Can anybody advise me which OCTUs were responsible for training Machine Gun Officers? They may be referred to as Support Weapons OCTUs. I have plenty of information on Other Ranks training through the Machine Gun Training Centres (although always welcome more) and the specialist courses at the Machine Gun School; however, I would have thought that there would be an OCTU either for the individual Regiments or for Support Weapons in general. Would this be correct? Thanks, Richard
Richard. If the army followed the same system that they do now, all OCTUs focused on developing leadership skills until commissioning when the new 2Lt would then go off to specialist training - infantry, artillery, engineers, intelligence or armour et al. Regards Frank
After a bit of digging: 170 OCTU at York: MG and Mortar 162 OCTU at Lanark: MG & Recce Not sure how this related to the officers' MG courses at the Small Arms School, Netheravon.
Hello Richard, Please see the attachments at Messages # 6 and 12 (second ony) of my thread on this link: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/historiography/47004-164-octu-%96-information-request.html - both provided by Richard Lewis. They bear-out what Idler says, but there also appears to have been an MG Wing at York. Hope this assists. Best, Steve.
Thanks to you all. The Small Arms School at Netheravon took student instructors and specialist courses on fire control rather than the everyday syllabus of Machine Gunnery. It was similar to a Staff Course and wouldn't have been attended by all. Thanks Richard
Also, the MG Wing is likely to be that of the Motor Battalion OCTU as those Battalions retained their Machine Gun Platoons whereas all of the others were disbanded on the formation of the Divisional Machine Gun Battalions. That corresponds with a unit newspaper I have for the MG Wing, Motor Battalion OCTU and it talks about York quite a bit so it can be assumed to have been based there. Thanks Richard
Rich, the paybook scans I sent before relating to the Mitchell Twins, both of them attended 170th (MG) OCTU after enlisting in the Middlesex. Alistair
Rich, the paybook scans I sent before relating to the Mitchell Twins, both of them attended 170th (MG) OCTU after enlisting in the Middlesex. Alistair Thanks Alistair. I haven't been through them all yet but that's a pointer. I'll go and see what other courses they went on. Thanks Rich
