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The
unsung heroes of the British Army in the Great War - the ASC, Ally
Sloper's Cavalry - were the men who operated the transport.
Soldiers can not fight without food, equipment and ammunition.
In
the Great War, the vast majority of this tonnage, supplying a
vast army on many fronts, was fetched from England. Using horsed
and
motor vehicles, railways and waterways, the ASC performed prodigious
feats of logistics and were one of the great strengths of organisation
by which the war was won.
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| This is work in progress. The details you will find are accurate but incomplete at present. | |
Organisation |
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The ASC was organised into Companies, each specialising as Horsed Transport, Motor Transport or one of various reserves, depots etc. |
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How
goods were moved to supply the front-lines |
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Battlefield
Transport |
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Each Division of the army had its own horse-powered transport, called the Divisional Train. It was the 'workhorse' of the Division in terms of carrying stores and supplies, providing the main supply line to the transport of the Brigades, Battalions, and Artillery and other attached units. Click here for a list of the Divisional Trains.
The Division was also supplied by ASC Companies using motorised transpotrt, and the Britiah army was the most advanced in its use - even in 1914. Using typically confusing terminology, these were called Divisional Supply Columns and Divisional Ammunition Parks. |
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Remounts
Service ASC |
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| The Remounts Service was responsible for the supply of horses: details here . | |
Labour
Companies ASC |
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| A number of ASC Companies were formed to provide hands for manual labour. | |
RASC? |
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By
Royal Warrant, the Army Service Corps added Royal to its title
in late 1918. The modern descendant of the ASC is the Royal Logistics Corps. |
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