279th Company, Army Service Corps

[leanes-trench]

Greetings all. Driver William Barter of the Army Service was killed in action in the Anzac sector at Gallipoli on June 7, 1915. The CWGC notes that he belonged to the 279th Company, A.S.C. Did such a unit exist, and if so, can somebody give me some details?

Thank you,

Pat

[themonsstar]

Yes there was a 279th Coy ASC, however it didn't form until 2 March 1915 and was disbanded on 3 June 1919, it served on the Western front with the 11th division,divisional supply column (HT) and the 33st Div Train No4 Coy (HT).

276 & 275 both of these companies served on Gallipoli.

[leanes-trench]

Yes there was a 279th Coy ASC, however it didn't form until 2 March 1915 and was disbanded on 3 June 1919, it served on the Western front with the 11th division,divisional supply column (HT) and the 33st Div Train No4 Coy (HT).

276 & 275 both of these companies served on Gallipoli.

Thank you! My problem is solved.

Regards,

Pat

[michaeldr]

Pat,

I agree with TMS' post above in so far as these are the details which are given in Col Michael Young's book 'ASC 1902-1918' - see his Annex Q, page 284

However the CWGC's ref to ASC Co. No.279 is not unique

It also appears numbered as such in the Establishment of RND 1915 (marked April 14/15th) see WO95/4290 *

Quote:

275th Co. ASC - SAA Column - 6 officers & 153 other ranks

vehicles and animals: 1 x water cart, 1 x Maltese cart, 2 x wagons GS First Line, 30 wagons GS, 22 riding horses, 145 draught mules

279th Co. ASC - Supply Co. - 7 officers & 244 other ranks

vehicles and animals: 1 x water cart, 1 x Maltese cart, 4 x wagons GS First Line, 60 wagons GS, 19 riding horses, 225 draught mules

Apart from the numbering however the question also arises,

if they were with the RND then what were they and/or Barter doing at Anzac in June, when the RND had already transferred to Helles in mid-May?

* details from Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' Issue No.2, September 1997, page 91

regards

Michael

[leanes-trench]

Pat,

I agree with TMS' post above in so far as these are the details which are given in Col Michael Young's book 'ASC 1902-1918' - see his Annex Q, page 284

However the CWGC's ref to ASC Co. No.279 is not unique

It also appears numbered as such in the Establishment of RND 1915 (marked April 14/15th) see WO95/4290 *

Quote:

275th Co. ASC - SAA Column - 6 officers & 153 other ranks

vehicles and animals: 1 x water cart, 1 x Maltese cart, 2 x wagons GS First Line, 30 wagons GS, 22 riding horses, 145 draught mules

279th Co. ASC - Supply Co. - 7 officers & 244 other ranks

vehicles and animals: 1 x water cart, 1 x Maltese cart, 4 x wagons GS First Line, 60 wagons GS, 19 riding horses, 225 draught mules

Apart from the numbering however the question also arises,

if they were with the RND then what were they and/or Barter doing at Anzac in June, when the RND had already transferred to Helles in mid-May?

* details from Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' Issue No.2, September 1997, page 91

Dear Michael,

Thanks for this, I will add it to my ASC file.

Honestly, my knowledge of the ASC is sadly lacking, but it does interest me where Gallipoli is concerned. RND personnel were at Anzac into early May, and it doesn't surprise me that somebody was left behind to work at Anzac. I live in the US, so don't have access to Kew, and there are no ASC war diaries online.

Regards,

Pat

regards

Michael

[michaeldr]

quote: Thanks for this, I will add it to my ASC file.

Honestly, my knowledge of the ASC is sadly lacking, but it does interest me where Gallipoli is concerned. RND personnel were at Anzac into early May, and it doesn't surprise me that somebody was left behind to work at Anzac. I live in the US, so don't have access to Kew, and there are no ASC war diaries online.

Pat,

I'm in a similar boat regarding access, or lack of it, to Kew

I'm afraid that the ASC have been badly served by the historians and there is little specific detail which I can add to the above

A couple of things which I can pass on however

- Before the campaign really got under way the RND concentrated at Port Said

[from Douglas Jerrold's 'The Royal Naval Division'] "The disembarkation of the Division was completed by Monday, March 29th, and on that and the following days the R.N.D. S.A.A. column (Major Carter), the R.N.D. Supply Column (Major J. D. Buller, ASC), the R.N.D. Sanitary Section and the 19th Mobile Veterinary Section joined the Division."

- [from 'The Royal Army Service Corps' Vol.II by Col R. H. Beadon CBE, psc,] " For the Royal Naval Division designed for a demonstration off Bulair no auxiliary transport was required, but one battalion which it was intended to throw ashore to give colour to the feint was provided with fifty pack mules in addition to its first line transport."

This 'throwing' of an RND battalion ashore did not take place at Bulair, however, it seems to indicate that at least part of the Supply Column (ASC Co.279 [?])was shipped and ready to land when eventually the RND did go ashore.

Sorry I cannot be more help

Best regards

Michael

[frederickgeorgedarran]

great great grandfather was with 279th company asc. he joined in 1915 but was an old sweat from the boer war years joined in 1889, god he was 42 when he went to egyptand only 5 feet 2. do you think that at his age he would have landed with the naval division. he was horse transport and i dont think their be much room on a beach for a driver. when the company left for the western front he stayed somewhere in egypt and then in 1918 was with 171 C F Ambulance until 1919

his name is joseph arthur darran any idea where the missing years were or if anybody could look at his records on ancestry that i missed i would be grateful.

paul darran.