RASC 648 Coy AT help info

Discussion in 'RASC' started by Diels Hendrik, Feb 11, 2022.

  1. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Hi, I am a new member from Balen, Belgium ( in WW2 Baelen or Baelen-Nethe) and also member of the heritage group "Erfgoed Balen". Balen is a village between Gheel ( Geel) and Bourg Leopold ( Leopoldsburg).
    After the liberation of my village on 12/9/44, the railway-station was part of No. 8 RHA ( Army RoadHead) from 4/10/44. Every day 400 ton of ordnance was delivered with trains.
    For that reason there where 2 RASC units billeted in my village, to do the transport with lorries to the units.
    For that reason a search information of the 648 AT Coy RASC.
    This Coy was in Baelen from 23/10/44 to 10/4/45. In the archives from "Erfgoed Balen", I found one "requisition note" and two " billeting order" from 648 Coy.
    The Coy was billeted in the local hotel "Den Engel", 3 officers in a room, 50 NCOs and ORs in a hall, they also needed 1 mess for officers, 1 kitchen for officers, 1 for ORs and a platoon office.
    Form 29/1/45 the commander of the unit makes a "requisition note" for " use of the cinema hall each Sunday morning from 9.00 to 13.00 hrs"
    On 10/3/45 the commander signed a "billeting order" for the hotel and cinema.

    Regards, vriendelijke groeten

    Hendrik
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Aixman

    Aixman War Establishment addict Patron

    Hendrik

    Thank you for sharing documents and photos and welcome to the forum.

    When reading your post, I was somewhat confused by the abbreviations used. RHA rings the Royal Horse Artillery bell, which has nothing to do with a railhead, an AT rings the Antitank bell, which is not R.A.S.C. So I searched a bit in sources for war establishments and 5-digit) unit serial numbers and may add some information - and new questions).

    648 Company, R.A.S.C., is according to the Index to Field Force Units 1944 an Armoured Divisional Transport Company (unit serial 36889) with the following subunits:
    (a) Headquarters
    (b) Transport Platoon
    (c) Transport Platoon
    (d) Relief Driver Increment
    (e) Workshop Platoon
    (f) Transport Platoon
    (g) General Duties Platoon
    (h) Relief Driver Increment.

    There are no war establishments for "Roadhead" at all. The usual term as far as I know is "Railhead". Relevant war establishment for "Railhead" (for the period and the theatre you mentioned):
    IV/50 A/2 An Ordnance Railhead Company (R.A.O.C.).
    Only 2 numbers mentioned:
    No. 3
    No. 579 (detachment).

    One can never be sure that the sources used are 100 % complete. Or maybe I draw the wrong conclusions.
    Do you have more information about this unit?

    All relevant war establishments are available in the Trux section (21 Army Group) of this forum.

    Regards, vriendelijke groeten

    Aixman
     
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  3. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Aixman,

    Thank for the information, and sorry the abbreviation is ARH
    I have found information in following books:
    " An account of the operations of second army in Europe 1944-1945 volume I" page 276 ( img009 )
    appendix H same book ( img011 )
    " The story of the RASC 1939-1945" page 383 (img015 )
    on the website BritishMilitaryHistory I found a list from the Guards Armoured Division with the 648 Coy, it is possible the Guards where in my region at that time.

    Thank again;

    Regards, en vriendelijke groeten

    Hendrik
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. Bruneval

    Bruneval Well-Known Member

    Good evening Diels,

    The following are reference numbers for the 648 Coy RASC War Diaries held at The National Archives in Kew, London.

    War Diaries:
    • 648 Coy (1944 Jan.- Dec.) - Reference Number: WO 171/2509
    • 648 Coy (1945 Jan.- Dec.) - Reference Number: WO 171/6327
    Someone might be able to visit and copy the entries for you.

    Regards

    Bruneval

     
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  5. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Thanks Bruneval for the info,

    Regards, vriendelijke groeten

    Hendrik
     
  6. Aixman

    Aixman War Establishment addict Patron

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  7. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Aixman,

    Thanks for the info
    Regards, vriendelijke groeten
    Hendrik
     
  8. HI.

    My Grandad served in 648 AT Coy RASC.

    I am currently writing up the unit diary for WW2. The diary has them at Baelen from 5/10/44 till 22/10/44 when they moved to Moll.

    They were clearing stores, ordnance and petrol to dumps.

    Darren
     
  9. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Hi Darren,
    First of all, some adjustments to my text from 2022.
    You are right the 648 Coy was only in Balen from 5/10/44 to 22/10/44, B platoon from 1/2/45 to 11/2/45.
    The story of the cinema cannot therefore be told by the 648 Coy, but by the 249 Coy.
    Attached to this are the correct billeting orders of 648 Coy, the unit is not listed on it, but then there were no other units in Balen.
    Also a list of the municipality, with the different addresses where the unit was housed.
    The list is not complete, the public buildings schools and parish hall (parochiezaal) that were also used, are not listed on it.
    Cuypers = hotel "De Engel"
    Detand = is a big beerstrore with warehouses
    Vieill-Montage = a zinc factory
    In the Nieuwe school ( new school ) was place for 43 NCO's and OR's
    Oude school ( old school) 76 NCO's and NCO's
    Officers were housed in hotel "De Engel" or private homes.
    Also attaches are examples of "inkwartieringsbriefjes", this is the settlement for the owners of the buildings used.
    These were signed by the unit, the payment was made by the municipality.

    Is it possible to get info about your grandfather, name function in unit, and you might have pictures of this unit. A group photo would be ideal, so that we have an image of our liberators.
    All information will be forwarded to "Erfgoed Balen ", the local heritage group in Balen.

    Regards, met vriendelijke groeten
    Hendrik
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Hi Diels
    Very useful information, thanks.
    We do not have many photos of Grandad in the war. He only spoke of the war in the last 5 years before he died.
    He was born in Box wiltshire near Bath England. Died in Wales age 81 years. He had 3 children, 2 girls 1 boy and 7 grandchildren.
    I have uploaded the photos we have of him as well as some of 648 Coy RASC diary. I have typed up some of 648 Unit diary.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Diels Hendrik

    Diels Hendrik Member

    Hi Darren,
    Many thanks for the photos,

    Regards, met vriendelijke groeten

    Hendrik
     

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