Can anyone point me in the right direction please? My wife's late Dad served in the Military Police during WW2 in 27 Traffic Control Company. We now have his old records and they say that that on 08/06/44 he "Embarked" and then served until 1946 ending up in the British Army of the Rhine. I am assuming that he must have landed in Normany either on 8th or 9th June and I would love to be able to take my wife over to France and show her where he landed and then follow his tracks inland. I am assuming that his company must have been assigned to a particular division / battalion to help their movements, but I can't find out which one. If I knew this then it would make it easier to track him! If anyone has any information that could help me, I'd be really pleased. Thanks. Bob.
Bob, It might be worth sending a message to Mike who overseas the 'Trux' sub-forum further down. If anyone can tell you where 27 Traffic Control fitted into the greater scheme of 21st Army Group, it will be him. From that point, it will be a case of finding either their or a controlling unit's War Diary to follow up locations.
Bob, I am afraid that I must disappoint you. Very little seems to be recorded about the Traffic Control Companies. I do not even have a War Establishment but I believe the strength was as for a normal company but without the motorcycles. Personnel were taken to their posts by truck. What little I know. The Corps of Military Police divided into three types of unit, Provost, Traffic Control and Vulnerable Points. This division came about because of a shortage of suitable manpower. Ideally Provost Units should be composed of men capable of carrying out all the duties normally expected of police, plus military police duties and be fit for front line active service. Traffic Control units were composed of men below the standard required for front line service and many were older civil policemen who had previously been exempt from military service. On D Day each of the three beaches landed two Beach Provost Companies and several Traffic Control Sections. During the build-up four Traffic Control Companies for each of the two armies (I Canadian and 2 British) plus seven Traffic Control Companies for Line of Communication areas. Each corps and army was allotted a CMP (TC) signal section. A further four Traffic Control Companies arrived from the UK in October. Eventually 21 Army Group received a total of 21 Traffic Control Companies, seven with 2 Army, four with 1 Canadian Army and ten on the Lines of Communication. Mike
The National Archives reference for the 1945 war diary for 27 Traffic Control Company is: WO 171/7790, 27 Company, 1945 Jan.- Dec. Can't locate the 1944 diary right now but will keep looking. Lee
This is probably the 1944 war diary, filed under "Provost": WO 171/3363, 27 Company, 1944 Jan.- Dec. Lee
Thank you for all of your help. It never ceases to amaze me of the knowledge people have of things. Bob.
