These transport figures should be seen as a guideline only, as there was often a great shortage of vehicles, especially on the outbreak of war and following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France in May and June 1940. Seven Drivers Internal Combustion (I.C.) Any trade tests a soldier passed will also be recorded in the file giving you a greater insight into their role within a unit. The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is a corps of the British Army.It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is headed by the Chief Royal Engineer.The Regimental Headquarters and the Royal School of Military Engineering are in Chatham in Kent, England. The British element consisted of the 1. The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 21 years. The two Drivers from the Royal Army Service Corps each had a 12-cwt van. The orders were explicit; the company had to remove their distinctive red berets and their Pegasus shoulder flashes and on landing the group faced a five or six hour forced march. Lance Sergeant Lake once again remained and prepared to destroy the ferry when the enemy came to close. Only one glider had come down near the Ponte Grande Bridge, this contained men of the South Staffords and some Sappers from the ‘Shiny 9th’ Company. Most of the gliders landed miles from their targets and the countryside was filled with small groups of ad hoc fighting units heading towards their objectives. On the 21 November the German radio reported that ‘ on the night of 19 to 20 November, two British bombers, each towing a glider were forced down. Ammunition was now becoming scarce and food and water nonexistent, but No. No 1 platoon commanded by Captain Roger B. Binyon had lost one complete glider, chalk number 389 which had crashed and exploded, killing all on board. The Field Company was the standard unit of the Royal Engineers within any infantry division during the Second World War, with its equivalent in an armoured division being an field squadron. They then moved to Lesdain to destroy forty barges on the river as the enemy were advancing at an alarming rate. The company contained a workshop section which included lighting for the division’s headquarters, a bridging section which held bridging equipment and a field stores section which contained reserve stores and tools, and anti-tank mines. The Company was moved around the country on various tasks, including the building of pillboxes, anti-tank obstacles and the laying of road metals. However, with the end of the War in Europe, the Company were sent to Norway as part of a multinational force to oversee the surrender of 400,000 German troops. After a short leave in England the Company was sent to India as part of the Far East Advance Party in preparation for operations in Malaya, but on 6 August 1945 the worlds first atomic device bombed Hiroshima. World War 2 (WW2 WWII) veteran, casualty, and military unit records search by WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel. Also serving with an infantry division were three field companies. 265th (Sussex) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 290th (Staffordshire) Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers 291st (South Staffordshire) Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers A. Lancaster and some Sappers who were fit enough to move were ordered to attempt a break-out from their positions, but they were met by overwhelming forces. 118 th Field Regiment. Royal Engineers. Royal Artillery. There were also several exercises to prepare the Company for the invasion of Sicily. For weaponry, there were eleven .38 Webley revolvers, 145 Lee-Enfield rifles, two Rifle, Anti-Tank .55in, Boys and two light machine guns. Four operations were planned and in turn cancelled, mainly because the advancing troops in France overrun the objectives before the airborne troops had loaded their gliders. We are looking for volunteers to help with researching the activities of units of the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Territorial Force, Regular Army, Pals Battalions, Kitchener's New Armies, Voluntary Organisations and the Ships of the Royal Navy. They reached Knuisdoorn at night and some of the sappers were sent to help the 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, providing cover and protection and in some cases actually firing the guns. They reached number 27 Eusebiusplein, near the bridge ramp and while the Sappers prepared the house for defence, Captain O’Callaghan with Sappers Danny Weddell and Tom Carpenter made their way over the back gardens to check the bridge for demolition charges. I’ve also written a wide variety of other guides to help you research soldiers: I also offer a Second World War Soldier Research Service. 2 Platoon, Sapper Arthur Cottle was killed and the others were wounded and taken prisoner. British Army Uniform British Uniforms British Soldier 40k Armies War Of 1812 Napoleonic Wars British History Troops Red Coats Spr. I also offer a copying service for these documents. The Squadron’s beginnings go back to 1787 when the Chatham Company of the ‘Royal Military Artificers’ was raised. Rock, a Royal Engineer, although he was given no detailed plan or policy. 3 Platoon was fighting. A fierce firefight took place and the bridge was secured. The Malayan operation was cancelled as Japan unconditionally surrendered after a second device was dropped over Nagasaki. They also began honing their infantry skills with exercises on the firing range, unarmed combat training, small box girder bridge building and tactical lectures. especially when a company was taking part in a campaign. The enemy was beaten back and withdrew to the far side of the river. Also Sergeant J. Paffett and Sapper G. Robertson suffered ankle injuries in the same crash. After the tragic Operation freashman, the Company sailed to North Africa to prepare for the airborne assault on Sicily (9th July 1943). As they flew over the village of Farrington Gurney, the Horsa glider RJ 113, chalk number 389 piloted by Staff Sergeant L.J. The Company’s area was at a place called Tizi where they were detailed to find enough water for the Division, dig Brigade’s latrines and several other tasks. 138 field companies . There are:433 items tagged 230th Field Company, Royal Engineers available in our Library These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. The Company had been selected to become the first Field Company in the new Airborne Force and would work closely with the newly formed 1st Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers. On arrival in England the Company along with the rest of the 1st Airlanding Brigade were concentrated around the Woodhall Spa region of Lincolnshire. No. Unfortunately from September 1 st the Museum will be closing its Library, Archive and Enquiries service . By 2100 hrs the job was completed and the Division began to withdraw from their defensive positions. About 0100 hrs on Thursday September 1944, Captain O’Callaghan with Sergeant E. W. Gibbons, Corporal A. This war diary will contain information on all Royal Engineers units within that division and you’ll often find appendices which are missing from a field park company’s war diary. The Special Force or 3rd Indian Division as it was known consisted of the following units, which were split into Columns. The Company were ordered to destroy their vehicles and make their way towards Bray Dunes on the outskirts of Dunkerque. Unlike most corps and regiments, in which the upper age limit was 25, men could enlist in the Royal Engineers up to 30 years of age. 13th Bridging Platoon, RE. After checking most of his men onto the boats, Major Winchester, thoroughly exhausted and his job as beach master completed boarded one of the last boats to leave for the far bank of the river. By late afternoon there were only fifteen men unwounded and by 1700 hrs on 10 July the bridge was back in the hands of the enemy, but this was short lived. Movement had now become very difficult as the Germans were firing on them from the town to their left and also from across the river to their right. This was met with withering fire from the now well dug in defenders and the attack was repulsed with heavy casualties for the Germans. In 1817, the Company were sent out to Gibraltar and while there, in June 1819, they were renamed for the third time to the 9th company of the Royal Sappers and Miners. D Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment, piloted the gliders and the Short Stirlings from 299 Squadron, 38 Group RAF were the tug planes. 48th FIELD DRESSING STATION. But in true Royal Engineer tradition, he got on with his job and ‘The Central Landing School’ was formed at, Operation Freshman was the code name for the planned attack on the large hydro complex in the Telemark region of southern, Operation Husky was planned as a joint operation between the American 7, Operation Doomsday was the name given to the move of the Allied forces by air to Norway. The Company took transport to Philipeville about one hundred miles West of Bizerta where they loaded their equipment on board the SS ‘Duchess of Bedford’, more affectionately known as the ‘Drunken Duchess’ and sailed for England arriving on the 12th December 1943 at Liverpool. WW2 People's War Homepage Archive List ... posted to 184 Field Company (Royal Engineers). It provided the workshop, equipment, plant and stores unit of the Divisional Engineers and acted in a support role for the Divisional campaigns from Normandy through to Palestine. Each new plan involved the Company being involved in fresh deployment from one airfield to another and the loading and unloading of their gliders, only to bitterly disappointed as the operations were cancelled. Known as ‘Sappers’, Royal Engineers have served in all of the Army’s campaigns. Formed in 1716, this corps helps keep the British Army in the field by providing engineering and technical support. 2 Platoon held this position during Tuesday night against fierce infantry and tank attacks. The fighting was savage all through the night and by 0600 hrs there was about one hundred men defending the bridge. Again, these figures should be seen as guidelines. 2nd Infantry Divisional Royal Engineers HQ; 5th Field Company, Royal Engineers 208th (Sussex) Field Company, Royal Engineers 506th Field Company, Royal Engineers 21st Field Park Company, Royal Engineers Commander Royal Army Service Corps, 2nd Division On 30 August plans for airborne operations began in earnest to support the armies in France. This included the destruction of bridges, barges and roads. His information on the positions of the airborne troops, subsequently assisted in the evacuation of the 1st Airborne Division on the night of the 25 to 26 September. A field company was a unit of the Royal Engineers which was usually found serving as part of an infantry division during the Second World War. Later on in the day armoured cars of XXX Corp were reported to be at the south of the river and the RE Adjutant, Captain M.D. Major Winchester received his orders from the CRE (Commander Royal Engineers) four days before the operation and spent this time with his Officers preparing equipment and studying the latest air photographs and intelligence reports. 3 Platoon commanded by Captain Maurice Heggie, also had a glider fail to arrive, which was to help the Reconnaissance Corp, so another detachment (Section 12) was hastily organised and sent in its place. 2 Platoon commanded by Captain Eric O’Callaghan had landed complete and was ordered to proceed to the railway bridge. The British element consisted of the 1st Airborne Division, less 1st Parachute Brigade, but with the Special Air Service Brigade under command. 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers Feb 1944 In early February 1944 preparations began for the 2nd Chindit Expedition. 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