2 replies to this topic

[Barbie]

Hi folks,
My great uncle, Philip Becker, was in Bangalore in 1918, according to 2 photos I have of him with that info written above the photo. He is in uniform. On his attestation papers it says he was in the Army Service Corp.
Can anyone tell me what they were doing there?
thanks,
Barb

[Westfield]

Just to let you know that someone else is interested in Bangalore!  I've been searching for years and your post is the first one I have seen that refers to it.

My father was in a Field Coy. R.E.  He was stationed at Gaza Camp, Bangalore 1917-1919. He trained horses - presumably for the Mesapotamian Campaign.

[michaeldr]

'The Royal Army Service Corps' Vol.II, by Col R H Beadon CBE psc [reprint currently available from the N & M Press] has a chapter on the Corps in India – ch. XV, pp  457-486
The first ASC units were sent there in May 1916 (arrived June 4th) at a time when it was thought that the Indian equivalent, the Supply and Transport Corps, was not up to scratch – "The war in Mesopotamia quickly proved the shortcomings of the organization … for a campaign of this magnitude where the conditions differed from the accustomed ones. It was just after the fall of Kut el Amara that it was decided to send some Army Service Corps units to India."

The ASC Personnel Depot was established at Bangalore 'a year following the advent of the service companies.' (mid-1917?) This was done by ASC 871 Depot Company and their file at the Nat Archives is WO 95/5390

Good luck
Michael


ps: [original post 20 January 2010 - 01:10 AM]   Sorry I missed this first time
And sorry that I have no info on the Sappers in Bangalore

Edited by michaeldr, 16 September 2011 - 10:08 AM.