National Archives catalogue reference WO 171/404.

 

Abbreviations

AA&QMG

Airfd

Apptd

Arr

AWD

Comd

CREME

Div

LAD

LZ

MG

Offr

OR

POW

Recd

REME

RV

Ry

Str

Wksp

Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General

Airfield

Appointed

Arrived

Advanced Workshop Detachment

Command

Commander Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Divisional

Light Aid Detachment

Landing Zone

Machine Gun

Officer

Other Ranks

Prisoner of War

Received

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Rendezvous

Railway

Strength

Workshop

 

 

Month and year: September 1944

 

18th September 1944

Place: Fairford, Gloucs.

 

1100 - HQ CREME Glider took off FAIRFORD airfd.  Strength 1 Offr 1 OR.  2 ORs travelling Div Wksp AWD.

 

Place: Holland

 

1525 - Landed NW of Arnhem.  Under MG fire.

 

1600 - RV'd WOLFHEZEN ry crossing.

 

1625 - Arr Div HQ location.

 

1635 - Moved with Div HQ to OSTERBEEK.

 

1800 - Cpl Greaves reported, having travelled with Div Wksp AWD.  Str: 1 Offr 2 ORs.

 

1830 - Lt Manning reported arrival of Div Wksp AWD.

 

19th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

0900 - Moved to DMA.  Enemy sniper and mortar fire.

 

20th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

1030 - Instructed to return to Div HQ.

 

1100 - Arr Div HQ.  Lt Manning reported Dvr Gould of HQ CREME killed on LZ, having travelled with AWD.

 

1400 - Re-supply drop.  No REME stores recd.

 

21st September 1944

Place: Holland

 

1000 - Returned to DMA.

 

1500 - Capt EWENS, HQ CREME wounded and taken to hospital.  AA&QMG apptd Lt Manning to take charge of HQ CREME.  Lt Brodie, EME 6 Air Landing LAD assumed comd AWD.

 

1600 - Returned to Div HQ.  Incessant mortaring.  Rations restricted to one-third.

 

23rd September 1944

Place: Holland

 

HQ CREME Jeep hit by shell-fire and destroyed.

 

25th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

Verbal instructions recd from Div HQ to withdrawn to north bank of R. RHINE.

 

2104 - Lt Manning and HQ CREME party left HQ.  Encountered enemy MG on planned route and had to take to woods.

 

26th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

0030 - Arr north bank river RHINE.  Searched for suitable craft and crossed river.

 

0245 - Arr south bank of river and proceeded to NIJMEGEN.

 

Place: Nijmegen

 

1900 - Reported to HQ CREME 1st Seaborne Element at NIJMEGEN.  TOTAL CASUALTIES on Op. 'MARKET' - 1 Offr wounded and believed POW, 1 OR killed.

 

28th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

0900 - Left NIJMEGEN.

 

1700 - Arr HEVERLEE near NOUVAIN.

 

29th September 1944

 

1300 - Warned to stand by to leave for UK by air.

 

1630 - Took off BRUSSELS airfd.

 

1930 - Landed BARKSTON HEATH airfd, Lincs.

 

2130 - Arr permanent location at FULBECK, Lincs.