Hi everyone, My father was a driver throughout ww2 with the RASC. I already have some of his diaries,1 of which has his name in.I still have a few more to find,but 1 in particular is proving difficult to find. 29 Station Transport company, RASC, N/A show (see below) WO 166/9176 27 Station Transport Company WO 166/9177 32 Station Transport Company Where is 29 Station Transport Company ? where would I find it ? Grateful for any help. regards...........Graham
There is a 29 Station Maintenance Company at WO166/9168 for October - November 42. Might be worth a look
Hi Iaz, Thankyou for that info. Both Andy/Drew, and Lee, have been trying to find this diary,Lee is still digging around for it.He reckon's its probably at a higher level. It seem's like going to the library,looking for a book in the A section and eventually finding it in the Z section. (that's what research is all about, I suppose) great fun though. cheer's ............Graham.
Hi Hope you can eventually get it found! Can you clarify, if you request it at Kew, are you saying they can't actually 'physically' find it in the building? I am intrigued.
Hi Some while ago a number of files I wanted to view had been returned to the MOD. They came back eventually (and I was able to view and copy them) but it did seem strange why after 70 years, someone there was still interested in Operation Dodge!
Hi Iaz, Think I read your post correctly, 1945 operation Dodge. Troops returning home from the war,to find a country in chaos. nothing working properly,everything in a total mess. Iaz, can I ask you, who were you researching ? just purely out of intrest. Graham.
Hi Graham Yes, Dodge, the flying home of troops from Italy. My research was purely top see if there was any chance of identifying which Lancaster / squadron my father may have returned on / with and similarly if there was anything to tie in with an uncle who was a navigator in the RAF and who may also have been aircrew on the operations. However, I did find in the RAF records for Newquay, a reference to the flights arriving on the 5th November as having been diverted from the usual airfield due to bad weather! Graham
Hi Iaz, I know we are going off thread here a bit, anyway, I lived and ran a business for 13 years down Cornwall. (it's still running) We used to fly from Newquay to London only 40 min's.It was a massive base in ww2. I was told Newquay airport has the second longest runway in the country. all the best.......Graham.
Graham Off threads always appreciated. Yes, Newquay to Plymouth as well, I gather the shortest UK service bar an island hopping flight in the Western Isles. My brother flew down to meet us in Cornwall for the eclipse in 1999. As for Dodge here is the entry for the 5th November recording the incoming flights, one of which would have been my father's and which is confirmed by the entry in his service record. From Air 28/754 ORB RAF Station St Mawgan.
Hi Iaz, St Mawgan and Newquay airport ran side by side, When I was down that neck of the woods.It was mainly helicopter's, sea king, and merlin. During the war the americans ran the place,(43) they did all sorts of work, including extending the runway.Apparantly it was over 300ft wide (widest runway in Europe) and over 9000 ft long.They could get some big stuff in and out of there no problem. After the war, some of the Lancaster's and Shackleton's were used for long range reconnaissance.Later they used Nimrods. I haven't been to Cornwall since 2012, so I don't know what's happening down there now. regards........Graham.
Going off-thread again (Owen will hate me for it). I used to go down to Cornwall in the 80's and stayed just above RAF St Mawgan. I used to watch the Nimrods take off and land and in August 1987 saw Concorde land and take off there. Found this youtube video of it.
Hi Iaz, Coming back to this earlier thread. ref WO 166/9168 This diary is 29 Station Maintenance Company.I have contacted Andy and he is going to copy the diary next time he visits Kew.Like you said it might be worth a look. best........Graham.
28 Station transport coy (251 company) appears to be missing from all enquires as well I will keep looking
Heres one possible ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS: COMPANIES: 28 Station Transport Company. | The National Archives Reference: WO 166/5073 Description: ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS: COMPANIES: 28 Station Transport Company. Date: 1940 July - 1941 Dec. Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Access conditions: Closed For 29 years There could well be others - I havent looked TD
*Off topic* regarding RAF St. Mawgan when I visited them to inspect Nimrod aircraft (short story) I noted at the main gate a olive green Land Rover with two non-RAF / British uniformed personnel aboard. I later was told they were US Marines, part of the company that guarded a nuclear weapons storage site on the base. Nuclear depth charges allegedly. Wiki has: From: RAF St Mawgan - Wikipedia The weapons staff I spoke to had great confidence in the ability of cluster bombs and a single pass by a Soviet bomber with them could disable the base. As history was to prove the Iraqis found ways of keeping airfields in service, if only to enable their air force to exit for Iran. That is another story.
