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Verbal instructions recd from Div HQ to withdrawn to north bank of R. RHINE.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