War Diary: 25 Airfield Construction Group

Month and year: June 1944

The 25th Airfield Construction Group June 1944 war dairy covers the units arrival in Normandy and their actions including the construction of Advanced Landing Grounds.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1409

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WO 171/1409 25th Airfield Construction Group

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Page 1 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
EAST BOURNE	1		Weather cooler - nothing to report
	2		Weather warm - nothing to report
	3		Orders received for certain serials of HQ, 681 Road
			Constr Coy and 217 Coy Pnr Corps to move to
			marshalling area. Day spent packing stores and
			office.
	4	0415	CRE'S party passed S.P. (C.R.E S/L Spencer, Lt Wilson, 7ORs)
		1220	" " arrived Marshalling Area RCRP
		1015	All further moves ordered for this day postponed
PORTSMOUTH			CRE collected operational maps Allocated to Camp A9.
EASTBOURNE	5	0830	Remaining 4 members of CREs party left by train and on arrival
PORTSMOUTH			at Marshalling area placed in Camp A9. CRE visited 217 Coy
			Pnr Corps in Camp A6
EASTBOURNE			Main body of HQ received orders to move to Marshalling
			Area on 6 May. Adjt and MO to move with 64 Road Constr Coy

Page 2 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
EASTBOURNE	6	0450	Main body HQ under command Maj Baxter passed SP
			on way to Marshalling area - 1 Officer 6 ORs	Op Order 1 - Appx A
		0630	Rail party of HQ under command RSM Cufflex left - 10 ORs
			News received that invasion of France had begun.
PORTSMOUTH		1120	Maj Baxters party arrived RCRP and proceeded to camp
			A5.
			CRE visited 64, 681, 214 & 217 Coys in Marshalling Area Camps
			All Well. Weather cold and inclined to rain. Some wind.
	7	1000	CRE's party moved off for embarkation but were held
			up for whole day in side street. Feeding arrangements
			poor but local people extremely kind and all troops fed
		2359	CRE's party embarked without incident. Arrangements for
			reception on board poor.
			Main body of HQ received several different sets of
			orders for move - all subsequently cancelled.

Page 3 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PORTSMOUTH	8		CRE's party stayed on LST in harbour all day. Lack of
			organization on board still more evident.
		0930	Main HQ left Marshalling Area. Completed stage B2
		1800	waterproofing in Embarkation Area and embarked in LST
			embarkation delayed by disembarkation 600 German prisoners
	9	0500	Main HQ sailed
		1515	CRE's party sailed
FRANCE		1900	Main HQ disembarked at COURSEULLES-SUR-MER -
			vehicles waded Through 3' water spent night at
			OULSTREHAIN
	10	0600	Main HQ proceeded BANVILLE. from There to VILLONS
			Les BUISSONS. Owing to proximety of enemy CREs, RV
			was not at this place as originally intended. Party
			proceeded to BENY-SUR-MER and there found
			all elements of group which had landed so far.

Page 4 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
FRANCE	10	1800	CRE's party arrived and disembarked 1800 has at GRAYE-
			sur-MER
		2130	CRE reported CE 1 Corps
BENY SUR MER		2230	CRE contacted CP at site of ALG in course of construction
			by 681 Road Constr Coy
	11		Adjt and MO arrived in Group area. All ranks
			dug slit trenches round perimeter of field and erected
			bivouac shelters. Headquarters now complete. All ranks
			safe and well and in good spirits. Weather cloudy
		1225	Two high velocity HE shells landed on edge of Group
			area - reported to 1 Corps
	12		Some confusion in morning concerning reveille
			breakfast etc - Probably due to inexperience.
		0830	CRE proceeded to VILLONSles BUISSONS to recce new
			strip found considerable sniping activity in neighborhood

Page 5 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
BENY SUR MER	12		CRE advised CE I Corps that detailed recce of site near
			VILLONSles BUISSONS was not practicable.
			All coys except 681 very late with C+S states -
			raspberries duly issued. Weather very fine and warm.
			Work proceeding on ALG
		1100	American Thunderbolt aircraft crashed hear strip - Pilot
			safe. Another Thunderbolt landed on strip and took
			off with The other pilot on board.
		1830	Visit by Comd 12 AGRE , Informed CRE that 144
			Wing RAF would fly in on 16 June
			Considerable enemy air activity and flak late in evening
			CSRE, S/Ldrs + Adjts dived underground extremely rapidly
	13	0845	CRE put personnel in the picture as to situation on Western
			front. sporadic shelling of BENY SUR MER during morning
		1130	CE I Corps andLt Col McDowell 21 AGP visited site

Page 6 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
BENY SUR MER	13		CRE & FEII visited CRE I Corps Tps Engrs, HQ 3 Br Div and
			214 Coy (working on road under comd 71 Fd Coy) in The
			Course of the morning
		1500	CRE and Adjt to VILLONSLES BUISSONS to consider
			possibility of establishing HQ there. Found to be unwise
			as village still under shell and mortar fire. Visited
			HQ 9 Cdn Armd Bde who confirmed this. Back via
			RIVIERES. VILLONSLES BUISSONS definitely unhealthy
		1700	CRE I Corps Tps Engrs visited CRE
		1930	Airfield Comd arrived.
		2000	Thurder bolt landed on strip with slight engine trouble
			pilot redirected to another strip.
		2045	Typhoon landed on strip with engine trouble. Message
			sent to I Corps asking for RAF repair party. Pilot
			accommodated for the night

Page 7 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
BENY SUR MER	13	2120	Shell landed in field in centre of HQ lines. One man
			in 681 Road Constr Coy RE wounded in leg. Shelrep to
			I Corps
	14	1030	A/Q to recce new HQ bivonac area in area PLUMETOT
		1430	C.R.E at conference at 12 AGRE
		1445	Spitfire crashed on strip. Pilot O.K. but one man of 681
			Road Constr Coy struck by plane and killed.
			Weather warm but a little rain
	15	1015	CRE and A/Q visited 214 Coy Pnr Corps on their road
			job and H.Q. 51st Highland Div
		1400	CRE and Adjt visited 64 Road Constr Coy on road
			building job.
		1830	CRE to I Corps
			Weather hot and sunny all day
			Considerable enemy air activity during night 15/16

Page 8 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
BENY SUR MER	16		Rain in early morning
		0900	F.E.I to 12 AGRE for conference on watering of ALGs
		1110	Lt Col McDowell 21 A.GL visited CRE
		1500	S/Ldr A/Q and Adjt to inspect possible new bivouac
			area at PLUMETOT. Rare idiomatic French used in
			trying to hire 6 reapers and teams from Monsieur
			le Maire
	17	715	CRE and A/Q to recce new bivonac area
			HQ packing up ready to move
		1300	HQ moved off to new bivonac area at 023789. Site in
			field surrounded by wood hear to new job at PLUMETOT
			All ranks dug in
		1630	Shelling of wood surrounding bivonac area.
			Weather hot and sunny. Strip is to be constructed
			by 214 Pnr Coy and 64 Road Constr Coy

Page 9 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PLUMETOT	18	1030	Visit by Maj RA. McGeachy S.O oil 4 C.E. Works
		1130	Adjt to CE I Corps Group reverted to Comd 2 Army
			in support I Corps
		2130	Considerable number of air transport plassed over. Sounds
			of heavy firing on night flank
			Weather warm all day
	19		Rainy day
		1110	Brief visit by CE I Corps looking for the CRE
			who was out on a tour of the strip, I Corps and
			BENY SUR MER
			Miserable day but all ranks considerably cheered
			by big delivery of mail.
	20		Dull and windy but no rain
			C.R.E. A/Q and Adit visited 64 Coy, 214 Coy, 217
			Coy and CRE 51 Div in morning

Page 10 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PLUMETOT	21		Weather dull again strong wind
		1200	CRE to BENY SUR MER and I Corps
		1330	Adjt out on a M/C in a fruitless search for a
			quarry for HQ to do shooting in
		1345	CRE and A/Q to 12 AGRE
		1800	Visit by S.C 12 AGRE asking for any admin queries
	22	1000	CRE to BIEVILLE to take a look at possible ALG site
		1100	CRE 24 Group visited HQ
		1115	Some shells whitted overhead shelrep from 681 Road
			Constr Coy RE and 64 Road Constr Coy. No casualties - slight
			damage one vehicle.
		1730	CRE to BENY SUR MER and 1 Corps with OC 681 Road
			Constr Coy
	23	0930	CRE attended conference at 12 AGRE
		1700	Adjt to 12 AGRE.

Page 11 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PLUMETOT	23		Nothing - very much to report all day some
			activity by guns in neighbourhood. Weather cloudy
			in morning but brighter in afternoon
	24	0900	CRE and A/Q to 217 Coy Pnt Corps who were working
			under CRE I Corps Tps then to CRE 51 Div
		2315	Low flying German aircraft over camp. Everything in
			neighbourhood opened up no hostile action by aircraft
			Weather fine and sunny all day.
		2100	CRE showed airfield comd round ALG
	25	1100	Adit to I Corps and 217 Coy Pnr Corps
		1500	CRE to BENY SUR MER to meet CE SHAEF who
			was to inspect ALG There and at PLUMETOT CE
			didn't arrive and inspection was later cancelled
			Considerable artillery activity in evening
		2000	CRE to I Corps re reservation of area for ALG

Page 12 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PLUMETOT	25		Weather very hot most of the day but clouded over in
			evening and There was some rain
	26	730	Intensive artillery fire opened up from guns in
			neighbouhood.
		1000	CRE to ST AUBIN D'ARQUENAY and I Corps with FEI
		1530	Adjt to 88 Gen Hosp and I Corps
			Weather again changeable - downpore in evening
	27	1000	CRE to ST AUBIN to see site For strip for evacuation
			of gliders used on D Day.
		1100	Adjt to 214 and 217 Coys
		1500	A/Q to BAYEUX to pick inf reinforcements for the
			Group
		1700	CRE to ALG at BENY SUR MER
	28	900	Adjt to 12 AGRE
		1100	CRE and A/Q to ST AUBIN

Page 13 of 14

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
PLUMETOT	28	1700	CRE out with CE I Corps visited ALG at PLUMETOT
			Glider strip at ST AUBIN and new bridge across
			R. ORNE
		2345	Three or four shells whintled overhead and burst close
			to HQ bivonac area. No casualties
			Weather fair with showers.
	29	0100	LAD shelled. One OR killed and two stores lorries
			burnt out
		945	CRE to 12 AGRE
		1500	CRE and A/Q to COLLEVILLE to attend funeral of
			Cfn F J.M Tearle of the L.A.D. who was killed in
			the shelling.
		1830	C.R.E to 12 AGRE
			Another day of indifferent weather. A rather quieter
			night than the previous one. 15 men of HQ attended

Page 14 of 14