'B' Echelon: The Fort Garry Horse

(63)
Sherman tanks of The Fort Garry Horse,
South Beveland, The Netherlands

'B' Echelon

The Following text appears to be an extraction from a field report (date unknown) and
is presented in the first person to retain the flavour of the original.

This echelon is usually 15 to 20 miles in rear of A Echelon. This is the most desireable distance and once further back than this Administration becomes sluggish. Errors or omissions cannot be speedily checked and rectified. We have on several occasions, though, during the pursuit phase and one special op had our B Echelon 30 to 40 miles back. This, however, for any longer than a few days, is not a satisfactory practise and must be avoided. Another difficult situation is when an armoured regiment is under command of an infantry division and still has to look up his own BMA for sups. Especially when Brigade is under command of another corps and is 75 miles away. This has occurred in a recent ops and B Echelon has to arrange MPs with RCASC 25 to 30 miles away.

Tank Delivery System

All tanks come into B Echelon from the armoured delivery regiment. Here they are kitted and passed on to A Echelon. At A Echelon they are documented and the tanks are turned over to the fitters for checking while while being checked they are allotted by RHQ to squadrons. Squadron SSMs then fuel, ammunition, and ration the tanks and take them forward to their F Echelon. If the tanks are not fully crewed upon arrival the crews are completed from a pool of tank crews held in A Echelon. The pool has proved invaluable as squadrons are constantly needing the odd crew member, because of wounds, accidents and sickness. Dehorsed crews are sent through A Echelon to B Echelon and thence to Fwd Del Sqn to get another tank.

Petrol-Ammunition-Supplies

Nothing much to be said about petrol, ammunition and supplies as they come forward without any difficulty.

Intelligence System

It has been found to pay dividends to keep everyone fully in the picture as to what goes on not only on the immediate front but elsewhere. Every possible bit of information is passed except future intentions. Future intentions are passed only when it is operationally necessary except officers who must be kept in the picture. A very good system has been developed by the Intelligence Officer of holding daily Intelligence Groups to all echelons except B. An excellent Intelligence Office has been made in a lorry 3 ton. This office also distributes the maps. It has been found that the squadron Intelligence L/Cpl can do his best work for the F Echelon if he is in the A Echelon rather than as a tank crew member. In this way he works with the Intelligence Officer and makes daily trips to the squadron F Echelon with the SSM taking up the sups. He gives I ops to the tank crews and takes up maps as required. He also keeps up the squadron leaders map.

Baggage and Kit

Baggage trucks are kept in B Echelon and are brought forward to F Echelon when squadrons are out of battle and can use them and get a bath. Kit of deceased is handled by comd B Echelon in the case of officers and QM from the squadrons concerned in the case of Other Ranks.

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© Chris Johnson, 1997