Beans and Bullets...

[exXIX]

Hi all, this may be a bone question but...I have been trying to search for information relating to the supply and logistics of the Western Front, so far frustratingly. I have a particular interest in 50th Northumbrian Div, looking for maps and information showing supply points, railheads etc. Is there any information about scales of issue for the different units in the TNA as I so far haven't found much...I want to piece together an imaginary journey of, say ammunition from port of despatch, to base, railhead, supply points and the forms for its issue. ANY help would prevent me from having a continuous hissy fit at the dearth of information...Cheers peeps Every Little Helps as they say...

[BradleyShoebottom]

Try these sources before you dive into War Diaries etc in the order I have listed them:

Maginniss, Clem. An Unappreciated Field of Endeavour: Logistics and the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front 1914-1918. Solihull, West Midlands, England: Helion and Company, 2018.

Brown, Ian Malcolm. British Logistics on the Western Front, 1914-1919. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. 

Henniker, Alan Major, and James E Edmonds. Transportation on the Western Front 1914-1918. History of the Great War. London: H.M.S.O., 1937.

Fortescue, J. W, and R. H Beadon. The Royal Army Service Corps: A History of Transport and Supply in the British Army. Cambridge: Printed at the University Press, 1930.

 

When you have read the above, then look for the Administrative War Diaries (DA&QMG) for the Division/corps/armies that interest you. Railheads and dump locations are often noted in the appendices for each month.

 

I am working on my PhD on this subject for the Canadian Corps, focusing on from the broad guage railhead to the exchange with battalion transport, ie Corps and Div level transportation.

 

Bradley Shoebottom bradley.shoebottom@unb.ca

 

 

 

[Howard]

For railheads etc. havde a look at some of the maps on TrenchMapper. For example, if you right click, choose Map ID Jump and use ID m_5_003303

Name: Mont de Cats (Administrative)
Sheet: [Not recorded]
Scale: 1:40,000
Edition: Feb 1918
Secret. Two sheets taped together, Mont de Cats and Passchendaele Ridge Army administration situation map. Printed 1/02/1918
Id: m_5_003303

There are quite a few railway specific maps in the collection.

Howard

[exXIX]

On 08/03/2023 at 00:30, BradleyShoebottom said:

Try these sources before you dive into War Diaries etc in the order I have listed them:

Maginniss, Clem. An Unappreciated Field of Endeavour: Logistics and the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front 1914-1918. Solihull, West Midlands, England: Helion and Company, 2018.

Brown, Ian Malcolm. British Logistics on the Western Front, 1914-1919. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. 

Henniker, Alan Major, and James E Edmonds. Transportation on the Western Front 1914-1918. History of the Great War. London: H.M.S.O., 1937.

Fortescue, J. W, and R. H Beadon. The Royal Army Service Corps: A History of Transport and Supply in the British Army. Cambridge: Printed at the University Press, 1930.

 

When you have read the above, then look for the Administrative War Diaries (DA&QMG) for the Division/corps/armies that interest you. Railheads and dump locations are often noted in the appendices for each month.

 

I am working on my PhD on this subject for the Canadian Corps, focusing on from the broad guage railhead to the exchange with battalion transport, ie Corps and Div level transportation.

 

Bradley Shoebottom bradley.shoebottom@unb.ca

 

 

 

Thanks very much, I will certainly look them up, didn't know about Admin War diaries, thanks I'll keep you all posted....XIX