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    War Diary: 253 Field Company R.E.

    Month and year: December 1944

    The 253 Field Company December 1944 War Diary covers the units time in the Netherlands engaged in clearing mines, maintaining roads and building & maintaining bridges.

    National Archive Reference: WO 171/1606

    The "References to Appendices" column for this document was empty so has been omitted.

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    Page 1 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    1Activity in 3 Pl area reduced to day & confined
    to patrolling by 2 RUR. No RE assistance
    required. Billets shelled in MEERLO 8525
    including one direct hit. No casualties. 1 + 2 Pl
    continued maintenance and rd block in BOXMEER
    7640 cleared by 2 Pl. RO employed on recce
    of rd & brs in area, which consists of the
    area held by 185 Bn Inf Bde.
    23 Pl returned from MEERLO having had no
    further operational commitments during night 1/2
    1+2 Pl continue maintenance & recce within
    area of responsibility. Rd repairs consists in
    filling potholes with whole bricks & dumping
    rubble on edges & on bad tracks.
    3 Reinforcements (all ex 253, wounded) reported for duty
    Page 2 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    3Maintenance continues. Church service at 0930 hrs
    Arrangements made for coy to run a Fd
    Engineering (all arms) Course for pun??? pl
    officer & NCOs of 9 + 185 Inf Bde. Area
    of responsibility of coy changed and now
    coincides with 185 Inf Bde area as follow:-
    excl rd MILL 6445 - VENRAY 7827 from X rds
    660437 to rd junc OVERLOON 761318 -
    NORTHERN boundry incl??? rd??? xrds 660437 to HAPS
    706456 excl rd HAPS - CUYK 7249 -
    SOUTHERN boundry Excl rd OPLOO 7135 - OVERLOON
    incl rd OVERLOON - VERLINGSBEEK 8034 -
    EASTERN boundry River MAAS
    4Maintenance continues. In addition a party laid
    on to examine the area in the VORTUM - VERLINGSBEEK
    Page 3 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    4for enemy mines which are known to exist
    Tracks, which are passable are being cleared
    remainder of area being marked off
    Field Engineering all arms course assembled
    Course consists of one officer from each 2 LINCS,
    1 KOSB & 2 WARWICKS and NCOs as follows :- one
    from KOSB & 2KSLI & 2 LINCS, two from 1 NORFOLK
    and three from 2 RUR.
    5Course started at 0900 hrs and lasts ten days
    Party making ry??? line from MULLEM 7736
    to Sta 3478 into a track for Jeeps was
    shelled at 1500 hrs No casualtus one
    OR reinforcement reported for duty. Two
    officers went to Div rest camp.
    Page 4 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    6#81 & 3 pl area of responsibility changed over.
    Orders received that no A Pers mines are to be
    laid on Divisional front. R mine exploded when
    being nutralised killing Spr RUSSEL and
    wounding L/Cpl JOHNSON, Sprs CROOKS & DILKS.
    Maintenance of rds, employing Dutch labour
    continues.
    7Spr Russell buried at 731324. Visit to S/Lancs
    to advise on rd maintenance. Rd maintenance
    & clearance of suspected areas near GROENIGEN
    7935 continues.
    8Rd maintenance continues Coy comds conference
    at 1430 hrs. Lt Strachan rejoined for duty.
    Notification received of immediate award of MM
    to Sgt JONES.
    Page 5 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    9-10No change. Rd maintenance of mine field
    clearance continues.
    11officers study day on "River Crossing"
    No change. Rd maintenance of minefield
    clearance. Mines (R & Schu) found in area
    7834 in great numbers.
    12Rd wk completed in GEMERT area. Rd
    at 632343 collapsed and is now impassable
    other maintenance continued all responsibilities
    handed over to 17 Fd Coy. 253 Coy starts
    ten days tng period on 13 Dec. Three
    Sgts from infantry attached to teach
    patrolling. One L/Cpl also attached to
    instruct Bren Carrier drivers.
    Page 6 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    13-22Tng period. TOETS, FBE, classification of arms,
    patrolling, drill, PT and lectures etc Demonstration
    on 15 Dec of patrolling by pl of
    C Coy E Yorks.
    15Order for move of company to VENRAY
    probably wef 17 Dec. Recce party left
    at 1130 hrs & have found billets in VENRAY.
    advanced parties left at 1730 hrs. Tng
    period continues
    16Normal days tng. Prepare to move in evening
    17Coy moved to new location - VENRAY782268
    Move by platoon at 30 mins interval starting
    0930 hrs. Recce for huts for Div HQ.
    18Work started on foundation of huts at
    KASTENRAY. 812214. Huts collected in section
    Page 7 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    from Corps Fd PK. Capt Hoadley on leave
    in Brussels.
    19Erection of huts proceeding slowly owing to
    delay in collection of stores. Work on
    billet & preparation for lutures during
    the week & for xmas day.
    20Small party went out at 1000 hrs and
    recovered four British and one German soldiers
    from a mine field near STOKT906214 , amongst
    them CO 2 KSLI. Erection of huts continues.
    Foundation finished to day.
    21Huts erected by 1700 hrs - to be finished
    off to-morrow. 2 pl occupied in improving
    billets.
    22Training to day and lecture by Maj Hall on
    Page 8 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    22employment of AVRE. Reference plan for
    VENRAY issued & men warmed against
    parachutists
    23LT Brown returned from holding there day
    course in handling enemy mines for 6
    Ass Regt RE. Tng continues. 3 pl
    zeroed rifles on range. 2 Pl tng in
    billets. 1 pl hutting for 9 Bn Inf Bde.
    Huts erected at Div HQ by 1&3 pls
    finished to-day
    24Tng continues. Company placed at 2 hrs
    notice wef 1600 hrs.
    25Free day. Whole Coy dinner in school room
    at 1300 hrs. Smoking consent at 1900 hrs.
    Excellent Rations & a good day
    Page 9 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    26Tng continued. Lecture by a monk from
    GEMERTS on Holland.
    27Tng continues. Lecture by Royals officers
    on use of armed Car Regts.
    28Ceremonial parade inspected by Brigadier Brown,
    9 Inf Bde, who presented MM to L/Sgt Marry
    Finish of tng programme & coy games after dinner.
    29Coy inoculations & preparation for works starting
    on 30 Dec
    30Works in area bounded as follows:- (clockwise )
    BOXMEER 4077 - 404780 - thence River MAAS to
    895255 - incl TIENRAY856234 - ZANDHOEK
    815248 - WIEEN 780260 - xrds 690270 - thence
    line of beek to 684329 - BLAUWENHOEK 707357 -
    incl ST ANTHONIS 719375 - thence incl Rd to BOXMEER.
    Page 10 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Work consists of (a) Rd maintenance of all rds in
    area incl - rd OPLOO - VENRAY - rd OVERLOON -
    VIERLINGSBEEK 8034 - rd VENRAY - MAASHEES 8231
    (b) Br manitenance OOSTRUM 8027
    (there brs) - KLEINDORP755273 - 1 SMAKT799315
    (two brs) - MEERLOO 855253 (two brs)
    (c) Mine clearance and recording
    in the area
    (d) lowering to Rd level of
    two brs at MEERLOO
    (e) Replacing FBE at OOSTRUM
    812268 by a class 40 dual carriageway
    Bailey
    (f) Replacing Kapok at
    WANNSUM852277 by a Class 40 Bailey
    Page 11 of 11
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Coy is employing 60 free Dutch labourers
    + 40 Dutch collaborators on these works
    31Work yesterday & to-day on OOSTRUM
    br, MEERLO S. br. recce for WANNSUM,
    and rds. Part of area near VIERLINGSBEEK
    checked for mines. Rds very slippery
    during last four days owing to heavy
    frosts after sleet & mist. Weather otherwise
    fine & sunny. Enemy aerial activity
    this morning but no incidents in the Coy
    area.

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