No.1 CACRU

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Received the following in email... can someone look this up for me?

SIR(S):

I AM WORKING ON THE BIO. OF RELATIVE WHO SERVED WITH 4PLDG AND WAS KIA IN ITALY-45.

HE WAS WITH 1 CACRU (u.k.)IN 1943 BEFORE BEING SHIPPED TO N. AFRICA TO BASE REINFORCEMT. DEPOT THERE AND FINALLY TO ITALY.

1) WHERE WAS 1 CACRU IN U.K.? WHAT TOWN ETC.

2)WHAT DID THEY DO IN REINFCMT. UNITS? CAN YOU SUGGEST ANYTHING I COULD READ OR VIEW ON THIS TOPIC?

MUCH APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU CAN GIVE ME. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND MUCH IN THE MANY BOOKS I HAVE READ

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
can someone look this up for me?

Here's a lead: Heavy Support Squadron (company) 1942

H.

[servicepub (RIP)]

RUs existed to accept men from Canada who had passed their basic training at a TC (Training Centre) but were not yet 'fully' trained. While at the RU their soldiers skills were improved to the point where they could effectively work in a combat unit. I this sense the RU acted as the Combat Arms School.
The RUs also existed as holding units to retain these men until vacancies occurred in the fighting units. As Canada suffered a chronic shortage of men during the war the 'holding' aspect of an RU was not its prime function.
Each Corps (Armd, Infantry, Engineers, etc...) had its own RU as well as 5 general RUs (named A, B, C,...)

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Received the following in email... can someone look this up for me?..........

HE WAS WITH 1 CACRU (u.k.)IN 1943 BEFORE BEING SHIPPED TO N. AFRICA TO BASE REINFORCEMT. DEPOT THERE AND FINALLY TO ITALY.

1) WHERE WAS 1 CACRU IN U.K.? WHAT TOWN ETC.

2)WHAT DID THEY DO IN REINFCMT. UNITS? CAN YOU SUGGEST ANYTHING I COULD READ OR VIEW ON THIS TOPIC?

To add to what Clive posted:

- No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit was located within the Aldershot-Bordon (Hampshire) area (the Cdn Base area), haven't found the exact Camp/Barracks they were located in

- No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit was Authorized: Effective 1 Apr 42 and Disbanded: Effective 30 Jun 45, in the United Kingdom

- No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit held reinforcements for the Reconnaissance and Armoured Car units of the C.A.C.

- all Armoured Corps officers and men coming from the Schools/Training Centres in Canada, were first posted to one of the three CACRUs until they were needed as replacements in the units. Each one of the three CACRUs held a regiment's worth of equipment each, so that training could be carried on with.

Suggested further reading can be found here

Cheers

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thanks Mark et all. I've passed along the information with an invitation to join the forum himself if he's so inclined.