Army Service Corps

[loujn]

Hi

I am researching a man who was in the Army Service Corps.

I have his service record which states that he was serving with the 3rd Company, 21st Division "train"

From reading the long long trail info - does this mean that he worked transporting supplies etc to the 21st Division? would he have followed the division around?

From this, if I find what battles the 21st Division were involved in I would know that he was also in that area?

He was a horseman prior to the war and in his service records he was fined 2 days pay for losing his whip - so I assume he was also a horseman in the ASC?

Can anyone tell me more about how the ASC operated?

Thanks for reading this post

Cheers

Louise

[johnboy]

I'll take a stab and stand to be corrected.

Train does not automatically refer to a locomotive, remember wagon train!

As he was a horseman and you mention a lost whip I would suggest that he was a driver. All stores including food and ammo.equipment and baggage were needed by each battalion and as each Bttn moved so would the stores,.

[Scalyback]

Click on the long long trail above, then regiments and then Army service corps. Most of your information will be there.

[David B]

There are many books written about the operations of the ASC, none better than Ärmy Service Corps 1902-1918 by Michael Young, which explains in detail the working of the corps and its units.

[Waggoner]

The prefix to his service number will confirm if he was a horse transport driver. Does it have a "T" in it?

All the best,

Gary

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Louise

The company was also known as 184 Company ASC. If you can find Michael Young's book, Annex Q will give you a little more information. If you can get t the National Archives at Kew, the War Diary of 21 Div Train is in file WO95/149. War Diaries rarely mention men by name other than officers, but the location of the unit, and a brief description of its activities, is normally given for each day.

Good hunting!

Ron

[GraemeClarke]

Hi Louise,

Carrying on from Ron's excellent posting

Young records in his book

184 Company. Formed 26 November 1914. Disbanded April-June 1919. On Western front with 21st Division. War Diary WO/95 2149 and 2150

The War Diaries, unfortunately, are not downloadable,

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C7353154

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_q=WO+95%2F2150

Regards,

Graeme

[loujn]

Hello and thank you all very much for your replies and excellent information.

Sorry I have not received any notification of your replies, hence the delay in my response.

I will now go and work my way through all of your suggestions

[loujn]

I have attached a copy of the top section of Goldstream Coe's service records.

Waggoner - there are some letters pre-fixing the service number but I cannot be sure what it says.

It does state in the top right that it was Horse Transport.

[loujn]

I have just downloaded the ASC book by Michael Young onto kindle. Thanks for the suggestions.

Unfortunately I will not be visiting Kew, but it will be on my list of to do's when I get there. I will keep a look out on TNA to see if they add the diaries (fingers crossed).

Thank you all.

[Waggoner]

Looks like a "T4" prefix to me. Definitely, horse transport.

All the best,

Gary

[loujn]

Thank you waggoner