'C' and 144th Tank Transporter Companies

Discussion in 'RASC' started by dkwilliams, Jun 12, 2015.

  1. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    hello

    I have just received my grandad's service records, or at least some of them! There is a gap between late 41 to early 43. Up until late 41 he was with 'C' Tank Transporter Coy, by early 43 he was with 144. I can find a reference in the national archives for 'C', but not 144. Can anyone point me in the right direction for the 144 war diaries?

    Also, of course the service records show what company a soldier was with, but do any unit diaries show who was serving? If I can't get my grandad's service history from late 41 to early 43, could I look at some other source which might show when he was transferred from C to 144?

    I've posted his service record here http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/57919-records-received-possibly-missing-pages/ if anyone would like to take a look.

    I also have some pictures of him, at least one with his lorry. I'll try to post these in the next few days.

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  2. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Further to the above, does anyone know if there is any difference between units designated a letter eg 'C' Company, and those designated a number eg 144th? Is there a resource anywhere showing the creation and disbanding of units? eg. is it possible that C Company was subsumed by, or some of it dispresed into, the 144th?

    Quite new to all this so please excuse the stupid questions!
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've not looked properly but I can find 144 Coy RASC diaries from Apr 1942 to Dec 1945. There is a gap in 1944 but it could take a bit more looking to find it or it may just be missing. I've not looked for C Coy but this may have been the name of the Coy before it came known as 144 Coy.
     
  4. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Thanks drew. I was searching for 144 tank transport company (that's what's on my grandads records) and not finding anything. I've found a few entries at acrce.com for rasc 144 so I'll see what that yields. Thanks for your help!
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Goodo - Lee will look after you if you are thinking of asking him to copy the files for you ;)
     
  6. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Hi drew I've already got an order in with lee for C company. 144 will undoubtedly follow at some point!
     
  7. hutt

    hutt Member

    The renaming of RASC units can be quite confusing. From my Fathers records and unit diaries there are 4 unit re naming's.

    26th AA Brigade Company RASC at the start of the war became 902 Coy RASC late in 1939

    RASC Platoon 'A' LAA Regt RA became 11th LAA Regt Platoon RASC almost immediately after it was formed in Haslemere, Surrey in 1942 and then later, in North Aftrica in early 1943, it became 1532 Coy RASC

    So an entry in my Fathers service record can be recording a simple unit name change rather than him 'moving' to a new unit. It's not until you actually see the diaries and can see entries recording these changes that it begins to come together.

    In the case of my Fathers records, these unit name changes can be identified by the use of the word 'now' as opposed to simply recording a new unit number or perhaps being prefixed with the word 'to'.

    Oh and of course, the unit name in the service record may not tally exactly with the catalogue references at Kew or even what's actually scribbled on the front of the file!

    Have fun!

    Graham
     
  8. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Here's a few photos of my grandad, his lorries and colleagues. Unfortunately I've no idea of dates or locations. I'm guessing the one of him in front of the truck is Italy 1945 when he moved from 144 Tank Transport to 98 GT.

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28871]

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28870]

    [sharedmedia=gallery:images:28869]
     
    dbf and von Poop like this.
  9. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Regarding the two lorries, I think the one with my grandad stood in front is a Dodge D15. It is marked A7, about which the topic here http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/23675-division-headquarters/ says

    Lorry Command Vehicle HP 3
    corporal operator, operator, driver mechanic
    Carries Wireless set 12 HP and Wireless set No 19 plus Receiver R107
    This vehicle is A7 and is for communication with Rear Division Headquarters.

    I think the trailer lorry is a Federal 604, which was used as a tank transporter, but in the photo above appears to be transporting some sort of girders.

    Obviously I'm no expert in this, so happy to be corrected!

    Is it possible to roughly date the photo of the 5 men, or work out what the location might be from the uniform?

    Thanks in advance for any help.
     
  10. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    I have received unit diaries for C Company July-Oct 1941 and 144 Company Sept-Dec 1943. Great service from Lee at arcre.com.

    My grandad is mentioned in the C Company records in a list of men who undertook desert training. There is also mention in the 144 records of a driver on a detachment being admitted to hospital, and then released, coinciding with the dates my grandad was SOS to Xii and then TOS back to the unit.

    The officer in charge of both C Company and 144 is the same ( a Major D N Westcombe). Is it therefore reasonable to assume that C Company was renamed 144?
     
  11. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Given that my grandad's service record does not cover late 1941 to early 1943, I took a punt on getting the war diary for 144 Company for April-September 1942. There are no other listings for 144 Company in 1942. This period covers their move from their base in/near Cairo into the field. I need to carefully read this against a desert war timeline, and with reference to a map, to have some chance of understanding exactly what areas, operations and battles they may have been involved with or supported. A cursory scan indicates that this was a busy, confusing and frustrating time. Not least because of confusion regarding lines of reporting (to Army or RASC?) and the unsuitability of some of the transporters for desert work. There is still time though for impromptu concerts, cricket matches and leave to Cairo and Alexandria.

    From a personal research point of view there are two good finds. One is a note on the war diary cover stating that the diaries for early and late 1942 were filed as 6 Tank Transporter Company (the diary states that 144 was previously named 6 company). Secondly, there is a list of personnel who transitioned from the Cairo base into the field, and my grandad is named amongst them.
     
  12. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Hi Darren,

    Do any of the dairies list any vehicle census numbers?

    Cheers

    Kevin
     
  13. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Hi Kevin

    I've not noticed any, but I have been concentrating on the diary entries. I guess any vehicle census numbers would usually be contained in the appendices? If I find any I'll transcribe them here (not got them to hand at the moment).

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  14. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    I'm starting to see the same with my grandad's company!
     
  15. dkwilliams

    dkwilliams Junior Member

    Hi kevin

    I've had a look through again, and there are returns for the number of vehicles by type for at least one month (April 1942), but not details of any individual vehicles. Is it the individual vehicle IDs you are looking for?

    Thanks

    Darren
     
  16. Hallo,
    I think that "C" comes from the platoon.
    I'm looking for 143 Coy TT RASC BLA (British Liberation Army), they stead for 7 months in St Gillis Dendermonde there is a book called "The Long Trailers"
    It's a record of the history and travels of the Coy. I'm writing a book of their stay during those 7 months.
    Johan
     

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