Writer: Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Mustafa, retired

With the creation of the New Model Army in British India, the need for logistics was felt, and a Commissariat Department was established for provision of rations. In the Indian Subcontinent, the Mughal Army used porters and animal handlers from within camp followers to cope with logistic needs. The Mughal King Babar always appointed good men such as Mir Bakawal (master of the kitchen) and Mir Manzil (quartermaster) for distribution of foodstuffs to the army. With the advent of the East India Company in the Indian Subcontinent (1757), Army Commissariat Departments of Bengal, Madras and Bombay Presidencies were established in 1760. Hence, history of the Army Service Corps (ASC) in the Subcontinent dates back to 1760. During East India Company days, the Commissariat was placed under the direction and control of the Commissary General in each Presidency. The executive commissariat officers were civil servants of East India Company, not military officers. Rations were composed of meat, flour and rum for Europeans, and grain for the Indian Sepoys. Gram for horses was provided on active service only.

In 1793, revolutionary French forces invaded the Low Countries (coastal region, north-western Europe consisting of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), and declared war on Britain. Existing military plans relied on local men to provide supplies and transport for the British Army overseas, which proved to be inadequate. Therefore, the first uniformed transport corps, named the Royal Waggoners, was created on 7 March 1794. One year later, after British forces withdrew from the Low Countries, the Royal Waggoners were disbanded. The animal and vehicle transport were under one military official called Wagon Master. Transport was divided in two parts; Public Cattle and Carriage Cattle. The former was owned by the Company, and the latter was hired.

In 1799, Sir Ralph Abercromby led a British expedition into north Holland to break the French hold on the strategically important Scheldt estuary. Another transport corps was created to support this effort. Initially titled the Royal Wagon Corps, it was renamed the Royal Wagon Train, ranking as a mounted corps. Due to the success of Abercrombie's expedition, the Royal Wagon Train of five squadrons was reinforced by a further seven squadrons/troops. Victory at Waterloo brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars, and with it, 22 years of conflict between France and much of Europe. After the battle, the Royal Wagon Train was responsible for clearing over 4,000 allied dead from the battlefield. After Napoleon's defeat, the train was reduced to five troops, primarily utilised for mundane transport tasks. By 1818, only two troops remained, with one stationed in Gibraltar. The train was finally disbanded in 1833.

In India the British Government kept transport resources under its own control, yet most of the animals, carts and drivers were hired locally when required, under the Commissariat Department. In December 1843, the Scinde (Sindh) Camel Corps now the 1st Battalion (scinde) The Frontier Force Regiment, Pakistan Army was raised, based on the recommendations of Sir Charles Napier. He wrote in July 1843, “I am forming a fighting camel corps and I have long since proposed to form the army baggage corps also into a regular corps, able to manoeuvre and defend itself”. In 1844, the Scinde Camel Baggage Corps was raised, which conducted long marches from Karachi to Bahawalpur, however this logistic body was disbanded on 18 June 1851, being uneconomical.

There was no permanent transport department or corps as a unified entity in the Indian Army until 1883. From the records available, it may be said that a transport scheme was drawn up by Colonel R.C. low, Deputy Commissary General (Transport) in 1881. Separate transport branches were first raised on 9 March 1883. The concept was that a force put into the field, to be effective, should be provided with adequate transport. Transport was provided for supplies, ammunition, equipment and clothing etc. The scheme of transport was based on two cardinals, economy and operational efficiency, which are considered the leading principles of logistics even today.

After the Second Afghan War, a fresh report on transport was submitted to the Government in July 1885, recommending improvements in procedures, transition from peace to war, accounting systems, employment of officers and command articulation etc. The Commissariat Department continued to be responsible for contracts, local purchases and also provision of clothing to the army. It was also decided that transport services should be a branch of the Commissariat, with some additional staff to take over this responsibility.

The Army Service Corps was actually constituted as Army Commissariat Department of Bengal on 1 February 1810, of Madras on 1 December 1810 and of Bombay on 28 August 1811. Commissariat Transport Departments of Bengal, Madras and Bombay were raised on 10 February 1887, which were transformed into Supply and Transport Corps on 24 July 1901. The titles of various appointments were changed and the Supply and Transport Corps (S&T) was placed under the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) from 1 May 1905.

Silladar Camel Corps was raised in 1901 by recruitment from camel owners; however when additional camel transport was required, a Government Camel Corps was formed. In 1905 during reorganisation, regular corps and cadres of mules, camels and cart transport were made. This consisted 21 mule corps, 9 silladar camel cadres and 2 pony cart train cadres. A mule corps was commanded by a British officer, and was divided into two subdivisions, a warrant officer being in-charge. Transport problems emerged during World War I, especially where lines of communication (L of C) were overstretched. Air supply was resorted to for isolated troops, but was inadequate.

On 1 January 1919, there were some 7000 military vehicles, and Royal Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport), or RASC (MT) companies held 400 officers and 12,000 other ranks. With improvement in mechanical transport (MT), the force commander General Maude suggested that animal transport (AT) should gradually be replaced by MT companies (Ford vans). This increased the radius of action and reduced the burden of forage supplies. T hose Ford MT companies were extensively used for daily maintenance, especially water supply. With great difficulty and untold stories, S&T units supported the campaigns.

For supply of rations, oil and bedding there was a supply depot in each cantonment, under an officer, with detachments around. Mobilisation reserves of food and clothing were held in nine reserve depots (RSD) located at Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Meerut, Lucknow, Mhow, Poona and Sikandarabad, all directly under command GHQ India. Before World War I, the supply branch of S&T Corps was responsible for purchase and distribution of rations. On 17 April 1923, Royal Army Service Corps of UK and Supply and Transport Corps of India amalgamated, and title of Supply and Transport Corps (S&T) changed to Indian Army Service Corps (IASC). It was designated as the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC) on 3 June 1935. On 14 August 1947 with the emergence of Pakistan, the RIASC units of Pakistan Army were called Royal Pakistan Army Service Corps (RPASC). Indian Catering Corps was merged into it on 1 September 1948. Present designation of Army Service Corps (ASC) dates from 23 March 1956 when Pakistan became an Islamic Republic. The present flag of Army Service Corps (ASC) was introduced on 24 July 2012.

The Army service Corps has come a long way since its inception on 17 March 1794 as waggoners. The Corps continued its journey with different names, and as time passed, flags and badges of the Corps also changed. Transformation of badge and flag can be divided into various stages, as per time period (see table 1).

Table 1

Transformation of ASC badges & flags

Royal Indian Army Service School was established at Chaklala, Rawalpindi in 1939 as part of ASC Centre. In 1940 the school was shifted to Kuldana, Muree (present location of Army School of Logistics), and it remained there till March 1941. In 1941, RIASC School was relocated to Kakul (present location of Pakistan Military Academy). In September 1947 the school was relocated again to Chaklala Rawalpindi as part of ASC Centre. In 1960, the school along with ASC Centre moved to Jhelum and remained part of ASC Centre. In 1962, the school moved to Nowshera under command of Lieutenant Colonel Amjad Hussain, the first commandant. In 1966, the school was given independent status. ASC School is affiliated with 3 national universities, besides various civil organisations. The school provides training facilities to students of 5 foreign countries

Major General Akbar Khan Rangroot was from Army Service Corps (after initial service in the cavalry). Just before Independence he was given the rank of major general, and after Independence in 1947, he was allotted Pakistan Army Number PA 1. General Akbar had the honour of becoming the first Muslim major general of the British Indian Army. He was a good polo player and writer. His brother Major General Iftikhar Khan was next in seniority and was allotted PA number 2. Brigadier M.J.A Sheehan CBE was the first Director Supply and Transport (September 1947– March 1948).

Since ages horsemanship is considered a symbol of warriors, and animal transport is an important segment of ASC. Besides transportation, animals are trained and used for riding. In ASC, horse riding is mandatory for officers and optional for troops. ASC has produced international polo players like Lieutenant Colonel Shabbir Haider Rizvi and Sardar Ahmed Khan. They both died as a result of a fall from horseback.

ASC men represented Pakistan at international and national levels in other games as well. Mubarik Shah got the first silver medal in 1955 for Pakistan in Asian Games in Jakarta. Matloob Ali represented Pakistan in Kabaddi World Cup 2014, and Kabaddi Asia Cup 2016 and received silver and gold medals respectively.

Pakistan Army Service Corps participated in all wars on external and internal fronts, including War on Terror. Officers and men of ASC stood shoulder to shoulder with the nation during earthquake and flood relief operations. They sacrificed their lives for the motherland, and received gallantry awards. Some of the award recipients (shuhada) are at table 2.

Table 2

List of award recipients (shuhada)

Army Supply Corps has played a vital role in logistic support system of Pakistan Army. It has come a long way since inception. To remain in step with changing requirements of modern war, ASC has gone through organisational/doctrinal changes. Induction of women in ASC started in 2007, a positive step towards capacity enhancement of the corps. The Corps will continue to strive to maintain and improve its operational capabilities.