 4 X electric welder 5 X wheeler or carpenter 5 X clerk for workshop duty clerk for regimental duty 3 X storeman for workshop duty storeman for regimental duty Armament and General Section Warrant Officer Class 1 Armament Artificer 3 X Warrant Officer Class 2 Armament Artificer 14 X staff serjeant armament artificer Warrant Officer Class 1 Armourer Warrant Officer Class 2 Armourer staff serjeant armourer serjeant armourer 2 X armourer 2 X Warrant Officer Class 2 Artisan staff serjeant artisan 6 X serjeant artisan 81 X artisan serjeant clerk corporal clerk 3 X clerk corporal storeman 2 X storeman Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 3 X general dutyman 3 X cook sanitary dutyman Artisans included: 13 X armament artificer, fitter 3 X armament artificer, instruments 2 X armament artificer, wireless 6 X armourer 3 X blacksmith coppersmith 5 X electrician 26 X fitter grinder, precision 4 X hammerman 8 X instrument mechanic 3 X machinist, metal 3 X machinist, wood 2 X motor assemblers moulder 3 X painter panel beater pattern maker riveter saddler sawyer 3 X tinsmith toolmaker 3 X turner gas welder electric welder 11 X wheeler or carpenter 6 X wireless mechanic 4 X clerk for workshop duty clerk for regimental duty 2 X storeman for workshop duty storeman for regimental duty PORT WORKSHOP DETACHMENT War Establishment IV/1931/51A/1 The Port Workshop Detachment was a small but well equipped unit intended to assist with the disembarkation of vehicles and to repair any minor damage so as to clear the dock area as rapidly as possible. There were four such detachments, one each at Nantes, Brest, Cherbourg and St. Nazaire. Most of the problems which the detachments dealt with were caused by units failing to fully carry out the instructions for embarking and stowing vehicles: Vehicles were not stowed and secured correctly in the ships hold. This led to damage to mudguards, radiators, headlamps and small items. Vehicles were manoeuvred in the holds by using the starter motor. This led to a flat battery which had to be charged before the vehicle could move from the docks. This problem continued throughout the war. Keys were not with the vehicle so that it had to be started by ‘hot wiring’. Petrol cans were found to contain diesel or water. When poured into the petrol tank the fuel system had to be drained and cleaned. Captain, Ordnance Mechanical Officer 3rd Class Warrant Officer Class 1 Armament Artificer, fitter 2 X staff serjeant armament artificer, fitter staff serjeant armament artificer, instruments (wireless) blacksmith/welder 5 X driver mechanic 2 X electrician 4 X fitter storeman wheeler batman driver 5 X driver motorcyclist cook 1 X motorcycle 1 X 12cwt van 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 lorry machinery Type A 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 lorry machinery Type F 2 X 3ton 6 X 4 lorry breakdown 1 X 3ton 6 X 4 lorry stores The machinery lorries were equipped to deal with the problems listed above: Lorry machinery Type A was equipped for metal working with a lathe, drill and grinder. Lorry machinery Type F was equipped for battery charging and repair. Mike.
ADVANCED BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT War Establishment IV/1931/49/1 No1 Advanced Base Ordnance Depot situated near Arras. The Advanced Base Ordnance Depot worked in close cooperation with the Base Ordnance Depot and a detachment from the Base Ordnance Depot was attached to the Advanced Base Ordnance Depot. It was intended as a buffer, holding seven days normal supply, as far as it could be predicted. This allowed for any interruption of supplies from the Base Depot and to make good shortages or hold surpluses. Headquarters. Colonel, Ordnance Officer 1st Class Lieutenant Colonel, Ordnance Officer 2nd Class 3 X Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class 4 X Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 11 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC 6 X Warrant Officer Class 1 4 X staff serjeant 8 X serjeant 10 X corporal 7 X lance corporal 27 X Private Storemen RAOC 6 X Warrant Officer Class 1 Warrant Officer Class 2 11 X staff serjeant 2 X serjeant 11 X lance serjeant 3 X corporal 46 X private 4 X driver Attached 8 X batman 2 X sanitary dutyman officers mess cook officers mess orderly serjeants mess cook 3 X serjeants mess orderly 3 X cook MT Sub Depot 2 X Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class 2 X Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 3 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC 5 X Warrant Officer Class 1 6 X Staff Serjeant 8 X serjeant 7 X corporal 9 X lance corporal 54 X Private Storemen RAOC 2 X Warrant Officer Class 1 2 X Warrant Officer Class 2 2 X staff serjeant 5 X serjeant 4 X corporal 6 X lance corporal 50 X private staff serjeant armament artificer, fitter 3 X shoemaker 2 X serjeant driver 2 X corporal driver 2 X lance corporal driver 36 X driver Attached 3 X batman sanitary dutyman officers mess cook officers mess orderly serjeants mess cook 3 X serjeants mess orderly 4 X cook General Stores and Clothing Sub Depot Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 2 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC Warrant Officer Class 1 Staff Serjeant 2 X serjeant 3 X corporal 2 X lance corporal 10 X private Storemen RAOC Warrant Officer Class 2 staff serjeant serjeant 2 X corporal 2 X lance corporal 12 X private Attached 2 X batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook Armament, Engineer and Signal Stores Sub Depot Major, Ordnance Officer 3rd Class Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class 2 X Ordnance Executive Officer Clerks RAOC Warrant Officer Class 1 Staff Serjeant 3 X serjeant corporal 2 X lance corporal 14 X private Storemen RAOC Warrant Officer Class 2 staff serjeant serjeant lance serjeant corporal 3 X lance corporal 13 X private Attached 6 X general dutyman 2 X batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook Returned Stores Sub Depot Captain, Ordnance Officer 4th Class Ordnance Executive Officer serjeant clerk RAOC lance corporal clerk RAOC 2 X Private serjeant storeman RAOC corporal storeman RAOC lance corporal storeman RAOC 7 X private storeman RAOC staff serjeant ammunition examiner 20 X shoemaker 6 X textile refitter Attached 5 X general dutyman batman sanitary dutyman orderly serjeants mess cook cook ADVANCED ORDNANCE WORKSHOP War Establishment IV/1931/52/2 No1 Advanced Ordnance Workshop. Consisting of an Advanced Section, a Rear Section and an Ordnance Workshop Company (See Post 35. WE IV/1931/53/2.) A large part of the work of the Advanced Section was triage, deciding on priorities and who should deal with individual tasks. This meant close cooperation, and good communication, with forward GHQ and Army RAOC and with Base installations. Advanced Section Lieutenant Colonel, OME 1st Class Major, OME 2nd Clas OME 3rd or 4th Class Warrant Officer Class I Armament Artificer 5 X staff serjeant armament artificer 6 X artizan Warrant Officer Class 2 Clerk serjeant clerk 4 X clerk serjeant storeman 5 X storeman 8 X non tradesman Trades etc 2 X armament artificer for artillery 2 X armament artificer for MT 12 X armament artificer for optical instruments 6 X driver mechanic 4 X clerk for workshop duty 2 X clerk for regimental duty 4 X storeman for workshop dut 2 X storeman for regimental duty 7 X driver IC motorcyclist Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 2 X batman 2 X cook sanitary dutyman 1 X motorcycle 1 X car 4 seater 1 X 12cwt van 2 X 3ton lorry 24KW generator 1 X 3ton lorry breakdown 1 X tractor 6 wheel breakdown 1 X trailer 4 wheel recovery A well known photo of the FWD R6 recovery tractor and four wheeled trailer doing the job is was designed for. It was a very rare vehicle indeed. In this photo it is towing a two wheeled dolly used for a suspended tow, only a wheel can be seen. The trailer is carrying a Light Tank MkVI and towing an early Bren Carrier. Rear Section Lieutenant Colonel, OME 1st Class Major, OME 2nd Class Assistant Ordnance Mechanical Engineer Assistant Inspector of Armaments 2 X Ordnance Executive Officer Warrant Officer Class I Armament Artificer Warrant Officer Class I Armourer Warrant Officer Class I Clerk staff serjeant clerk serjeant clerk 6 X clerk staff serjeant storeman 5 X storeman 3 X non tradesman Medical Officer Trades etc armament artificer for MT armourer 6 X clerk for workshop duty (including two shorthand typists) 3 X clerk for regimental duty 3 X storeman for workshop duty 3 X storeman for regimental duty 2 X driver IC motorcyclist Attached (may be personnel unfit for general service with fighting units) 3 X batman 3 X cook sanitary dutyman medical officers orderly 1 X motorcycle 1 X car 4 seater 1 X 30cwt lorry Total weapons for both sections 16 X pistol 59 X rifle 2 X Bren lmg 2 X AT rifle RAOC Reserve Vehicles. Information from the Return of Personnel and Vehicles proceeding overseas. The format in the original is not consistent. Vehicles were despatched from Chilwell unless stated otherwise. Chilwell was the main UK depot for the RAOC. Personnel are not always listed. It is thought that after the first weeks when depot personnel accompanied the vehicles it was usual for a small party, one officer and five men, to accompany the vehicles on the MT ship and return to the UK having seen the vehicles safely handed over, and signed for. Sailing 5 October. 270 vehicles and 200 motorcycles. Sailing 30 November. 1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks, 155 vehicles and 300 motorcycles. Sailing 16 December. 1 Officer, 5 Other Ranks, 137 vehicles and 200 motorcycles. 3 Medium Dragons. From Hilson. 8 Tanks A11. 12 Carriers, Bren, No2 MkII. 2 Cranes, 2 ton, Caterpillar. No date. 2 Officers, 10 other ranks and 256 vehicles. 153 vehicles. 50 Austin 2 seaters 100 vehicles. From Sandbach. Sailing 4 April. 2 Low Loaders. 20 AEC Tractors. 20 15cwt water tankers. 20 recovery trailers. (Sandbach is in Cheshire. There was a Royal Ordnance Factory making ammunition there from 1941. Presumably the RAOC had a facility there in 1939). Sailing 7 April. 1 Officer and 5 other ranks. 50 Field Artillery Tractors. 25 Carriers. 2 Cranes. Sailing 8 April. 6 Buses, 28 seater. Sailing 10 April 1 Officer and 5 other ranks, 137 vehicles, 58 motorcycles. Sailing 16 April. 500 motorcycles. (A note says these can be carried in the trucks and lorries.) 100 8cwt GS. 2 15cwt wireless. 12 30cwt Breakdown. 100 3 ton GS. 50 3 ton 6 X 4 GS. 7 3 ton 6 X 4 FBE. 6 3 ton 6 X 4 SBG. 1 3 ton 6 X 4 Derrick. Sailing 19 April. 292 assorted vehicles. 500 motorcycles. 200 15cwt GS. 20 15cwt compressor. 50 15cwt water. 100 30cwt GS. From Hilson. Sailing 19 April. (Probably by train ferry.) 3 X 9.2” Howitzers. 1 X 6” gun. Mike
RASC DEPOTS. Base Supply Depot Type A. Field Butchery. Field Bakery. Petrol Depot. Base Petrol Filling Centre. Headquarters Bulk Petrol Storage Company. Bulk Petrol Storage Section. Motor Transport Vehicle Reception Depot. Motor Transport Heavy Repair Shop. Motor Transport Stores Depot. The RASC was responsible for providing supplies which were generally defined as consumables. It was also responsible for the transport of supplies from railhead to formations. BASE SUPPLY DEPOT TYPE A War Establishment IV/1931/29B/1 A Base Supply Depot will normally be responsible for all the supplies to maintain a force. It will be situated within easy reach of a port. Normally there will be a separate Petrol Sub Depot situated nearby and a Frozen Meat Depot at the port. The Base Supply Depot will handle: Cased and sacked goods. Forage. For mules. Fuel, lighting materials, disinfectant and other chemicals Unpacked commodities Salvage Rations were a major part of the RASC Supply Depots function. The plan was for sufficient rations to be shipped to France in the first month to provide for that month’s consumption and a month’s reserve stock. Thus up to 8 October it was planned that the following should be available: 30 days rations for current consumption. 30 days rations reserve. 15 days rations as a working margin. 30 days rations to maintain stocks at UK depots. Until 8 October supplies were to shipped to France automatically and shipping should be available to carry 4,000 tons of rations per week. Troops moving to France would carry two days rations and a further four days rations were carried on personnel ships. A RASC Supply Company was to take 200,000 Field Service Rations in order to supply Detail Issuing Detachments, which would issue to troops. By the seventh day it was planned that a fully operating supply system would exist. This would supply rations through the Base Supply Depots, frozen meat storage/field butcheries and field bakeries. The British soldier generally ate well, a diet of some 4,000 calories a day was considered necessary. The staples of the diet were stew and bread. Meat for the stew was generally beef, chilled or frozen if available but with tinned meat or tinned stew as an alternative. Fresh vegetables, mainly potatoes, onions and root vegetables, were supplied in sacks. Bread was baked in Field Bakeries and transported in sacks. Biscuits were an alternative. Although the BEF was officially completely mechanised in that it had no horse transport it still used mules and so needed a supply of fodder. Plans were also in place to supply fodder for a cavalry division which was scheduled to arrive in 1940. The cavalry was not sent in the event. Coal was supplied by the RASC. The heating of all types of accommodation was by coal stoves. Coal was also used in fairly large quantities by the RE operated railway locomotives. This was supplied from South Wales on cargo ships of the Bristol Channel convoys to Nantes. Salvage was an important task of the supply depot. All cases and sacks were to be returned for reuse and provision was made for their repair if necessary. Sacks for bread and those for vegetables were kept separate and were clearly marked ‘To be returned to RASC’. Normally 60 days stock would be held at the base depot. There will be Intermediate and/or advanced depots which handle petrol and frozen meat as well as the above. These depots normally hold 30 days stock. A Base Supply Depot consists of a headquarters and four sections each holding 6,500 tons. It is sufficient to provide for a strength of 85,000 men. Additional labour is provided by Auxiliary Military Pioneers on a scale of one man handling eight tons in an eight hour day, or five tons if mechanical handling devices are not available. Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel Major Major, Chief Stores Officer Captain for rail, land and water transport duties Captain, Local Purchasing Officer Captain, Train Loading Officer Captain for analytical duties Subaltern Subaltern, i/c labour duties and personnel Quartermaster Quartermaster for accounts Staff Serjeant Major (Butcher), Warrant Officer Class I 2 X Staff Serjeant Major Clerk, Warrant Officer Class I 4 X Staff Quartermaster Serjeant Clerk Warrant Officer Class II 6 X staff serjeant clerk 5 X serjeant cler serjeant clerk for pay duties transport serjeant 11 X corporal 15 X tradesman 23 X private 15 X driver Tradesmen Carpenter 6 X corporal clerk 4 X lance corporal clerk 8 X clerk tinsmith corporal electrician, conveyors fitter corporal painter, stencils 8 X batman 4 X cook 2 X corporal driver IC 15 X driver IC corporal fireman officers mess cook officers mess servant 2 X sanitary dutyman 2 X serjeants mess cook 2 X serjeants mess orderly 2 X storeman water dutyman Transport 1 X motorcycle 1 X car 4 seater 1 X 12cwt van 6 X 3 wheel tractor 12 X trailer 4 X Section each: Subaltern Quartermaster 2 X Staff Quartermaster Serjeant Clerk, Warrant Officer ClassII 2 X serjeant clerk 2 X clerk 4 X corporal issuer 2 X lance corporal issuer 6 X issuer Note. No4 Section differs from the other three in that it has one corporal baker and one less issuer. The baker is for the supervision of flour and its storage. Clerks are for tallying and store accounting. Issuers are for supervision of stacking and turnover of stocks. FIELD BUTCHERY War Establishment IV/1931/32/2 This establishment is capable of providing from the cold storage depot meat for 85,000 men. It is assumed that the berthing facilities for ships are adjacent to the store. Operation of the cold storage plant is the responsibility of the engineer works service and will be arranged by the Commander Royal Engineers Base Sub Area. Should it be necessary to kill and issue fresh meat there are sufficient butchers on this establishment to supply 30,000 men. This would require 26 butchers and the cold storage depot could not then operate without replacements. By far the greater part of the meat supplied will be chilled beef. The ideal temperature for this is 29 degrees F. Beef can be frozen but it requires very rapid freezing and very slow and careful thawing, up to four days. Mutton is supplied frozen for Indian troops and for hospitals. Frozen poultry is supplied for hospitals. Bacon and cheese are also supplied. Initially most of the chilled and frozen meat was sent from the Bristol Channel to St Nazaire where there were frozen meat storage facilities placed at the disposal of the BEF. A smaller amount of chilled and frozen meat was sent from Southampton to Le Havre where there were similar civilian facilities. Later some chilled and frozen meat was sent to Boulogne. In the UK chilled and frozen meat was held in normal commercial storage facilities. Initially meat was dispatched on the basis of 40 days supply after which BEF GHQ ordered supplies having considered the demand, the stocks held and the available storage. 1,600 tons of chilled and frozen meat was dispatched to the BEF in the first five weeks, with a further 700 tons in the next month. Some 25,000 tons were dispatched by June 1940. See also the section of frozen meat ships. Captain Quartermaster Staff Quartermaster Serjeant, Butcher, Warrant Officer Class II Staff Quartermaster Serjeant, Clerk, Warrant Officer Class II Staff Serjeant Butcher Staff Serjeant Clerk Staff Serjeant Clerk for Company Quartermaster Serjeant duties 3 X serjeant butcher 7 X corporal 20 X tradesman 26 X private 23 X butcher including 5 X corporal 6 X lance corporal 12 X private 2 X corporal clerk 2 X clerk batman 2 X cook 2 X issuer, scaleman 19 X issuer sanitary dutyman water dutyman Mike.
FIELD BAKERY Bread making does not vary much. Mix flour, water and salt. Add yeast. Put in a container to rise. Weigh and shape into loaves. Put in oven to bake. The heart of the Field Bakery was the Baker Perkins Mobile Field Oven. This was oil fired with a fan to ensure even heating. It was of a convenient size, large enough to be efficient but small enough to be mobile. It as easy to operate and robust enough for service use. It remained in service for many years post war and although officially retired at least one was sent to the Falklands War. It was so superior to the equivalent US equipment that it was supplied to US forces in the UK. Other equipment was available from Baker Perkins and this was in use in commercial bakeries and UK based army bakeries. It was not thought practical for field use where sub units of one oven might be deployed and electrical power not be available. It was realised that a section of three ovens and one machinery trailer, all operating in a large marquee would be more efficient but it is not thought that any such unit reached the BEF. They were in operation later in 1940. Army loaves were round and dome shaped. When baked they were loaded into sacks for transport and delivery. Two photographs showing Field Bakeries. There are many more photographs to be found on the IWM website but all except the first one below show a later organisation with more equipment. An early BEF Field Bakery sub section. Late 1940 Field Bakery section. This has three ovens arranged so that the oven doors, and thus the bakers, are in the marquee while most of the oven and especially the chimney is outside. The section now has a mobile generator to provide power for the machinery trailer inside the marquee. When possible the bakery could be set up in a suitable building. War Establishment IV/1931/33/2 Captain Quartermaster Subaltern Staff Serjeant Major, Baker, Warrant Officer Class I 4 X Staff Quartermaster Serjeant, Baker, Warrant Officer Class II 5 X staff serjeant baker 9 X serjeant baker serjeant clerk 34 X corporal 204 X tradesman 69 X private Headquarters Captain Quartermaster Subaltern Staff Serjeant Major, Baker, Warrant Officer Class I to deal with yeast, brewing and grading of flour Staff Quartermaster Serjeant, Baker, Warrant Officer Class II staff serjeant baker for quartermaster duties staff serjeant baker for stocks and technical stores serjeant clerk for bakery accounts, demand and issue notes 3 X corporal tradesman batman 5 X cook officers mess orderly 3 X sanitary duty 2 X serjeants mess orderly 2 X storeman water dutyman 3 X Section each: Staff Quartermaster Serjeant, Baker, Warrant Officer Class II staff serjeant baker 3 X serjeant baker 11 X corporal 75 X tradesman 20 X private Trades 9 X corporal baker 7 X lance corporal baker 68 X baker 2 X corporal issuer 2 X lance corporal issuer 18 X issuer Each section is divided into four sub sections each: staff serjeant or serjeant 2 X corporal 2 X lance corporal 14 X private 5 X issuer 1 X Perkins Baker field oven which can bake for 7,500 men. One sub section of No1 Section may be detached and used as an advanced sub section equipped with sixteen Aldershot ovens and can bake for 7,500 men. Staff Quartermaster Serjeant staff serjeant or serjeant 3 X corporal lance corporal 26 X private 8 X issuer Mike.
Slightly later, a June 1940 order, but it refers to an earlier contract too, this excerpt from the Ministry of Supply ledgers shows orders for bread-carrying bodies for Albion lorries. I wonder if any reached the BEF ?
Thank you Rich. This vehicle has been something of a mystery to me for 40 years. In 1982 John Church, who knew a lot about WW2 military vehicles, published a book in which there was a photo of the Albion 3ton 4 X 2 with a bread body. The doors along the side are open and you can see that it carries what appear to be the standard civilian type wooden bread trays used by commercial bakeries. Your reference specifies steel trays. John Church had nothing to say about the vehicle and it does not appear in any of the standard works or in the Data Book of wheeled vehicles issued by the Ministry of Supply. My guess was that it was for use in the UK, carrying bread from bakeries, civilian or military, to UK military establishments. Mike
