CO537-4998 — Page 209

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Paso 24. CONFIDENTIAL

"" Branch HQ F

(a) Water. There are no water-cuns avail..le for replenishing

units with dran ing (ater if required. will take step to rectify this.

+

(e) Rerlenishment of Units in Sups, POL namn is normally

done through Sup Foints, Pet Foint and Ann Foint/points. In a small area where movement is restricted it is likely to be one combined Replenishment Point.

Units send their transport to refill from such a point or points. Distances normally run are up to 40 miles (i.e. up to 20 miles in one direction). In NT this is conditioned by defence of roads. In "FULTUM" the sea and air had to be used becanso the road was unusable because of a blown Br. Nevertheless it is probable that an. escorted convoy of Be E ech tpt to the broken bridge, and a similar RASC convoy to meet it, ith man-handling of loads across a stream (ankle deep only) would have been a much better solution to Realenishment than the rather involved methods of sca and air,

This point is mentioned because there 1. a fi ed idea amongst many officers that if the road is "blown",rome

ther form of transport than roadransport must be used. RASC are organised, if not fully trained, to fight supplies forward if such is the beat cou se. The idea that a Replenishment point (call it supply Rep Pt SRP) holds reserves is not entirely correct. Basically it is a transit point ith only that amount of reserves (e.g. one refill of Amn, 25 miles POL) decided by the formation staff according to the type of operation in hand.

It is considered that, apart from the ousonsity to practice RN, RAF co-operation, the RP might well have been at FMA SHAMSHUIPO, and thereafter at the broken bridge ut SHA TIN

at until it vás repaired, then back at PYA.