Trying to make sense of WW2 documentation - RASC

Hello ... I've been charged with putting together some information about my grandfather's WW2 service record in the UK (I'm in Australia).

I have copies of some records (one of which I've attached) and I can't make any sense of a lot of it despite much searching.

I'm hoping someone with much more experience of deciphering these records can help me.

My grandfather, Fred Humphries (T/160890), was a driver in the RASC. He joined up in February 1940 and one of the few things on his record I can work out was that he 'embarked in the UK on 10/12/42' and then 'disembarked in North Africa on 21/12/42'. This was after he'd been to a number of places in Kent and Buller Barracks in Aldershot for what looks like NCO School (?? which I can't find out much about).

The document also mentions the 276 General Transport Coy. RASC but I can't find any information about that online.

What I'm really keen to work out is the information underneath the Disembarked ... it looks like "Gtd (which I think means 'granted') SPP wef 1/1/43 (I think wef means 'with effect from'), but I can't find what SPP means.

And then it says "re-designated to 2?6 Corps Transport (I think) Company ..." but then I can't make out the next couple of lines - the ones that mention ICCS S.O.S this unit (?) and posted to x(ii) [something, something].

I saw in a (very helpful) list of abbreviations that x(ii) means evacuated on medical grounds or awaiting transfer to a hopsital ...

Anyway, that's enough from me. If anyone can work out any of the remainder of the document, that would be super. I really appreciate all the information I've gleaned from this site over the last few weeks.

Regards,
Sharon

 

Sharon,

RASC units are notoriously difficult to research and handwritten records difficult to read.

I am fairly cofident of the following:
Taken on strength 276 General Transport Company with effect from 7/4/43.
Admitted to 1 Casualty Clearing Station. Struck off strength this unit and posted to x(ii) 8/7/43. (This indicates he was in hospital.)

Mike

 

RASC background: Research the History of the Royal Army Service Corps

From: Buller Barracks Aldershot

From: https://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=10368&p=0

 

Hi Sharon,

276 Company War Diary (Nov 42 - Jun 43) Reference Number held at TNA: 276 Coy. | The National Archives
Someone at TNA can send you copies but at a price. I would try Tom OBrien on this site first as he may have the diary already?

Regards

Bruneval

 

Hello Sharon,
Here's my interpretation of your document:

27.3.40. Reigate [Surrey]. Rank: Driver.
Posted to No. 5 Troop Carrying Company from No. 175 Company RASC.

19.4.40. [Surrey]. Rank: Driver.
Promoted Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal.

19.4.40. Cheriton [Kent]. Rank: Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal.
Ceased Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal. Appointed [unreadable] Acting Lance Corporal.

19.5.40. Cheriton [Kent]. Rank: Acting Lance Corporal.
Attached to 1st Queen’s Westminster Regiment.

28.5.40. Sellinge [Kent]. Rank: Lance Corporal.
Ceased attachment 2nd Queen’s Westminster Regiment.

1.5.41. Langton Green [Kent]. Rank: Lance Corporal.
Promoted Unpaid Acting Corporal.

1.5.41. Aylesford [Kent]. Rank: Unpaid Acting Corporal.
Promoted Acting Corporal.

3.2.42. Aldershot [Hampshire]. Rank: Corporal.
Attached to NCO School, Buller Barracks.

30.4.41. Aylesford [Kent]. Rank: Corporal.
Promoted War Substantive Corporal.

10.12.42. UK. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC.
Embarked.

21.12.42. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC.
Disembarked.

11.4.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 General Transport Company RASC.
Granted Special Proficiency Pay with effect from 1.1.43. [SPP normally granted after 3 years’ service]

7.4.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 Corps Transport Company RASC.
Re-designated to 276 Corps Transport Company RASC.

8.7.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 276 Corps Transport Company RASC.
Admitted to 1 Casualty Clearing Station. Struck off strength this unit and posted to X (ii) list [comprises all ranks evacuated on medical grounds beyond RAP (Regimental Aid Post)].

20.7.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. X (iv) list [comprises all unposted reinforcements and incoming reinforcement drafts].
Taken on strength 6 Battalion from X (ii).

8.8.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 6 General Reinforcement Training Depot.
Struck off strength to 104 Tank Brigade Company*.

8.8.43. North Africa. Rank: Corporal. 104 Tank Brigade Company*.
Taken on strength from 6 General Reinforcement Training Depot.

The Part II orders, which refer to a unit's personnel postings, promotions etc, would have long been "weeded".

The National Archives have a war diary:
WO 175 - War Office: Allied Forces, North Africa (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War
Subseries within WO 175 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS
Subsubseries within WO 175 – Companies
276 Coy. Date: 1942 Nov.- 1943 June
(Edit: Too fast for me Bruneval!)

There may be other war diaries for this unit but I haven’t found any.

Regards,

Richard

* Edit. 107 Company, not 104. See posts # 15 & 16.

 

I CCS was based in Tunis in August 43. I only have the pages for that month but if you were particularly interested then it may be worth getting a copy of the previous couple of weeks. It won't name the men passing through but there are monthly summaries giving general and in some cases, (where exceptional) the detail of what medical situations they were dealing with day to day.

 

Thanks so much for your reply Mike. This gives me more information to work from.

Regards,
Sharon

 

Thanks Bruneval ... that's very helpful. I'll track down Tom O'Brien and see if he can help me.

Regards,
Sharon

 

Oh my gosh Richard, that's amazing. Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to decipher the document.

Thanks also for the link to the National Archive. I see that many of the documents aren't yet digitised - what a massive undertaking that will be - but someone else mentioned Tom O'Brien so I'll see if he can help me.

Thanks again,
Sharon

 

[edit]

 

Sharon, a new member from Australia, has a main thread for her research on: Trying to make sense of WW2 documentation - RASC She has added here some information specific to her subject's time in Italy and repeated drives back to the UK.

 

David it is the same member

Trying to make sense of WW2 documentation - RASC

Sharon best keep it all in one thread you have a load of info on your first thread

regards
Clive

 

Hello again Sharon,

Did you say that your grandfather was in Italy in your other thread? (Post now deleted) If so, here are diaries for 1944 and 1945.

WO 170 - War Office: Central Mediterranean Forces, (British Element): War Diaries, Second World War
Subseries within WO 170 - ITALY
Subsubseries within WO 170 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS
WO 170/2478. Companies: 276 Coy. Date: 1944 Jan.- Dec.

Subseries within WO 170 - ITALY 1945
Subsubseries within WO 170 - ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS
WO 170/5728. Companies: 276 Coy. Date: 1945 Jan.-Nov.

 

Thanks so much Richard. Yes, Pop was in Italy - he arrived there sometime after September 11, 1943 and before February, 1944 (I have photos of him from both places with the dates on the back).

Would you happen to know what the badge is that I'm using for my avatar? I've found info saying it's associated with the 1st Army and with the 8th Army, but I haven't found anything else. Do you know if these were worn and if so, on what part of the uniform? I also have two tigers on a red background (in a circle) - I'll attach the image - in case you or someone else knows whether they're anything to do with the war.

Thanks again,
Sharon

 

Sharon,

Your avatar is indeed the 8th Army badge. White shield with yellow cross. It was worn on the upper sleeve of uniforms but only by units serving directly under army headquarters. Units used the sign of the division, corps or army to which they belonged.

Tigers usually indicate an Indian unit.

Mike

 

Sharon,

The tiger badge is the British Army South Eastern Command. Most likely worn prior to being posted to 276 Coy and embarking for North Africa (8th Army).

Regards

Bruneval

 

The Tiger cloth patch belongs, according to this seller's site to:

From: WW2 Period South Eastern Command Formation Cloth Badge. in WWII formation signs

 

Hi Sharon,

Apologies for slow reply, but I've been away from home for a few days and then struggling to catch back up. Unfortunately I don't have any of the war diaries for 276 Coy RASC at all. I'm hoping to get to Kew (UK National Archives) at some point this year but it definitely won't be until the summer at least. If you haven't found another way of getting the diaries I'd be happy to look into getting at least one of them for you. Remind me in June or July and I'll add 276 Coy to the list and see what I can do.

Looking again at Richard's post - was he actually in 104 Tank Brigade Coy in Italy?

Edited to add: 104 Company RASC was actually a Divisional Transport Company which served in NW Europe so I would hazard a guess that this is actually 107 Company RASC.

Edited further to add: 107 Company RASC (Tank Brigade) - July - December 1943 - WO169/11741.

Royal Army Service Corps: 107 Tank Brigade Company (RASC) | The National Archives

Regards

Tom

 

Having another look at the record I agree with you Tom. It's 107 not 104, the handwriting is not too neat.
107 Company RASC was in Italy in 1944. See: WO 170/2434. Companies: 107 Coy. Date: 1944 Jan.- Dec.

Richard

 

Hi all and especially AussieSharon,

Hopefully this will fill in some of the blanks:

I did manage to get to Kew this week and copied the war diary for 107 (Tank Brigade) Coy RASC for Jul - Dec 43 (WO169/11741).

The diary starts with the Company in Algeria and carrying out general transport duties (collecting supplies, shifting prisoners, etc).

On 8 August 1943, 71 Other Ranks were collected from 6 Battalion No. 1 G.R.T.D., Philippeville for the whole of the "Divisional RASC" and 63 of those were 'retained by' 107 Company. Which tallies nicely with the records you already have.

On 14 September 1943, the Company left for a new location in the Bougie area. And for the rest of the year was employed on more general transport duties including dock clearance from Bone harbour.

In October/November 1943 a number of men were reporting with malaria and being admitted to hospital. This followed a report in the diary on 11 October 1943 of recent rainfall causing a "heavy plague of mosquitos".

Then in December 1943 the company left command of 4th Infantry Division and on 17 December came under command of 21 Tank Brigade. They were still in North Africa on 31 December 1943 when the war diary in this file ends.

I hope that is of interest, if you would like more of the details please let me know and I can either post up here or send you the file.

I copied the Field Returns of Other Ranks which contains lists of ORs whose return is "particularly requested" either from hospital or one of the Replacement Depots but no mention of your gf which likely means he was healthy during this period of his service.

Given that you say above that you have a photo of him in Italy in Feb 1944, I'm guessing that the Company must have moved to Italy then.

The only way to find out though, is probably to pick up the unit war diary for 1944 (WO170/2434).

Regards

Tom