Thanks Susan !!
Looks like my friend Redvers Buller is in the middle of things again ! .... lets wait for the guys that know these things !!!!!
The Army Service Corps (1888)
Between 1878 and 1885 only 3 extra transport Companies were raised and in order to meet a War Office Mobilisation Plan the ASC was expanded to 2 cadres each by the splitting-up of the majority of the existing transport Companies. The Quartermaster General, Sir Redvers Buller, drew attention to the need to reform the supply and transport service and of the serious shortage of subalterns.
Under Buller's initiative, the Commissariat and Transport Staff and Corps were replaced by a wholly combatant branch of the Army, to be called by the old name, Army Service Corps. An officer would join when young, make transport and supply his career and his pay, promotion etc would be fixed along the lines of the Royal Engineers.
The appointment of the Commissary General was abolished and ASC officers were entitled to become part of the Quartermaster General's staff, including the Assistant Quartermaster General. The first to hold this post was Colonel H S E Reeves.
During the 10 years which followed the formation of the new ASC it was never actually put to the test in large enough numbers in order to determine its abilities in a theatre of war.
By 1898 the ASC had formed into Brigades and Divisions and had finally taken shape developing a regimental identity and an esprit de corps Much of the credit for this was due to Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Grattan, commanding the ASC at Aldershot. It was he who was responsible for the Corps motto and it was his idea to publish the Corps Journal in 1891.
Annie
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Topic: Omdurman (Read 4037 times)