Some RCASC pictures

cmperry4 · #1 22-08-05, 09:55

The aunt of a friend of mine gave him her late husband's photo album and some of his military gear. He was a senior officer in the RCASC with the 1st Canadian Div. on Operation Husky and in Italy, then later it seems he was at Canadian Army HQ in England.

My friend scanned in a few of the pics and sent them along, and would be most interested in learning anything about them.

The RCASC officer Len Pease is mentioned a few times in the official RCASC history, Wait for the Waggon.

Here is Len Pease with a famous figure - troops look like 1st Cdn Army troops? Date? Location?

cmperry4 · #2 22-08-05, 10:00

Pic 1

cmperry4 · #3 22-08-05, 10:02

Some sort of bond drive - when and where? What type of bike and wrecker - bonus points for ID'ing all the ammo - note formation signs on the bond drive sign. This could be somewhere in Italy.

cmperry4 · #4 22-08-05, 10:05

Somewhere in Italy, obviously. That Carabinieri officer looks pretty important - was there an accident. Note the mix of Canadian and Italian personnel - and ID on the truck hidden behind the people?

cmperry4 · #5 22-08-05, 10:08

Mud somewhere in England perhaps, or is this the muddy Savio valley? - note style on jeep windshield - C-RASC, not RCASC - indicating what?

cmperry4 · #6 22-08-05, 10:11

A couple of officers and their Jeep. Looks like Len Pease on the left - big cheese on the right. Same Jeep as the mud shot?

cliff · #7 22-08-05, 10:28

The wrecker holding the motorbike in Photo 2 is a Diamond T

cheers
Cliff

Keith Webb · #8 22-08-05, 11:05

On the right is a 4X2 - looks like a F15.

Jon Skagfeld · #9 24-08-05, 02:29

Quote:

Originally posted by cmperry4
Mud somewhere in England perhaps, or is this the muddy Savio valley? - note style on jeep windshield - C-RASC, not RCASC - indicating what?

Might the reference "C RASC" refer to "Commander (British) Royal Army Service Corps", much like CRA (Commander, Royal Artillery)?

cmperry4 · #10 24-08-05, 04:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Might the reference "C RASC" refer to "Commander (British) Royal Army Service Corps", much like CRA (Commander, Royal Artillery)?

I thought of that, but as Pease was Canadian, I would expect it might take the form C-RCASC I'm not sure how things would have been styled. If that pic is from when 1st Cdn Div is under 8th Army would that be the usage. For some reason I was thinking that picture might have been taken in England later on, not when Pease was in Italy.

What do the formation signs tell us?

Steve Guthrie · #11 24-08-05, 04:53

Hi there

Assuming it's Italy, the markings are for HQ, 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

The vehicle may well be assigned to the Commander, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in the Division even though it refers to RASC. The head sapper in Canadian divisions was known as the CRE, not CRCE. Likewise, the top gunner was CRA, not CRCA.

Steve

Jon Skagfeld · #12 24-08-05, 06:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Guthrie
Hi there

Assuming it's Italy, the markings are for HQ, 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

The vehicle may well be assigned to the Commander, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in the Division even though it refers to RASC. The head sapper in Canadian divisions was known as the CRE, not CRCE. Likewise, the top gunner was CRA, not CRCA.

Steve

Again, assuming Italy c Aug 1942...

The unit sign could be any of the following...

HQ 1 Cdn Div
1 Div Int Sec
1 Div Field Security Section
D & E Platoon (Lorne Scots)
HQ 1 Div Arty
Comd 1 Div RCASC...(that seems to make sense)
HQ 1 Div RCE
15 LAD
4 PLDG
68 LAD
"C" Section Signals

(All of the above info courtesy Barry Belham's "Canadian Vehicle Markings", Vol 1, Ed 4.)

cmperry4 · #13 24-08-05, 08:33

"The vehicle may well be assigned to the Commander, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in the Division even though it refers to RASC. The head sapper in Canadian divisions was known as the CRE, not CRCE. Likewise, the top gunner was CRA, not CRCA."

That would make sense.

As far as I can recall from "Wait for the Waggon" Len Pease was the OC of the 1 Div RCASC, or near to it - which would also account for why he is escorting the King during the inspection. If anyone on MLU has the book, there are two or three mentions of him. I'll have to dig it out of the library. When my friend first showed me Pease's photo album, I checked the book out and found the references to him, and passed this info on. It turned out his widow who lives in Vancouver, had not known the book existed and tracked down a copy from a used book dealer. She was very pleased to find the mention of her late husband in it. She had been overseas herself where they met, and later married.