Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? I'm researching a man, a captain in the RAOC, who was lost when the troopship he was travelling on was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The troopship was the El Medina and she was conveying the greater part of H.Q. 171 Indian Base Sub Area. Can anyone tell me what H.Q. 171 Indian Base Sub Area was? and give me a clue as to its movements etc. Regards Jeff
Hi Jeff, I used the terms HQ. 171 Indian Base Sub Area in the National Archives search engine and it provided one possibility from the India/Burma series for WW2: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C948905 It might not even be correct for what you are looking for, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
A sub area was a group of different types of workshops from the reme which came under the over all command of sub area head quarters Base workshops were rear echelon workshops that repaired with major repairs and overhauls which couldnt be done by frontline workshops such as LAD or armoured workshops. Alot of smaller units were also absorbed into base workshops such as port workshops, beach head workshops once there initial role was complete.
Thanks guys. I'll just need to see if I can find someone to photograph the record for me.....I was only up at Kew yesterday and not set for another visit until mid-October!
They were Line of Communication Sub-Areas, and they commanded all sorts of units, not just REME or workshops.