[Railway reconstruction Italy 1943-1946 published by Royal Engineers, 1946]

Chapter I
ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION EFFORT

Section II.
Regimental Organisation

7. - R.A.S.C. Transport Units.

Right from the very beginning of the campaign it was obvious that if Railway Construction Group were to operate efficiently, considerable assistance in road haulage of materials would have to be obtained from outside sources. It was decided by the Theatre Command that such assistance would have to be given on a temporary basis in respect of individual projects and could not be made as a permanent allocation. Later on in the campaign, by bidding for transport for extended projects which could not be immediately completed owing to the tactical situation, and also by bidding for transport for future projects before existing projects were completed, a measure of permanence was secured in transport allocation. Eventually towards the end of the campaign. Theatre Command accepted the fact that Railway Construction must have a permanent allocation of R.A.S.C. transport attached, and then they merely required a justification and revision of holding to be made from time to time as the situation varied.

Loans of small quantities of transport for short periods were normally arranged successfully by R.C.Es. direct with local Areas or Army Commands.

During the Spring of 1945 the additional R.A.S.C. transport employed on Railway Construction attained its maximum level of 400 lorries 3 ton, 15 lorries 10 ton and 49 tank transporters. At this time three groups were heavily engaged on line reconstruction, and one group on provision of terminal facilities and maintenance.

This statement takes no account of the American section of M.R.S. who made their own arrangements for transport assistance through American channels.

[Railway reconstruction Italy 1943-1946 published by Royal Engineers, 1946]

Alessandro Tuzza