This is what i have found out sofar.
Fremington Training Camp was built in 1943 by the US Army as a hospital and rehabilitation centre. The Americans left in 1945, and soon afterwards it became the School of Combined Operations, commanded by an Admiral. In the late 1950s it became home to various Royal Army Service Corps/Royal Corps of Transport amphibious squadrons, until in the 1970s it became an Army training camp.


American units in camp are as follows
12th MHSP 15/11/43 to 27/11/43
22nd MHSP 17/08/43 to 03/09/43
24th MHSP 27/08/43 to 19/09/43
24th MHSP 26/11/43 to 27/11/43
34th MHSP 19/10/43 to 13/11/43
44th Hospital Train

313th Station Hospital

The first DUKW Company to be formed after WW11 was 116 Amphibious Company at Cairnryan . The unit was Commanded by Major J A Abraham MC this consisted of Company HQ and 4 Platoons of 16 DUKWs each, the unit moved to Fremington in March 1952.in June 1954 it was reduced to three officers and 37 other ranks it was redesignated  Amphibian Training Wing RASC in February 1960.

 

 

 

303 Company RASC (Amphibious Transport) was formed at Fremington in August 1956 to take part in the Suez operations it never left Fremington and was disbanded in November 1956.

 

 

 

18 Company was formed at Fremington in June 1958 under the Command of Major J F Heathcote. From February 1958 to March 1960 a detachment was sent to Christmas Island for Operation Grapple, the testing of the British nuclear bombs. Also a detachment was sent to Singapore in 1964 until 1968.

 

 

 

18 Squadron left Fremington in 1971 and moved to Marchwood in 1974 the Squadron was finally Disbanded.

 

 

 

The last remaining DUKWs in service are based at the Amphibious Training Unit Royal Marines Instow. 

 

 

 

 

A BRIEF HISTORY of 18 COMPANY RASC

 

 

The history of 18 Company dates back to 1878 when it came into existence at ALDERHOT as No 18 Commissariat Depot.  It remained at ALDERSHOTT until 1902 but little is recorded of its activities during this period except that in 1889 the unit was redesignated a Supply Depot Company and in 1892 was split in two to form 38 Company.

 

 

 

In October 1899 the unit embarked details for service in SOUTH AFRICA .  It is of interest to note that in November 1901 Driver Andrews was promoted to the rank of Corporal for gallant conduct in the field whilst attached to 'J' Battery Royal Horse Artillery in SOUTH AFRICA .  In January 1901, men were provided to line the route for the return of Lord ROBERTS from SOUTH AFRICA and also later in that year details were similarly provided for Queen VICTORIA ' S funeral.  For a period in 1902 the unit together with 38 Company was used as a Demobilisation Centre for troops returning from the South African War.

 

 

 

The Company moved from ALDERSHOTT to WOOLWICH in 1902 and at the same time its role was changed to that of horse transport.  In 1906, 18 Company moved to LONDON (Kensington) where it remained until the outbreak of the First World War.

 

 

 

In 1914, 18 Company went to France with the British Expeditionary Force as No 3 (Horse Transport) Company in 4 Divisional Train.  This Unit served on the Western Front and took port in all the major operations from MONS to the final advance with the occupation army.  It was then disbanded in June 1919.

 

 

 

Records make no reference to the Company again until 1922 when it is shown as being at CHATHAM in a Station Transport role.  On 18 Feb 1922 the Company was again disbanded, but in August of the same year the unit was reformed as 18 Company (MT) by the re-designation of 776 Company (MT). The Company stayed at Chatham until 1939, when it was reorganised as No 2 Motor Ambulance Convoy (18 Company RASC) and preceded to FRANCE with the British Expeditionary Force.  Having been evacuated from DUNKIRK in 1940 the unit sailed for the MIDDLE EAST in I 941 where it was again redesignated as 18 Company RASC (MAC) in Feb 1943. The Company remained in an MT role, but still providing ambulance support, in the MIDDLE EAST and EGYPT until 1946 when it was place in suspended animation.

 

In 1947, 18 Company was reformed in GERMANY as a Divisional Transport Company but was once again placed in suspended animation in Jun 1948.

 

 

 

For the third time in its history, the company changed its role and was reformed in 1950 as a Water Transport company having amalgamated with 632 Company at SHEERNESS.  For the next seven years, 18 Company continued to operate over much of the East Coast area from NEWHAVEN to TYNEMOUTH, with flotillas at GRIMSBY , DOVER and WOOLICH.  Two notable happenings during this period were in September 1951 when a flotilla of ten, fifty foot GELs made a very successful training cruise to COPENHAGEN and in February 1951, when the company operated a ferry service between CHATHAM and SHEERNESS, carrying foodstuffs, medical supplies and personnel during the East Coast floods.  With the rundown of the RASC Fleet, 18 Company was disbanded in September 1957.

 

 

 

On 1 Jun 1958, 18 Company was once again revived, this time to be an amphibious transport company, As 18 Company RASC (Amphibious), the unit was reformed and equipped with DUKWs, and located in NORTH DEVON in order to take its place in the Long Term Army.  From February 1958 to March 1960 a detachment was sent to Christmas Island for Operation Grapple, the testing of the British nuclear bombs.  Many exercises were carried out with both the Reserve and Regular forces.  Some of the most important of these have been with the Royal Marines in NORWAY and in MALTA .  At home, flood relief duties in the winter of 1960/61 accounted for journeys totalling over 5,000 miles by the unit’s DUKWs.  A detachment also operated at RHU in support of the Hebrides Guided Weapon Range .  Also a detachment was sent to Singapore in 1964 until 1968.

 

In addition to having to train amphibious vehicle drivers, the Unit has also had on trial new vehicles to replace the DUKWs of WWII. 

 

 

 

18 Squadron  RCT left Fremington in 1971 and moved to Marchwood and in 1974 was finally disbanded.

 

 

 

In its unique roles the Unit played an important part, as it had done since 1878, in the many and varied activities of specialised RASC and RCT transport units.

 

 

 

Footnote.

The vehicles of 18 Company RASC (MAC), had a badge on their doors of a clown balancing on a ball and holding a white hoop with a red cross on it.  Similar badges were common on other medical transport units in the North African campaign.