RAF Motor Transport Companies in WW2

[LarryH57]

Where might I find out about RAF MT Companies in WW2?

I have seen evidence that there was at least No.1 to No.51 but I guess there were more at home and abroad.

There may have been some that operated railways but whether that was in ammunition depots I do not know.

There doesn't seem to be an RAF Group that controlled these independent MT Companies, and photos of them show just the MT number and no Group number

I intially thought that 44 (Transport) Group, that used the letter V was for Motor Transport, but it was for the import and transportation of aircraft from USA. Why it needed a specual Group letter V is not known to me.

This is some of No 4 MT Company in WW2 at what is the National Trust house at Cliveden (correction it's Hughenden Manor) . The archivist would be interested to recreate this photo if anyone has camouflaged vehicles of the same type, including a Studebaker, which I am told is a US6  6x4  5 ton Tender used primarily on roads?

Edited July 19, 2023 by LarryH57

[ted angus]

They started off in 40 group,  by January 1943 they formed a stand alone Wing Within Maint Command- 54 Wing.  In the pic you posted I believe the Hillman and Bedford MW were unit vehicles and just the Stude was No 4 MT.  used for delivering maps that were produced there.   The pic you posted is taken at the rear of Hughenden Manor.  That stable area is now a visitor cafe  TED

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by ted angus

[ted angus]

For your info 44 group was part of transport command  not just the import of ac but it was transport commands strategic group, as opposed to 38 group which was tactical. Ted

[RAFMT]

Further to Ted's response, I don't believe all the numbers were issued, blocks would have been reserved for particular uses but the changing nature of the war meant planned units were never formed.

V was the command code for Transport Command, as Ted alluded to, and not specific to 44 Group.

RAF railways were an odd beast, but essentially they existed only at particular depots/stations, and were the responsibility of that facility.

I did have, somewhere around here in one of my files, a list of MT companies. If I can find it, I'll post it up here.

[LarryH57]

Thanks Ted and Bryan. Firstly I knew it was Hughenden Manor, as I have been to this National Trust property many times and they have started to create a Musuem, as they only discovered in recent years (the early noughties) that the property was used by the RAF unit that made the target maps for Bomber Command in WW2, and only learnt this when an elderly ex-RAF serviceman was showing members of his family around and started to explain to them what was located 'here and there' during his time, during WW2.  Pre Covid they used to have an military themed event of sorts.

So to recap V was used as the Group letter (like B/1 or F/11) for all Transport Command vehicles, so I guess V/38 and V/44 existed.

The Studebaker is a US6 6x4 Tender, 5 Ton and is not the 6x6 version as the front axle is not driven.

However I wonder if there is a list of MT Wings and the M.T. Squadrons or Companies they contolled and how many per Wing?

Were they mixed so as to confuse enemy intelligence or did No.1 M.T. Wing control Nos 1 to 4 M.T.  Squardon (or Company) and No 2 M.T. Wing control No 5 M.T. Sqn / Company to No 9 M.T. Sqn / Company and so on?

[ted angus]

Larry     V is the command letter for Transport Command- so yes V /38 etc. . I dont think there were MT wings other than 54 wing in the UK. In the middle east there was 51 mt company , i think there were others but i hope Bryan finds his list.   Ted

[billh35]

In his excellent book "The British Bus in the Second World War" John Howie (who is a member of this site) writes on Page 34: "The RAF had 700 buses of their own plus 350 on hire" in December 1941. How were these organised and allocated. Is there anywhere I can find out more information on these vehicles?

Does anyone have a copy of The National Archives, AIR 2/5379, RAF Motor Transport Companies: Report by ACM Sir Hugh Dowding (G.S. 12416), S.D.155/1940 (717-718) – Formation of M.T. Companies dated 13 July 1940

 

Edited January 30 by billh35

[ted angus]

Marking for No 4 MT company, based in London.

[billh35]

Some background information here -  https://www.rafmtd.co.uk/mtcoys/mtcoys.html

 

[rupert condick]

Hi 

I may be a bit off here, but is there a list of RAF transport unit numbers.

example below

As I am still trying to Identify this.

For Austin Ambulance, the RAF being the few that used a / on there vehicles.

the 7/ positive the rest mmmm

regs

Rupert

[LarryH57]

Is this an Austin K2 ambulance in your colour photos?

In 'WW2' the RAF received just 42 Austin K2s Ambulances in late 1945 so technically not WW2 but postwar Britain.

The last letter looks like an M  but I agree the numbers before the / are hard to interpret

[rupert condick]

Hi

Yes its an 1941 Austin K2Y ambulance,

the latest batch i get for the RAF is contract 23/1782, 23/7/1943 for 42 Ambulances.

the last one being made C 1/02/1945.

can you send me the information you have. as contract,

i found contract  S.3165 was broken up and a mix of RAF and RN vehicles made up.

 

As for the end of WW2 those that signed up for the duration got out in 1947.

mind you WW I did not finish officially   until the 1980"s or so I cannot remember the exact year.

 

 

 

[RAFMT]

There should not a be a letter after the slash. The letter indicated the command, in the example above M for Maintenance Command. The number after the slash was the number of the Group to which the station/unit belonged.

If it really does say "7/" it is very unlikely to be an RAF marking I'm afraid. 

[rupert condick]

Cheers Bryan,

But of along shot, cuts the list down thought,

I think I will have to look at Causality Clearing Stations, as there unit codes were spilt (/)

maybe   7/L (7th Amb. Div. 8th Army), still guessing,

regs

Rupert