View MapView MapNational Archive Reference: WO 171/1591
The "References to Appendices" column for this document was empty so has been omitted.
All diaries for this unit:
Please use the contact us page to report any errors or inaccuracies.
Many of the location in this diary have been geocoded, these locations are highlighted
clicking on them will display them on a map. Many location also have historical maps and aerial photographs
of the area available.
Found this useful?
If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOLLAND NIJMEGEN. E.714590 | 1 | 1100 | Major. P.S. Baines R.E. assumed command of company. |
| 1130 | Visited by Lt.Gen HORROCKS G.O.C. 30 Corps, with Chief Engineer during of inspection of all R.E. units under command. Saw men at work and spoke to some of them individually. | ||
| 1730 | 30 Corps Tps Engrs, less 211 Corps Fd Pk Coy. R.E. to carry out operational move w.e.f. 3. This unit to remain in present location u/comd C.E. 30 Corps. Detachments of this unit to be u/comd C.R.E. | ||
| 30 Corps Tps Engys w.e.f. 0800 hrs 3 Nov. 44. | |||
| 2 | Action taken to implement instructions above. Warning order to detachment to be u/comd C.R.E. published at Appendix 'B'. Welding of Railway Bridge over MASS/WAAL Canal satisfactorily completed. | ||
| 3 | H.Q.R.E. and Fd Coys moved South to bridge R.MAAS and Canal north of MAASTRICHT. This unit placed | ||
| under command C.E. 30 Corps. Adv Party consisting Mech Eqpt, Welding Set and Workshops lorries under Command Lieut. RENNISON, moved with H.Q.R.E. to BEEK. | |||
| 4 | 1800 | Routine works carried out. 1 OR wounded (slightly) when enemy aircraft attacked NIJMEGEN. Several ORs had narrow escapes. Detachment of 524 Coy. RASC consisting of 10 vehicles and 21 O.Rs. placed | |
| u/comd this unit. To be used for transporting and ferrying Engineer Stores. | |||
| 5 | 1640 Pl. 128 Br Coy. RASC came u/comd this unit. Bridging equipment of 128 Br Coy at present in dump temporarily controlled by this unit. Information that Coy required to move to new location | ||
| on or about 10. Only essential works carried out today. Men given 1/2 day rest for cleaning up purposes etc. | |||
| 6 | O.C. visited HQ 30 Corps Tps Engrs at new location. Routine works carried out. Foul weather, | ||
| exceptionally heavy rain ant wind. Preparations going forward for move of unit. Ferrying of engineer stores commenced. Corps Catering Adviser visited and reported adversely on the A.C.C. | |||
| Corporal of this unit. Latter reverted to substantive rank of Private at his own request. QMSI A.C.C. subsequently attached for several days, giving valuable advice on messing. | |||
| 7-8 | Little to report. Routine works. Weather continued stormy. Adv. Party from 8 Canadian Corps Fd Pk Coy. R.E. arrived. Ferrying of stores to new location began. | ||
| 9 | |||
| Unit came under command C.E. Canadian Army w.e.f. 1200 hrs. Coy to move as body to Join Corps TPS. Engrs on 13 arriving destination 14. More Engr Stores ferried to new location. Clearing of dump | |||
| proceeding steadily. Appears unlikely that rear party will be necessary when Coy moves. Weather again sormy. Ground fast becoming a quagmire. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOLLAND NIJMEGEN E.714590 | 10.11.12 | Preparations for move on 13. Ferrying of Engineer Stores continued. 1640 Pl of 128 Br Coy. R.A.S.C. ordered to move to BILSEN and ceased to be under command. Br. Dump and remaining Field Stores | |
| not required at new location handed over to 8 Canadian Corps Fd Pk Coy. | |||
| 13 | 0830 | Coy moved to new location and reverted u/comd C.R.E. No rear party left. | |
| 1800 | H.Q. established. | ||
| STEIN HOLLAND 613653 | 14-17 | Resorted to requisitioning and allotment of personnel to civilian billets to provide covered accommodation for offices, stores, workshops and living rooms etc. All accommodated under cover | |
| but unit rather scattered. Workshops and Field Stores established in warehouse on canal quayside. C.3 visited Coy H.Q. Routine works carried out. Timber shortage in this area and thorough daily | |||
| recces for timber stacks and for suitable site for sawmill carried out. Weather cold an a wet. No enemy activity in this area. C.R.E. 30 Corps Tps (Lt.Col RL. BLACK R.E.) visited this location | |||
| 17 and inspected billets etc. Some artillery activity Night 17/18. | |||
| 18-23 | Little to report during this period. Normal activity maintained. Weather consistently rainy and dull. Tarmac Factory on lines of one operated during advance through France and Belgium set up at | ||
| GELEEN Colliery. Production on experimental lines at moment. Water Point at 163 FMC operated by personnel of this unit, handed over, and party rejoined unit 23. S/Sgt Bearer (M. F. of W) giving | |||
| advice to R.A. concerning construction of huts. | |||
| 24 | Sgt. VAN DER KAMP (Interpreter) ceased to be attached this unit on joining 64 Med Regt. R.A. Replaced by Lt. BROOKKER. | ||
| 25-30 | Routine works. Little of importance to report. Sawmill at HOENSBROEK MR 723596 taken over and party 1 S/Sgt R.E. plus 4 pioneers detached to central production and issues of cut timber. | ||
| Production commenced on 27. Tarmac factory now fully operative and manufacturing between 20 and 30 tons per day. Weather improved towards end of month. | |||
| SUMMARY | |||
| The first half of the period under review was spent at nijmegen and apart from a few instances | |||
| of enemy air and artillery activity, the positions could be described as "Quite generally". Routine works and duties were carried out, and notice of impending move to new sector was sufficiently generous |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUMMARY - contd | |||
| to enable unit to move without leaving rear party to supervise ferrying of Engineer Stores and hand over of remaining dump. R.A.S.C. transport allotted for ferrying was on a more generous scale | |||
| then heretofore. After move to STEIN, two or three days were spent settling in, and after that period unit assumed its normal static role. H.Q. F/Stores and M.E.O.S. have been fully occupied in | |||
| carrying out their duties. Workshops and E & M Platoons (now operating on a combined basis) carried out "Inter alia" the following works:- Construction of 23 Map Boards (1 for BGS) folding map table | |||
| (for G.O.C.) making and fitting of blackouts at H.Q. Main and Rear 30 Corps and at Company location, building in end of M.D.R.S workshops lorry, building up 8 ton Frauhauf (USA) low loader to house | |||
| Corps Lighting Set., numerous other smaller woodwork jobs including construction of 4 table lamps for H.Q. 30 Corps Tps Engrs. Metal workers carried out numerous sundry welding repairs to M.T. | |||
| mechanical equipment and repair to compressor tilts. Construction of special metal blocks for use by Fd Coys on Bailey Bridges during present hight water stage, cutting 112 sets of stencils for use | |||
| by Fd Coys, winterproofing of Jeeps, sharpening picks etc. Was also undertaken. Over 100 signs were made and painted, in addition to 7 large notice boards. Plumbing work of a miscellaneous nature | |||
| was successfully undertaken. Canvas workers were engaged chiefly on repairs to penthouses, and a system for heating Stellar Water Purification trailers installed. Hot water system for heating G.I. | |||
| lorry at Main Corps installed. M.D.R.S. work was as follows:- Detectors in for repair 30. In for fitting and balancing 56. Repaired 26. B.L.R'd 2. The total | |||
| number of sets in for repair during campaign is now 521. 486 have been repaired. B.L.R'd 35 Total number of units served 54. | |||
| It is noteworthy that during the past two months, most sapper units have been issued with the Model IV Detector which is much more robust and suitable generally than any previous models. |
Found this useful?
If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.