Pete Ashby Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 (edited) I'm currently doing some research on the issue of new vehicles to UK forces during WW2 and have come across several references to a main RAOC depot 'somewhere in the Midlands' the depot operated as a central hub for subsidiary RAOC depots all around the UK Does anyone know where this main depot was located please ? Thanks Pete Edited April 26, 2016 by Pete Ashby Finger faster than the brain trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Pete I think you mean RAOC. Stores would be split according to the nature of the stores. COD Chilwell - MT Organization COD Donnington - Warlike Stores Organization COD Didcot - General Stores Organization Each organisation having its own network of subsidiary stores. This was the system in 1952 so I doubt it had changed much from wartime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militant-nick Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I think the old CVD Hilton, Derbyshire near me was post war so probably not that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Pete I think you mean RAOC. Stores would be split according to the nature of the stores. COD Chilwell - MT Organization COD Donnington - Warlike Stores Organization COD Didcot - General Stores Organization Each organisation having its own network of subsidiary stores. This was the system in 1952 so I doubt it had changed much from wartime. Thank you Clive, yes I did indeed mean RAOC :blush: numpty that I am, fingers faster than the brain I'm afraid. Interesting reply as ever, I think you may have answered another question that I had regarding General Stores. Regards Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 26, 2016 Author Share Posted April 26, 2016 In my wanderings around the web today looking for more detail on this subject I came across this link I post it here for general information http://www.philwilliamswriter.co.uk/2015_09_01_archive.html for those interested in early British trucks it could be an interesting read when published Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Pete that certainly looks an interesting book, although I hope it distinguishes between the types of stores at different depots & sub-depots & not assume all supplied vehicles. Anyway we'll see. I hope some of that detail will be revealed in this, which I was lucky enough to win last night. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Army-Ordnance-Regulations-1940-RAOC-RLC-Large-Manual-/371605320171?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=Sa1zDxUk2K73EWJzAYGtqsX9Z7s%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 HQ and RAOC main depot was Central Ordnance Depot Chilwell Nottinghamshire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 Thanks for the reply Degsy the reason for asking is that in the unit diary I'm currently working with there is a passing comment about sending a detachment to collect 'new vehicles from a main RAOC Depot in the Midlands'. The unit at this time was forming up in Rushmore Arena so as it's quite a trek up to the Midlands I assumed it was not a sub depot. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Thanks for the reply Degsy the reason for asking is that in the unit diary I'm currently working with there is a passing comment about sending a detachment to collect 'new vehicles from a main RAOC Depot in the Midlands'. The unit at this time was forming up in Rushmore Arena so as it's quite a trek up to the Midlands I assumed it was not a sub depot. Pete Hi Pete, When Chilwell vehicle depot was full, another vehicle storage area was opened at nearby Donington Park (the race circuit). There was a good book published in the Eighties with the history of the Chilwell depot from its beginnings in 1915 as the National Shell Filling Factory. It is called "The Chilwell Story". regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 That's interesting Richard, as there is a single line entry that says 'detachment returned from Leicestershire with new vehicles', I believe that Donnington is in the north of the county. Present day Chilwell is in Nottinghamshire the thought occurs was it always, or was it a victim of county boundary moves in the 1970's? I can feel a Google coming on. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Pete, AFAIK Chilwell has always been in Notts, it certainly was in the Fifties when I went there to visit relatives. ISTR that there was a massive explosion at the shell factory that Richard mentions which resulted in a massive loss of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 In that case it looks like the vehicles may well have come from Donington Park this was in July 1942 Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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