RASC attached to the 3rd motor machine gun service ?

[Jane Canadian]

Hello

Just correcting my mistakes form the last post...

I have received a copy of my grandfather's records from the archives of Canada. I have been looking for his unit withinin the RASC.

He served in the RASC in India and he states in his request for payment to the govt. of Canada " my final regimental number was RASC MT attached to the 3rd m.m. g.s.. I am assuming now 3rd battalion motor machine gun service .... He served from Jan 3, 1916 to August 8, 1920. He mentions ..the paymaster in 3RD M.M. G. S in Deolali India.

Can anyone have information the 3rd mmg s ?

Many thanks

Jane

[mcassell]

The unit referred to is probably 3rd Motor Machine Gun Battery of the Motor Machine Gun Service (later Machine Gun Corps (Motors). This unit was formed in January 1915 and went to France the next month. In January 1918, 3rd Battery (along with 14th and 15th Batteries) was sent out to India where it was stationed at Ambala. The unit participated in the Third Afghan War to the extent that it was sent to Kohat (there from 31 May 1919 to 23 June 1919) during the relief of Thal though does not appear to have seen any action. The unit was disbanded in India on 1 December 1919. The unit was equipped with 18 Clyno motorcycle combinations (six of which had Vickers guns mounted on the sidecar); the drivers and gunners of these were almost always men from the Machine Gun Corps. However, each battery had a number of lorries assigned to carry kit, supplies, ammunition, etc., amd most of the drivers of these appear to have been MT drivers attached from the Army Service Corps (later RASC). Most batteries also had several ®ASC men attached as "workshops".

I say "probably 3rd Motor...." because there is another possibility. No. 3 Armoured Motor Battery had been formed in India in 1916 and used three Rolls Royce armoured cars. I have no evidence that the drivers of these cars were other than MGC men (at least after early 1918) or Indian but it is possible that ®ASC drivers were employed. As with the motorcycle batteries. "workshops" appear to made up of ®ASC men. A good description of the life of a ®ASC MT driver in India during the Great War can be found in A Strange War by C.P. Mills, Gloucester, 1988.

Hope this helps.

[david murdoch]

I say "probably 3rd Motor...." because there is another possibility. No. 3 Armoured Motor Battery had been formed in India in 1916 and used three Rolls Royce armoured cars. I have no evidence that the drivers of these cars were other than MGC men (at least after early 1918) or Indian but it is possible that ®ASC drivers were employed. As with the motorcycle batteries. "workshops" appear to made up of ®ASC men. A good description of the life of a ®ASC MT driver in India during the Great War can be found in A Strange War by C.P. Mills, Gloucester, 1988.

Hope this helps.

In both A.M.B / L.A.M.B s there were plenty of ASC personnel - drivers of the armoured cars, support vehicles, mechanics and workshops. The gunners /No.2 gunners, car commanders and unit officers MGC(M).

David.

[Jane Canadian]

The unit referred to is probably 3rd Motor Machine Gun Battery of the Motor Machine Gun Service (later Machine Gun Corps (Motors). This unit was formed in January 1915 and went to France the next month. In January 1918, 3rd Battery (along with 14th and 15th Batteries) was sent out to India where it was stationed at Ambala. The unit participated in the Third Afghan War to the extent that it was sent to Kohat (there from 31 May 1919 to 23 June 1919) during the relief of Thal though does not appear to have seen any action. The unit was disbanded in India on 1 December 1919. The unit was equipped with 18 Clyno motorcycle combinations (six of which had Vickers guns mounted on the sidecar); the drivers and gunners of these were almost always men from the Machine Gun Corps. However, each battery had a number of lorries assigned to carry kit, supplies, ammunition, etc., amd most of the drivers of these appear to have been MT drivers attached from the Army Service Corps (later RASC). Most batteries also had several ®ASC men attached as "workshops".

I say "probably 3rd Motor...." because there is another possibility. No. 3 Armoured Motor Battery had been formed in India in 1916 and used three Rolls Royce armoured cars. I have no evidence that the drivers of these cars were other than MGC men (at least after early 1918) or Indian but it is possible that ®ASC drivers were employed. As with the motorcycle batteries. "workshops" appear to made up of ®ASC men. A good description of the life of a ®ASC MT driver in India during the Great War can be found in A Strange War by C.P. Mills, Gloucester, 19

Hope this helps.

Thank you that was very helpful.I just returned from visiting my father and in searching his memorabilia found a reference to my grandfather being in France and India which seems to confirm your first recommendation. Can one find out where the 3rd battalion was in France before Jan.1918? In the Long Long trail it states this battalion went to Italy in 1917?

Operating on the Western Front by Spring 1915. Attached to 24th Division between 30 October and 23 November 1915. Moved to Italy October 1917. Transferred to 16th Indian Division in India, January 1918.

Thank you

Jane

[mcassell]

The information on the Long, Long Trail is basically correct except 3 MMG Battery did not go to Italy. I have the personal diary of 2524 Gunner G. S. Richards who served in 3 MMG from October 1916 to his demobilization in October 1919 and it gives much information about movements of the Battery. Summarizing the 1916-1917 entries, the battery was mostly engaged in providing overhead fire during attacks and anti-aircraft duty. On 12 October 1917, the battery left the line in Flanders and on 15 October entrained for Marseilles. They embarked from Marseilles on SS Manitou on 27 November and arrived Alexandria on 8 December. Then to Port Suez on 13 December and sailed for Bombay (on SS Ishangic???) on Xmas Day 1917 (Richards complains about bully beef and biscuits for Xmas dinner!), arriving 8 January 1918. The unit then went by train to Ambala, reaching it on 13 January.

I hope this fills in a few blanks.

[Jane Canadian]

The information on the Long, Long Trail is basically correct except 3 MMG Battery did not go to Italy. I have the personal diary of 2524 Gunner G. S. Richards who served in 3 MMG from October 1916 to his demobilization in October 1919 and it gives much information about movements of the Battery. Summarizing the 1916-1917 entries, the battery was mostly engaged in providing overhead fire during attacks and anti-aircraft duty. On 12 October 1917, the battery left the line in Flanders and on 15 October entrained for Marseilles. They embarked from Marseilles on SS Manitou on 27 November and arrived Alexandria on 8 December. Then to Port Suez on 13 December and sailed for Bombay (on SS Ishangic???) on Xmas Day 1917 (Richards complains about bully beef and biscuits for Xmas dinner!), arriving 8 January 1918. The unit then went by train to Ambala, reaching it on 13 January.

I hope this fills in a few blanks.

Thank you so much! I am continually amazed by what can be constructed from the small amount of information that I started with. My grandfather's name was Richards as well. John W.

He spoke very little about his war experiences and I recall only 2 things one about being in the Khyber Pass and the other contracting malaria I believe as a result of swimming somewhere he was warned against. Does your diarist mention either of these in his diary?

Many thanks

Jane