Hi all, My Great Grandfather Howard Muspratt Boylette was a Pre War Territorial in the RASC and was called at the outbreak of hostilities and proceeded to France. He was evacuated and returned to England where he served for the rest of the war in a training role, mainly due to his age. Is there a list of does anyone have a list of any Territorial or Regular RASC units that were involved in the early stages of the war ? Any help appreciated. Regards James
You'll probably need his Service Record to find where he served. The Trux site will give you lots of info on the sort of services provided to the BEF by the RASC. BEF 1940 The BEF had very long lines of communication from their arrival, for instance via Cherbourg and Le Mans so plenty of logistical support needed.
Hi again, His papers have come through and he served in 55 Company RASC in the BEF. Maybe in 2 Company, Amn PK (?) . Is there any interesting info of these chaps? Regards James
Hello James, There is a brief history of 55 Coy RASC here: http://www2.army.mod.uk/rlc/units/29_regt/55_mc_hq_squadron_/index.htm It seems they are still going and were deployed to Malaya in the 1950's during the emergency: http://www.britains-smallwars.com/malaya/NWD/index.html CS
I will see if there is anything in the RASC History about them. Will come back to you and post over the weekend.
I can't find any mention in my BEF Orders of Battle etc. but these Lines of Communication troops are notoriously difficult to pin down. As I mentioned, the BEF had very long transport links as the French had tried to avoid giving them a re-suppliable garrison around the channel ports. Huge transport resources were necessary to supply troops based on the Belgian border with material landed in Cherbourg etc. I tried a search on http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/geoffs-search-engine/ but found nothing for '55' and RASC so there may not be any casualty burials to help with locations. Does his record show the date that he arrived back in the UK ? If your family has no objection, it may be useful to post a scan of his record as there may be other clues ?
Hi, His movements show the following for the period: 22nd March 1938 - 55 Coy RASC (2 Corps Amn Pk, 4 (?) Pk) 8th Feb 1940 - 2nd Corps Amn Pk 4th March 1940 - Granted 10 Days leave UK 14th March 1940 - Rejoined Unit from leave to same unit 1st April 1940 - 290 Coy 31st May 1940 - Posted ex BEF at Bayden Camp to 2 Corps A PK 16th June 1940 - 55 Coy 9th July 1940 - 290 Coy 18 Div He ended up for the final years of the war in 600 Coy RASC (C.M.T). I take it then he wasnt on the beaches at the time of evacuation and probably departed at Cherbourg ?? Regards James
Would it be worth looking at this? >> http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=16016&CATLN=6&Highlight=%2CPARKS%2CPARKS&accessmethod=0 WO 167/159 II CORPS Amn. Parks and Sub. Parks 1939 Sept.-1940 June
I will see if there is anything in the RASC History about them. Will come back to you and post over the weekend. Had a look at the history. No specific mention of 55 Coy RASC for 1939/40. Details of the book are: Anon - The Story of the Royal Army Service Corps 1939-1945 (G Bell & Sons 1955)
The situation at the end of May 1940 was very confusing and it is difficult to be sure who was where. Was he effectively with 290 Company between 10th May and 31st May, at which time he was back in the UK ? I can't find reference to a Bayden Camp. I have found a mention of 2 Corps Amunition Park (pp 312-4 'Destination Dunkirk' - Blaxland) In dealing with the defence organised by Lieutenant Colonel Brazier of 53rd Medium Regt. of Hoogstade on the road to Furnes (Veurne) on 28th May, Blaxland says: "Apart from the 25 officers and 200 men of his own regiment, his largest contingent was 147 officers and men of the II Corps Ammunition Park RASC and these he placed on the right of the line, where the canal bends round the town. Next to them were I Corps Field Survey Company RE... ...during the night they began to shell the town with 150-mm guns and greatly to harry the RASC defenders of the British right flank... ...But in the afternoon the RASC ammunition handlers, who had endured much torment from guns and mortars, could contain the enemy no longer and their Spandau machine guns began to splutter forth their bursts from the west bank, turning Brazier's right flank". It seems likely from this that 2 Corps Amn. Park probably didn't make it out of France which is why he was transferred back to them post-Dunkirk. The task now may be to find 290 Company RASC !
Thanks for that ! Where would i look for 290 Company ?? Regards James I don't know James but I'm thinking about it ! Is it your interpretation of the service records that he was with 290 for the critical month of May ? I've tried Geoff's search engine again and the only casualties that I can find from '290' and 'RASC' are from NW Europe 1944 -1945 so no handy locations there. It may well be the case that he was evcuated from a more southern port such as Brest, St Nazaire or Cherbourg. There were few casualties there until the loss of the 'Lancastria', by which time he seems to have been home. I suspect that you may have to take Owen's advice and visit Kew. At least it's only a short train journey away ! Rich
Thanks again Rich. It does look like 290 Company but maybe 270. This writing can look awfully squashed. Regards James
My father, Sgt. Jack Lee (T99976) was evacuated from St Nazaire on 18th June 1940, Rasc ambulance driver. served in N.Frfica and was at D-Day, was wounded in left arm a couple of weeks into the invasion and againl wounded in 1945 and spent last months also training where he was wounded in the left eye when the rifle he was training a recruit with had a misfire and blew back when he opened the bolt, (shouldn't do that, tut tut, ouch). No Bayden camp but Borden camp was on Salibury plain
Info flooding in at a snails pace. Sept 1939 posted to RASC 4 Res M.T. Coy RASC 30th Sept 1939 Posted 50 Coy RASC 31st Dec 1940 Posted "A" coy 1 HL Bn ((218) Coy 3 Ambulance car Company RASC but this is not listed in their order of battle for that period, just says,"Elements of RAOC and RASC", guess he was one of the "elements" 21st Feb 1941, Posted FROM "A" Coy 1(HL) BN 4th May 1942, Passed PT instructors course 'B' No further record of unit or postings until 14th Dec 1942, Cross country cycle course, passed 12 Feb 1943 Y listed B ? Then gap until 27th June 1944 wounded in left arm, 'Y' listed 1 HL BN 5th Oct 1944 TOS (?) From 'Y' list "A" Coy 1 HL BN 5th Oct 1944 'A' class release, Instructor, 556 Coy Inf Div THS 20th Oct 1944 released to class 'Z', I think this is reserves, 557 Coy Inf Div THS I can find some history of 51st HL Div and the 1st Bn but not the RASC attachments so I have no idea if 3 car ambulance coy RASC was in Africa and Sicily or not. Anyone shed some light on it? Peter
