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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Internal Combustion Driver


clivefarmer

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My father in law's service records show his trade on enlistment as 'driver' and in 1918 he was transferred from an infantry battalion to the ASC as an internal combustion driver . Does anyone know how many men with internal combustion driving skills were in the army in 1918 ? I would guess not many because  agriculture still relied almost entirely on horses and ownership of cars was for the wealthy . Of course there were steam driven vehicles but the skills needed for this type of vehicle were quite different 

Look forward to any comments

 

Clive Farmert

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I don't know much about the subject, but when I was looking at some ASC MT men recently, I noted that the 1911 census appeared to show 18,000 chauffeurs and 6,000 motor drivers, as well as 4000 motor mechanics.

 

I expect the ASC drew heavily from this pool.

 

 

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My grandpa was a chauffeur before and after the war and served as an MT driver in the ASC along with many men in similar occupations. He found army MT a comedown, of course.

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Clive,

 

The National Archives/MIC lists almost 147,000 ASC men with "M" prefixes. Most transport, above division level, was motorized. 

 

All the best,

 

Gary

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With regards to the numbers, I have a Mons Star trio with MID to CMT/147 John Herbert Ebers, there is also a Charles Barbee with CMT/16 who was involved in a libel case, but I cannot find any reference to CMT /1.

Anyone?

 

John

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These were prewar numbers issued to members of the "C" class MT reserve. It coukd well be that the holder of number CMT/1 did not seve during the war.

 

All the best,

 

Gary

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4 hours ago, Knotty said:

but I cannot find any reference to CMT /1.

 

Edward James Francis Hardingham, Discharged 26/4/16, para 154 (xii) which I believe was time expired.

 

He has service papers, and he was a motor driver.

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Driver training and testing was done at Grove Park/ To pass I think the test was done on 6 different vehicles.

Going back to the OP, busses were engine driven and many were sent to France.

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18 minutes ago, IPT said:

 

Edward James Francis Hardingham, Discharged 26/4/16, para 154 (xii) which I believe was time expired.

 

He has service papers, and he was a motor driver.

 

I thank you sir, will have a good look tomorrow.

 

John

 

 

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RAMC had motor ambulances RA had gun tractors. RFC had plane transporters,

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In more modern times the ambulances with RAMC units were RASC vehicles. I do not know if this was the principle in WW1 but suspect it was and that it also applied to some of the vehicles used to move heavy artillery

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Certainly the ASC drove the RAMC vehicles. Interestingly [to me!] the ASC men were the only ones armed [apart from RAMC officers with pistols] and responsible for any protection of the Field Ambulance that might be necessary. This shows clearly in posed Fd Amb. group photographs.

 

ASC drivers [horse] were also attached to infantry and cavalry units as a matter of course. They drove the heavier wagons.

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