“Ammunition Sub Park” was a functional secondary title for certain Mechanical Transport Companies of the ASC. It was in essence a fleet of lorries and a workshop for maintaining them. A Sub Park was under command of the Lines of Communication but usually attached for operational purposes to a Division and acted as part of that Division’s supply chain. It would usually be grouped with two others and a small headquarters to form a Corps Ammunition Park.
The Sub Park was typically equipped with the Maudslay 3-ton lorry. Its ammunition carrying capacity was 280 rounds of 13-pounder shells, 280 rounds of 15-pounder, 225 rounds of 18-pounder, 120 rounds of 4.5-inch howitzer, 150 rounds of 5-inch howitzer and 800,000 rounds of small arms ammunition (744,000 if used by a Territorial Division – not clear why).
The composition and structure of the Ammunition Sub Park
as defined in VI Corps orders in July 1915
For a Regular Division
Personnel
Headquarters:
- 2 Officers (Major in command, Captain in charge of workshops)
- 1 Warrant Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants
- 12 Artificers
- 74 Rank and File (plus 1 attached)
Number 1 Section:
- 1 Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants (plus 1 attached)
- 38 Rank and File (plus 18 attached)
Number 2 Section:
- 1 Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants
- 36 Rank and File (plus 17 attached)
Transport
Carrying 280 rounds of 13-pounder, 3600 rounds of 18-pounder, 480 rounds of 4.5-inch howitzer and 960,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.
Headquarters:
- 8 3-ton lorries (2 for First Aid, 3 for artillery and engineers stores, 5 spare) (personnel includes 20 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
- 6 motor cycles, of which 2 with sidecars
- 1 workshop lorry (personnel includes 2 Mechanical Transport drivers for this lorry)
- 1 stores lorry (personnel includes 2 Mechanical Transport drivers for this lorry)
Number 1 Section:
- 17 3-ton lorries (1 for 13-pounder and 16 for 18-pounder rounds) (personnel includes 34 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
Number 2 Section:
- 16 3-ton lorries (4 for 4.5-inch rounds, 12 for small arms ammunition)(personnel includes 32 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
For a Territorial Division
Personnel
Headquarters:
- 2 Officers (Major in command, Captain in charge of workshops)
- 1 Warrant Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants
- 12 Artificers
- 69 Rank and File (plus 1 attached)
Number 1 Section:
- 1 Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants (plus 1 attached)
- 26 Rank and File (plus 12 attached)
Number 2 Section:
- 1 Officer
- 2 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants (plus 1 attached)
- 36 Rank and File (plus 17 attached)
Transport
Headquarters:
- 8 3-ton lorries (2 for First Aid, 3 for artillery and engineers stores, 5 spare) (personnel includes 20 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
- 6 motor cycles, of which 2 with sidecars
- 1 stores lorry (personnel includes 2 Mechanical Transport drivers for this lorry)
Number 1 Section:
- 11 3-ton lorries (1 for 13-pounder, 10 for 15-pounder rounds) (personnel includes 22 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
Number 2 Section:
- 15 3-ton lorries (6 for 5-inch rounds, 9 for small arms ammunition)
- 1 30-cwt lorry (for for small arms ammunition) (personnel includes 32 Mechanical Transport drivers for these lorries)
- 1 motor car (personnel includes 1 Mechanical Transport driver for this car)
Links
Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport units