Hi all, great site here. I have a photo of interest of what I believe to be a RCS platoon. Written on the back is Algiers Dec. 1942. Hopefully this will make some connections for some here. Any other sites that one could could suggest to post the photo I would appreciate. Ultimately I'd like to identify the outfit before the RCS search comes through. Cheers,
Top row 3rd from left is first name Bert, 4th from left is Jack Goulding, best of friends. Sorry that is the limit of my knowledge of the photo.
Having recieved Jack's record from the Army, I can now confirm that this photo is of the 3rd Railway Telegraph Company. Having no luck at all on finding anything further on the Company's activities. Cheers,
If you can post the content of Jack's service record I am sure members will be able to help you piece the story together.
Hi Mike, Jack was also in the TA from 21 to 23. That regiment seems to have been part of the 128th Hampshire Brigade, which operated in the same theatres. Is it possible that he was assigned to his old Regiment? Help much appreciated. Here's a brief summary, records are attached: 5th/7th Bn. Hampshire Regiment 15-04-21 Enlisted 5th/7th Bn. Hampshire Regiment 15-03-23 Discharged SOT Bn. 20-03-41 Posted 1st Depot Bn. RCS Catterick 17-06-41 Posted 1st Depot Bn. RCS Catterick 21-02-41 Passed test Linesman Group C Class III 3rd Railway Tele. Company 18-03-42 Posted 3rd Railway Tele. Company 09-11-42 Embarked for Service overseas 3rd Railway Tele. Company Several hosp. Stays (Cellulitis, Boils, Malaria) X(4) 3 T/C 05-12-44 Posted from 3rd Rlwy. Tele. (Gunshot Wound) X(4) 3 T/C 26-12-44 Embarked to UK London District Signals 19-02-45 Posted London District Signals 06-11-45 Y List Y List 28-01-46 Released to TA Reserve TA Reserve 10-02-54 Released from TA Reserve
found some war diaries ref at TNA 3 Railway Telegraph Company War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ITALY 1945. ROYAL SIGNALS. 3 Railway Telegraph Company. Date range: 01 January 1945 - 31 December 1945 Reference:WO 170/5631 3 Coy. War Office: Allied Forces, North Africa (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL SIGNALS. Railway Telegraph Company. 3 Coy. Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Date range: 01 November 1942 - 30 June 1943 Reference:WO 175/751 Railway Telegraph Companies: 3 Coy. War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War. ITALY. ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS. Railway Telegraph Companies: 3 Coy. Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Date range: 01 January 1944 - 31 December 1944 Reference:WO 170/2060 3 Rly. Tg. Coy. War Office: British Forces, Middle East: War Diaries, Second World War. ROYAL SIGNALS. Railway Telegraph Companies. 3 Rly. Tg. Coy. Collection: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Date range: 01 July 1943 - 31 December 1943 Reference:WO 169/11237
Outstanding Owen!! Greatly appreciated. I had some luck finding out more searching through the Royal Engineers and changing my search to 3 Railway Company from "3rd". Detailing operations in rebuilding the Railways in Italy. The 3rd was under command of a US officer whom was responsible for procurement of stores to the Company, so the family had it right in regards to the attachment to the US Army food it would seem. Railway reconstruction Italy 1943-1946 - Chapter I Section II Subsection 3 3. - Signal Formations. Two British Railway Telegraph Companies served throughout the whole Italian campaign. Nº. 2 Railway Telegraph Company, R. Sign. with 72 Telegraph Operating Section, R. Sigs. and two line construction sections (later to be known as 102 and 103 Construction Sections, R. Sigs) under command landed at Taranto with Headquarters 1212 Rly. Constr. and Maintenance Group in September 1943. Nº. 3 Railway Telegraph Company, R. Sigs with 76 Telegraph Operating Section, R. Sigs and one line construction section (later to be known as 104 Construction Section, R. Sigs) under command landed, the H.Q. at Salerno in October, and the subordinate sections at Naples in November 1943. In general constitution these two units were, of course, similar, but 72 Tele. Opg. Section was trained to the use of Fullerphone telegraph machines, whereas 76 Tele. Optg. Section was trained to the use of Teleprinters. This difference had a far reaching effect on the subsequent employment of these two sections and some effect on the employment of the units of which they were components. In September 1944, as a result of an offer by Middle East, 40 Railway Telegraph Company S.A.C.S. arrived in the theatre. This unit was differently constituted to a British company in that the functions of line construction, operating and company administration were all carried on within the framework of the unit itself and not by autonomous subordinate sections. The operators of the unit were trained to the use of Fullerphone machines. In the first weeks of the campaign Nos. 2 and 3 Railway Telegraph Companies received direction on matters pertaining to works from Nos. 1212 and 1 Rly. Constr. and Maintenance Groups respectively. Thereafter this organisation was abandoned and these units reported direct to Tn, Headquarters for direction on works. For administration the units reported direct to C.S.O. In addition much of the technical work of the units was done in consultation, and with the assistance of the C.S.O Although these units were under the command of the C.S.O. and were merely permanently attached to Tn. for duty, and although the C.S.O. had considerable technical influence on the units through the medium of stores supply and allocation of positions and sometimes circuits on existing routes, there was never the slightest obstruction to any Tn. signal project from this source. On the other hand the full extent of assistance rendered by the C.S.O. will never be known, but it was certainly very considerable. When 40 Railway Telegraph company arrived the organisation described in the previous paragraph was well established and this unit naturally took its place in line with the other two Railway Telegraph Companies. Administration was in this case carried out by Union Defence Force Headquarters and not by C.S.O. In the American section each Railway Operating Battalion carried a small signal section capable of undertaking repairs and maintenance. As in the case of the British units, they were affiliated to Construction and for purposes of their direction, the Assistant General Manager (Engineering) had on his staff a signals staff officer. As there was never at any time a British signal staff officer on Tn. Headquarters, this American officer gave considerable assistance from time to time in the technical direction of, and procurement of stores for, the British signal units.