| Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript. |
WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY |
Army Form C.2118 |
| Unit: 612 Field Squadron R.E. | ||
| Month and Year: October 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Major F.T.K. Wilson R.E. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE MORTEL | 1-3 | Sqn remained at GEMERT, each day one Tp. practising rafting and one Tp. on rd. maint. 2 i.c. went back to 31 R.H.U. at ST. PIERRE CAPPELE near ENGHIEN (130 miles back) for reinforcements. Search there & at 32 R.H.U. & 105 C.R.C. produced 27 OR's for this unit. | ||
| 4 | 1&3 Tps. rd. maint. 2 Tp. rafting trg. with new close support raft. | |||
| 4 | Lt. E.V. Hutchinson who joined the Sqn. on Sept. 30th was appointed Tp.Ldr. 1 Tp. on 4th Oct. | |||
| 5 | 3 Tp. rd. maint. 1 & 2 Tps. rafting trg. | |||
| 6 | 3 Tp. rd. maint. Two Secs FBE came […] Sqn. for practising for forthcoming operation. 1 Tp. used FBE on 6th Oct. O.C. recced op. site. | |||
| 7 | 0900 | - 1400 All Tps. practising FBE on canal at DONK. | ||
| DE MORTEL | 7 | 1900 | - 2400 All Tps. again practised FBE at DONK, building 120' bridge in 3hrs. 50 mins - awkward banks. Meanwhile O.C. & Tp. Ldrs. with Lt. Casswell recced op. site over R. MAAS at CUYK 7249 and measured gap: 473 ft. at water level and 492' overall. | |
| 8 | 1000 | All Tps. left for GASSEL 6552 on R. MAAS to carry out practise with F.B.E. for the operation at CUYK. This operation was cancelled during the day. | ||
| 8 | 1815 | Lt. Geedy & Lt. Wright with the Lt. Secs. of 2 Tp. & 3 Tp. moved off to 159 Inf Bde HQ & 29 Armd Bde. HQ respectively. Sqn is to support both Bdes on Oct 9th. These parties are for liaison & immediate support. | ||
| 9 | Work done. 2 Tp. Rd. maint. ST. ANTONIS 7138 – BOXMEER 7640. Repaired br. 748399 which is now Class 40, width 13ft. 7 OR RAs arrived. | |||
| DE MORTEL | 10 | Rain all day. 1 Tp. Trg on maint. esp R.M; 2 Tp. rd. maint. area 7435. […] issue authorised. | ||
| DE MORTEL | 10 | Lieut. C.M.Y. Trotter RE. posted as RA to this unit & appointed Recce. Offr. | ||
| 11 | Dry day. 1 Tp. trg on Bailey grillages, also rd. maint. 2 Tp. rd. maint. 3 Tp. […] rd. maint. – drainage of surface from 705355 – 658287. | |||
| 11 | 1830 | 3 Tp. relieved of sp. role with 29 Armd. Bde. By 1 Tp. 13 A. Sqn. R.E. | ||
| 12 | Work: 1 Tp. relieved. 2 Tp. in sp. 159 Inf. Bde, working on rd. maint. area 7435. 2 Tp. disarmed 64 R-Mi which had been lifted & stacked by 4 KSLI at 773370. 3 Tp. rd. maint. West of ST. ANTONIS. Allocation of baths & cinema shows again. This welfare side has been quite levish during this past fortnight; preactically every man in the Sqn. has had two shower baths & seen 2 or 3 shows. | |||
| 12 | 13 OR Ras arrived bringing Sqn. strength to 260, the highest since before embarking in U.K. | |||
| 13 | Work: 1 Tp. continued rd. maint. between ST. ANTHONIS & OVERLOON. 2 Tp. Began work on Class 40 crossing for tracked route in area 730369. One dyke needs a 20' timber br. (no Bailey to be used); […] require culverting & possibly end […]. 3 Tp. rd. maint. | |||
| 14 | Work: 1 Tp. continued rd. maint. completing route as far as South edge of wood 7533. Tracked route also completed. 2 Tp's timber bridge (formed of 10 telegraph poles as tringers, supported on two round timber trestles at 1/3 & 2/3 span, decked with round timber dressed with earth) successfully carried Shermans. | |||
| DE MORTEL | 14 | Weather: Cool & occasional showers. Summary of plan: 159 Bde have been holding line from approx. GROENINGEN 7935 – Canal 720310. 3 Brit. Div. are ot break through enemy position of some strength in area OVERLOON 7631 and capture VENRAY 7726. Then 11 Armd. Div. will pass through to take objective HORST 8318 – AMERIKA 7716, 612 Fd. Sqn. R.E. ops in this period have been directed to assisting adv. of 159 Bde by work on rds. Attack by 3 Brit. Div. began 1200hrs. 12 Oct. 44. | ||
| 14 | 1630 | O.C. left for BRUSSELS for interview with D.C.E. 21 Army Group, expecting to return evening of 15th. | ||
| 15 | 0600 | 2 i/c (acting O.C.) & Recce officer sent to Tac. 159 Bde for beginning of operation “Constellation”. 4 K.S.L.I. with 1 Tp in support to wood E 7831. 1 Here with 2 Tp. in sp. rounded VIERLINGSBEEK Stae 7934. Tps mainly engaged on mine lifting. 2 Tp lifted 35 R.M. 43 + 12 Schu mines. | ||
| 15 | Maj. R.T.K Wilson R.E. posted to R.E. Trg. Establishment as instructor (attd. 50 R.H.U. DIEPPE). Capt. R.F.N. Anderson R.E. promoted to Major as O.C. Sqn. | |||
| 16 | 1500 | Maj. F.T.K. Wilson R.E. left Sqn. Continuation of Op. “Constellation”. | ||
| DE MORTEL | 16 | 1700 | Capt. W.F.G. Crozier R.E. joined unit as second-in-command from H.Q. 8 Corps. | |
| 17 | 0800 | Weather – dull, showers. Summary of plan: Div switched from North to West flank of enemy West of R. MAAS. Sqn. is in sp. 159 Inf. Bde. Work during day: 2 Tp. sweeping rds for mines from DEURNE E 6520 to rd.junc. E 723230. No mines found. 1 and 3 Tps in reserve. | ||
| 17 | 1500 | Sqn H.Q. moved at 1500 hrs. to BANKERT E 652233. Lt. R.F. Pregdy injured by passing vehicle and evacuated. Probably absent about a month. | ||
| 18 | 0800 | Lt. J.H. Lockyer assumed comd. 2 Tp. Weather Fair, some sunshine at […]. Considerable rain and hail later on. | ||
| BANKERT | 18 | Task for day: 1 Tp. road maintenance rd. East from DEURNE. Light section with K.S.L.I. 2 Tp. Sqn reserve. 3 Tp. in op 1 Here. | ||
| 18 | 1130 | […] lorry ordered from 147 Fd. Pk. – sent off to 2 Tp. | ||
| 18 | 1300 | 3 Panel, 4 Decking, 2 Ramp & one grillage lorry arrived from 147 Fd. Pk. Sqn to be held here for 50 D/S Bridge. | ||
| 18 | 1100 | Work on br. site started by 2 Tp. M.R. E 701234 | ||
| 18 | 1930 | Br. complete. 3 Tp. lifeted 13 R MI, 43 in area YSSELSTEYN. E 719230. No anti lifting devices. Full report passed on to C.R.E. | ||
| BANKERT | 19 | 0900 | Weather – raining heavily. Work during day: 1 Tp. rd. maintenane East of DEURNE. 2 Tp. br. maintenance on br. at E 695230 until 1030 hrs. and mine lifting. 61 R.M.; 43 lifted from area E 717248. 3 Tp. Sqn reserve. | |
| 19 | 1900 | O.C. held 'O' Gp. and gave orders for construction of approx. 1000 yds of corduroy road from E 705210 to E 757216. Work to start morning of Oct. 20th. | ||
| BANKERT | 20 | Weather dull but no rain. Work: Two secs 1 Tp, Two secs 2 Tp and all 3 Tp. employed on corduroy rd (laying & cutting) 190 yds completed. Two light recce parties, each 1 N.C.O. & one Spr. went out with Inns of Court & between them lifted 73 R.M; 43 in area E 716196. A Party from 1 Tp. u/c R.O.I. lifted 7 R.M; in area VEULEN. | ||
| BANKERT | 21 | Weather – fine. […] wind. Work: continuation of corduroy road – total completed by end of day 532 yds. Party working on road shelled for about an hour – two Sps slightly wounded, bulldozer damaged. | ||
| 22 | Weather clear and fine. Continuation of corduroy rd. – 850 yds completed. More […] shelling in afternoon. | |||
| 23 | Weather clear and fine. Continuation of corduroy rd. – 1100 yds completed. So far all laying of logs done by 3 Tp, with the other tps cutting. Plan for tomorrow to put 2 Tp on laying & 3 Tp on cutting. Small party from 2 Tp with D6 Bulldozer employed in digging in key vehs of 159 Bde H.Q. | |||
| 24 | Continuation of corduroy road. 1318 yards completed by end of day. One sec. 2 Tp. lifting mines area E 756216 – one man killed and one wounded by S. mine. Party working in this area […] by shell fire, M.G. fire and armed rifle fire during the day. No casualties form this fire. | |||
| 25 | Weather fine but dull. Corduroy road completed as one way route. | |||
| 26 | Construction of passing places on road at approc 1/4 mile intervals. 3 Tp engaged on clearing ditches along rd. Also demolition of enemy guns. 75 + 88 m.m. | |||
| BANKERT | 27 | Weather clear and cold. Work: 1 Tp. proceeded to Div R.E. refresh school at HELMOND until 31st Oct. 2 Tp. sanding surface of log road. 3 Tp. butting, carting and unloading logs for maintenance of road. | ||
| 28 | Weather clear and cold. Work 2 Tp. Rd. maintenance from E 720237 to start of log road. Tp. ldr and O.C. carried out bridge demolition recce in area GRIENDTSVEEN E 7117. 6 Sec. moved down to that area and prepared br. for dem. E 727175. Tp ldr. moved to Bn. H.Q. 1 Here. 3 Tp. Sanding surface of log road. Shell fire became so heavy that Tp. withdrew at 1230 hrs. No casualties. | |||
| 29 | Weather clear and cold. Work: 1 Tp. at HELMOND. 2 Tp. demolished brs at E 718174 and E 710178 prepared for demo. brs at E 727175, E 717178, E 707180 + firing parties standing by. Tp. ldr at Bn. H.Q. 1 Here. Area E 7018 searched for mines. 3 Tp. continued sanding of road until again driven off; by air bursts this time. | |||
| 30 | 1 Tp. Road maintenance. 2 Tp: Manning bridges prepared for demn. 3 Tp. Completed sanding of curdoroy road. | |||
| 31 | Weather fair, some mist, cold. 1 Tp. Rd. maintenance. 2 Tp. firing party on brs. Also […] for mines orchard E 706180. No mine found. but continuous line […] orchard of charges with 2235 end […]. 3 charges at 3 Rg, 2 at 1 Rg. 3 Tp. Early morning patrol, on foot of log road. This to be repeated daily until further notice. Also rd. maintenance. |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.
