Service Arm
It is important when embarking on Military Research to understand the concept of the "Service Arm".
The army is divided in various "arms" or branches. Each has a responsibility within the Army infrastructure in the similiar way corporations are divided in Departments. Many of these units would be assigned where required to the Field Army.
| Royal Artillery | Responsible for Fire Support ,Anti-Aircraft and Anti-tank |
| Infantry | The PBI "Poor Bloody Infanry". The Foot soldier.(US Grunt). |
| Airborne | Paratroopers and Airmobile Infantry such as Glider Troops (Generally treated as Infantry) |
| Royal Engineers | Responsible for such matters as bridge building ,mine-laying,disposal of unexploded munitions etc. (In WW2 these units were generally assigned to Divisions in the form of either "Field" or "Bridging" Companies. |
| Royal Armoured Corps | With the exception of Self-Propelled guns which are the responsibility of the Royal Artillery ,the Royal Armoured Corps is responsible for the tanks and armoured vehicles. |
| Royal Corps of Signals | Responsible for communications (Each Infantry Battalion also has its own communications |
| Services | |
| Royal Army Service Corps | Transportation of Fuel,Food and ammunition on a minimum of Brigade level. |
| Pioneer Corps | Physical workers . Some could be assigned as Stretcher-Bearers |
| Royal Electrical amd Mechanical Engineers | Repair of electrical and mechanical components of the army and recovery of allied and enemy material in the field. (Often mistaken as the job for the Engineers |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | Battlefield clearance,Medical support for wounded and general medical welfare. |
| Royal Army Chaplains Dept | Military Chaplains (All were Officers). Responsible for welfare of troops and burial of the dead. |
| Royal Army Ordnance Corps | Storage and supply of weapons,equipment,ammo,vehicles,clothing etc |
| Royal Army Pay Corps | Payment of troops and army finance. |
| Royal Army Vetinary Corps | Veterinary surgeons. Animal Welfare |
| Royal Army Educational Corp | Troop Education and Interpretation |
| Intelligence Corp | Military Security,Military Intelligence (such as prisoner of war interrogation) |
| Army Physical Training Corp | Self-Explantory. Physical Education |
| Army Catering Corps | The cooks! |
| Corps of Military Police | Route marking ,Traffic Control and control of civilian population as well as prisoners of war (Abbrev. POW) |
| Military Provost Staff Corps. | Justice Department. Guarding of internment camps and prisons. |
| Commandoes | Army volunteers incorporated into the Royal Marines (Technically the Royal Marines are Navy) |
| Navy,Army & Airforce Institutes (NAAFI) | Mobile shops for everyday items for troops. |
| Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) | Women volunteers placed under the Administration of the field army.Sometimes called upon as drivers and late in the war as Anti-Aircraft gunners. |
For an excellent source of infomation on the organisation of British Army units during World War 2 get a copy of
"From D-Day to VE-Day" by Jean Bouchery (Available in 2 volumes ,the second covers unit structure).