Divisional Supply Column 23rd (Northumbrian) Division 1940.

The War Diary for this unit covers the months of April and May 1940 only.

The form for April has what appears to be a sheet missing, as there are no entries after 13th April and before the end of the month. The covering form for May is missing altogether although the front sheet for April is annotated ...."owing to enormous pressure of work during this period, it was found impossible to keep a fuller War Diary".

This latter comment is perhaps more understandable when it is appreciated that the unit had only two officers - the commander - Captain G.R.W.Plews-Lipsett and 2/Lt K.C.Bailey - who spent a large part of the time on detached duties.

Addlestone - 3rd April 1940

Captain Plews-Lipsett of the RASC assumed command of "A" Echelon(Modified)23rd Division Supply Column and was given instructions from his HQ at Chertsey to assist in mobilising 183rd and 186th Field Ambulances, two Employment Platoons and two Field Hygiene Sections with RASC vehicles and personnel.

The vehicles were collected from the Motor Transport Supply Depot on the 4th and 5th of April.

Between the 6th and 10th of April the mobilisation process and the collection and issuing of stores continued. Over this period Capt Plews-Lipsett expresses his gratitude to the Commandant of the RASC's No 1 Training Centre in providing Anti-Gas and Weapon Training for sixteen of his men. It is not explained why this was necessary but it is possible that these were relatively new recruits to the RASC, or were reservists needing some refresher training.

11th April 1940

2/Lt K.C.Bailey with six Other Ranks, accommodated in a Fordson 15cwt van, formed an Advance Party of the Divisional Supply Column and departed for the port of embarkation.

A column of vehicles was despatched from Addlestone to Darlington (23rd Divisional HQ) via Catterick including the transport for 186th Field Ambulance, 33rd Field Hygiene Section and 45 Employment Platoon. The journey was expected to take two days.

13th April 1940

183rd Field Ambulance, 46th Employment Platoon and 32nd Field Hygiene Section, together with the 46th Division HQ vehicles, left to join their Divisional Headquarters. This was one of the other Divisions formed for Labour Duties on the Lines of Communication in France and Flanders. An Appendix to the War Diary sets out the manpower of each element, together with the number and types of vehicles. The RASC manpower provided the drivers for the vehicles for each unit and sub-unit - in some instances this was simply one man per vehicle.

15th April 1940

Captain Plews-Lipsett set out, in a single-page order, the arrangements for moving the Divisional Supply Column from Addlestone to Southampton for embarkation to join the B.E.F. Attached to this order, however, is a very detailed Appendix, setting out the details of type, WD Number, Chassis Number,Engine Number, Tyre size and Military Class for every vehicle in the column. From this we note that they had eleven Fordson 15 cwt Vans (including one with the Advance Party), seven A.J.S. solo motorcycles, fourteen Bedford 3-ton OY trucks, two Bedford 30 cwt OX lorries, a Thorneycroft Breakdown truck, a one-ton Fordson lorry, a Humber Snipe staff car, an Austin 8hp staff car and a Water Tank Trailer. The lorries and motorcycles have WD numbers which are either consecutive or relatively close together, which supports the mention in the War Diary that they were freshly drawn from the Vehicle Stores Depot - perhaps brand new?

24th April 1940

Divisional HQ issued their Administration Order No. 15 (this is one of the orders missing from the Divisional War Diary) setting out detailed instructions for the move of the Division from the assembly area to their locations across Northern France - by both road and rail. These Orders are useful material in that they set out the units involved, and where they are located. In terms of 70 Brigade it can be seen that the Brigade HQ was being set up initially at HERLINGCOURT, with 10th and 11th DLI at NUNCQ, together with two Sections of the 507th Field Company, Royal Engineers, and 1 Tyneside Scottish at BEAUVOIR with a further Section of 507th Field Company.

The Orders give detailed instructions on vehicle speed and density, command arrangements, baggage handling and anti-aircraft protection with provision for Traffic Control by the Divisional Provost Company.

27th April 1940

Captain Plews-Lipsett issued a detailed order for the movement of the Divisional Supply Column from BOLBEC on 28th April to arrive at BEAUDRICOURT N2197 on 29th April, involving an overnight halt at BLANGY M6465.

The vehicles were separated into eight groups and were expected to travel at a speed of 15 Miles in the hour at a density of 10 vehicles per mile of road. Arrangements were made for anti-aircraft and anti-tank defence, using Boys Anti-Tank Rifles and Bren Guns. Each man was issued with five rounds and rations for three days. Two French liaison officers accompanied the Column. (It may seem strange to modern readers that such a column was expected to take two full days for a journey of only 128 miles).

30th April 1940

Various detailed organisational changes were documented in the War Diary - generally to do with which RASC unit would be supporting which Division, and to which Corps or GHQ Supply Column the Divisional Supply Column would work.

Captain Plews-Lipsett writes warmly of the morale and work capacity of his men throughout April. He also mentions that the men and vehicles of the Divisional Postal unit (one sergeant, ten men and three vehicles) were taken on to the strength of his unit at the end of the month.

The order setting out the organisational arrangements and links, and the locations of fuel and ordnance depots, was signed by Major P.R. GOLDINGHAM RASC who was Commander RASC 23rd Division.

May 1940

As there is no War Diary text for the month of May, but only some pages of the staffing returns, all we know directly of the activities of the unit is that they had the two officers mentioned, a French Liaison Officer (Lt Pierre Grimal), two Warrant Officers, 3 sergeants, sixteen Corporals and ninety-four men, including those from the Postal Unit.

Our only knowledge of their activities, during those crucial weeks, comes from mentions of transport activities in the War Diaries of other units of the Division, and of Divisional HQ itself.

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