General Instructions for O.C. Troops on Board Transports - n.d.
Transcript
General Instructions For O.C. Troops on board Transports. 1. Disembarkation.- Instructions for disembarkation are attached. 2. Cabins.- A cabin will be allotted to the O.C. Troops and he will detail the other Officers to cabins with the assistance of the Chief Steward under the Master's orders. 3. Discipline.- O.C. Troops is responsible that the passage across the Channel is treated in all respects like a "Night March." No noise or lights are to be permitted, and the use of electric torches is especially forbidden. 4. Life Belts.- Life-belts will be worn throughout the voyage by Officers and troops, and every Officer and man will be responsible for the return of his life-belt, undamaged, before disembarkation. Men should be specially warned not to cut the tapes off the life-belts. 5. Mails.- A guard will be placed over mails throughout the voyage until they are disembarked, which will not be before 7.30 a.m. 6. Kits. To East, Overland.- Troops proceeding overland to the East to be warned that Officers' uniform cases and other baggage and men's kit bags are not taken to Rest Camps. For Officers only valises and light articles are taken to the Rest Camp, and the men should be told to place their washing and cleaning kit in their packs. 7. Compasses.- Rifles or other articles of steel or iron are not to be brought within twenty feet in any direction from the ship's compasses. 8. Sentries, Fire, and Boat Stations.- The O.C. Troops will consult the Master as to the posting of Sentries and arrange with him about Fire and Boat Stations. He should acquaint himself with the positions and systems of life rafts, and arrange for their quick allotment in cases of necessity. 9. Signals.- If available, two signallers should be placed at the Master's disposal to assist him in taking and sending Morse signals and messages. 10. Cipher.-The Playfair System will be used for cipher messages, instructions for which are in the Field Service Pocket Book. The O.C. Troops will receive the code word from the Embarking Officer, and will sign a receipt for it. 11. Alcoholic Drinks.- The sale of alcoholic drinks is entirely prohibited on board cross Channel Transports. Any infringement of this order should be reported to Embarkation Headquarters. 12. Rations.- Give effect to the "Ration Orders" contained on the back of the Ration Return. 13. Sanitary.- The following conservancy arrangements to be adhered to:- (a) A Latrine Orderly to be told off to see to the cleanliness of each latrine. (b) In addition, one man per cent. to be detailed for general purposes to be told off as sanitary class. (c) The flushing of latrines is an important matter, and a constant current should flow through them at all times. (d) A Quartermaster, or N.C.O., should be told off to see to the sanitary matters of all ships. (e) The flushing of the decks should be carried out daily, and a party of men should see to this. (f) Troops should never consume their rations in cabins of ships. All food must be eaten on deck. (g) Fixed basins in cabins are not to be used for any other purpose than washing. (h) The O.C. Troops should inspect the ship before disembarkation and satisfy himself that the ship is left in a clean and sanitary condition.
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[page 2] 14. Letters, Post-cards, etc.- All troops are to be informed that it is strictly forbidden for troops to carry letters for anyone to foreign ports. The O.C. Troops will collect any letters that have been entrusted to soldiers, and hand these for the purpose of being censored to the Embarking or Military Landing Staff Officer. It should be pointed out that it is a suspicious circumstance that letters should be despatched by hand instead of passing through the post, thus avoiding the censor. The despatch of telegrams, or posting of letters, or postcards at Southampton is prohibited. All letters and postcards written on bard ship must be handed "open" to the O.C. Troops before disembarkation, who will censor them, using his own judgment, and frank envelopes on the bottom left hand corner. He will hand them to the Military Landing Officer and to no other person; any others found in the possession of civilians, etc., will be destroyed. 15. Censorship.- (I.) The attention of Commanding Officers is drawn to the Postal Censorship Regulations. Copies of these Regulations will be found in "Extracts from General Routine issued to the British Army in the Field," in the stationery boxes issued by the War Office, and also enclosed in the box containing the "Passed by Censor" stamp. (II.) Steps must be taken to make all ranks acquainted with such portions of these Regulations as apply to them. If this cannot be done previous to disembarkation it is recommended that correspondence should be limited to Field Service Post Card, until an opportunity occurs for full explanation. (III.) Points which especially affect troops disembarking are:- (a) The Port of disembarkation is not to be mentioned by name or described. (b) The name of the Transport conveying the writer, or any other Transport crossing at the same time, or any of H.M. Ships either convoying the troops or seen during the crossing, is not to be mentioned. (c) Picture Postcards are prohibited. (d) The posting of letters in civil Post Offices is strictly forbidden. The civil mails are searched for letters contravening this order, and disciplinary action is taken in the case of any so found. (IV.) If any doubt or difficulties arise, Officers Commanding should consult the Head Censor at the Port of disembarkation. (V.) Photography is forbidden.
Transcript
RATION ORDERS. 1. Arrange for the men's teas. Hot water is provided by the Ship, and a sentry is to be placed over the boilers to prevent the hot water from being used for any other purpose than making tea. 2. Rations must not be broken up or issued until the morning of the day for which they are intended. 3. Empty Ration cases or tins are not to be thrown overboard. 4. Only one day's rations to be issued at a time, and the unexpended portions of the ration for the day of disembarkation must be taken with the troops on landing: (a) Troops for the East, including Leave Details, proceeding via Cherbourg, should be fully rationed, less meat, for the day of disembarkation, the unexpended portion to be carried on the man to camp. 5. The remainder of the unissued rations to be handed to the A.S.C. Representative at Port of Disembarkation, with the following certificate:- Officer i/c Local Supplies. Herewith days' rations unissued to troops during voyage of S.S. Issue slip attached. Strength of troops all ranks disembarked. Date Signature Officer Commanding Troops.
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RATION RETURN. 1 Day's Ration consists of:- P. Meat 12 ozs. Biscuit or Bread 1 lb. Tea 5/8 oz. or Coffee 1 1/4 oz. Sugar 3 ozs. Cheese 2 ozs. Jam 3 ozs. Milk
Details
| Title | General Instructions for O.C. Troops on Board Transports - n.d. |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Source | Unknown. General Instructions for O.C. Troops on Board Transports. n.d. Company C Papers. Museum of Missouri Military History, 4205 Logistics Road, Jefferson City, Missouri. |
| Description | General instructions for troops traveling to France. These instructions explained the conduct of soldiers, daily rations, censorship, and discipline. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--Transportation; World War, 1914-1918--Censorship; Operational rations (Military supplies) |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Contributing Institution | Museum of Missouri Military History |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Museum of Missouri Military History, 2405 Logistics Road, Jefferson City, Missouri. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | n.d. |
| Language | English |