My man's records are quite clear as to the titles (as the heading) of two of the units he served in 1943-1945. Two queries, was command of these companies at Corps level (13 Corps) and therefore under the ADST and are the diaries for 563 Company and 668 Company that are to be found at Kew (ie without the company description) for those same companies? To the first query - as so often is the case with minor units, they don't appear on ORBATs that I can see. To the second query, I know where the diaries are to be found, just want to clarify the title business, unlike others, they don't appear at Kew with the full titles. Thanks in advance..
Hi, In answer to your second question, a lot of the RASC Company war diaries don’t have the full title of the unit showing in the Discovery search engine but have turned out to be the diaries that I was looking for. Regards Danny
Danny, that's encouraging thank you. I thought it was probably the case, I hadn't noticed any instances in RASC Companies of the same number being used to different outfits - unlike some! Just what I wanted. Best Max
Here are a couple of references to 13 Corps and then to 563 GT Coy in the diary of 1503 Artillery Coy that may be of passing interest. 18 01 1944 02.00 3x3 tonners left for 54 Hy Regt R.A with 76 rds 7.2" shell complete. 08.00 5x3 tonners left for Re.E dump Vasto to lift tubular scaffolding and deliver it to R.E dump San Vito. 08.00 3x3 tonners left for R.E dump San Vito to lift 70x40 gall drums and deliver them to 565 Coy R.E. Paddington. 08.00 1x3 tonner left for 13 Corps Salvage Depot to lift 150x5 gall drums and deliver them to R.E dump S. Vito. 10.45 Short Church Service held on Pl location by the Padre from Regt. 14.00 5x3 tonners left for Regt with 540 rds 4.5" shell complete. Dry and slightly warmer. 16 08 1944 Unit moved from under command 13 Corps, leaving with regret the pleasant and hospitable establishment of Bonazza, and commenced journey to East Coast, staging Arezzo. 23 09 1944 Unit moved from Radicofani through S. Quirico - Siena - to Presciano, arriving at 14.00 hrs. We were led to believe this was our destination and that we should remain there several days. Unit was still under command 317 Coy RASC (Arty) who were now under command 13 Corps. At 18.00 hrs that evening, information from 317 Coy that unit was to pass to command 2 NZ Div. for maintenance of 70 Med Regt RA who were placed in support of that Div. 20.00 O.C contacts Regiment and learns situation: B Ech is separated from FMC by over 105 miles of extremely bad & conjested roads. It was agreed that unit must be sited within easy reach of Regt's B Ech to ??? the uncertain road conditions. 23.00 Arrangements were made for move up on 24 July and O.C contacted 317 Coy who agreed to the move. Harbour night 23/24 July Presciano. 16 09 1945 Warm and Sunny. Preps for disbandment. 25 x 3 ton Dodge T11OL Class 1 vehs transferred to 563 Coy RASC. Only 20 accepted. 19 09 1945 Warm and Sunny. Preps for disbandment continue. Received 20 x 3 ton Dodge TLLOL Cl ll vehs from 563 Coy RASC. 8 x 3 ton Bedford OY 4 x 2 GS transferred to 416 RVP Naples. 1 Bedford 15 cwt W/T transferred to 416 RVP Naples. 6 BSA M/C Solo transferred to 10 Adv RVP Cesena.
If 563 GT Coy RAOC were in XIII (BR) Corps then that would place them at the Fourth Battle of Cassino when XIII (BR) Corps were moved across from the Adriatic to be part of Op DIADEM, the break through the Gustav Line starting on 11 May 44. Frank
RASC war diaries at Kew are normally listed as the unit number followed by Coy or Company like this: WO 169/11968 563 Company 1943 Jan-Dec
Many apologies for the tardy reply to posts since Hutt's on Tuesday last. I shall check I have the notification system properly set. Thank you belatedly for the useful info, the RASC ORBAT particularly useful.
