Maple Creek
Member
What's a train battalion? I've been meaning to ask. Does they always involve choo-choo trains, or were these just units that brought materiel to troops by any means?
Mark D.
Mark D.
What's a train battallion?
- Thread starter Maple Creek
- Start date
SkipperJohn
Well-known member
It's a supply and support unit.
John
John
Khukri
Well-known member
Mark,
Train. Not to misunderstand: In this case: indeed- Supply and Support - the Logistics - the whole batch !
And yes: over longer distances or in case of heavy materials/supplies: the Eisenbahn / railway was used by the "Train" units.
Horsedrawn carts and later trucks.
Just to illustrate how complex Logistics is:
Modern NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classes_of_supply" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Francis
Train. Not to misunderstand: In this case: indeed- Supply and Support - the Logistics - the whole batch !
And yes: over longer distances or in case of heavy materials/supplies: the Eisenbahn / railway was used by the "Train" units.
Horsedrawn carts and later trucks.
Just to illustrate how complex Logistics is:
Modern NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classes_of_supply" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Francis
Maple Creek
Member
Hi John and Francis, Thank you. I had been wondering about this. Now I know! I gather the German train battalions would be equivalent to the French indendance units.
Mark D.
Mark D.
Train is often confused, as English speakers see the German military word "Train" for horse-drawn supply columns, and translate it to the English "train" as in railroad.
When they both do actually mean the same thing: a line or procession of persons, vehicles, animals, etc., traveling together.
When they both do actually mean the same thing: a line or procession of persons, vehicles, animals, etc., traveling together.
SkipperJohn
Well-known member
Maple Creek said:
I made an interesting discovery if you are interested. There is an Obergefreiter tunic (like Tony's above but not near in as good condition) for sale here:
http://www.baystatemilitaria.com/WWI/WWIGerman.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It seems reasonable. I have dealt with this dealer before, only twice, and he has proven extremely honest.
John
An excellent question MC. I never thought of "train" being literally a steam engine and rail cars......just that huge "tail of trains, horse and wagons, light rail and ultimately humans slogging through the mud carrying sacks of bread loaves, water, stew etc into the trenches. Ultimately the soldiers on both sides became the pack animals as mules or horses could not reach the front lines because of the mud. Train.....that force which brings up every conceivable resource needed by a modern army to fight it's war. The so called train, has always been needed in the History of human warfare. Even though I am totally unschooled in today's warfare, I would venture to say that the more complicated the machines of war evolve, then the even more important "the train" becomes. This is a double edged sword if you look at WW2,......German tanks, far superiour to the Sherman, but the Sherman easily fixed, manufactured and replaced. The big problem....the human element, not easily replaced because it had to be highly trained to operate the machine. However, certainly not as trained as they must be today. Tony can speak to this much better than I as a poor civilian. He is a modern day tanker with years of experience.