National Archives catalogue number WO 171/1652.
Abbreviation
|
2 i/c A/C Airldg AP A/Tk Bde Bn Bty DZ FBE FFI Fwd LZ MG OC Op OR Posn Q RASC Rd RE Rly Sec Sqn Tp UXB |
Second-in-Command Aircraft Airlanding Anti-Personnel Anti-Tank Brigade Battalion Battery Drop Zone Folding Boat Equipment Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur (French Resistance) Forward Landing Zone Machine Gun Officer Commanding Operation Other Ranks Position Quartermaster Royal Army Service Corps Road Royal Engineers Railway Royal Ulster Rifles Section Squadron Troop Unexploded Bomb |
Month and year : June 1944
Commanding Officer : Capt G.F. Davidson
5th June 1944
Place: Fairford
2330 - Sqn less 2 Tp and 10 sec emplaned at FAIRFORD, BERKS in Six STIRLING A/C for flight to CAEN - CHERBOURG peninsula on Operation NEPTUNE. DZ - area of RANVILLE - LE HOM west of the bridges over the CAEN-A-MER CANAL & R. ORNE.
Place: Broadwell
2315 - 2 Tp - 7 Sec emplaned in Horsa glider with 9 Para Bn for assault on heavy coastal bty at MERVILLE. 5, 6, 8 Sec - emplaned in DAKOTA a/c with 9 Para Bn for follow-up assault on bty posn at MERVILLE.
6th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0100 - Sqn landed by parachute on D.Z. and carried out main task of clearing area of poles for a L.Z. for a glider borne assault at 0330. Lt Thomas received bullet wounds in shoulder. 2 O.Rs injured during drop.
0500 - Sqn completed further landing strips and then moved into Bas de Ranville area and dug in defensive positions. Two aircraft had failed to drop their sticks on the DZ and these sticks were still missing. O.C. & 2 i/c were among those missing.
0730 - 1 Tp. 3 Tp salvaged containers for remainder of morning.
1300 - 1 Tp laid A.P. minefield. 3 Tp laid A/Tk minefield.
2000 - 2 i/c and his stick arrived at Sqn HQ and took over command.
7th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0130 - 3 Tp [thickened?] up minebelt laid during afternoon and completed belt later in day. 2 O.Rs injured due to shelling during laying.
0800 - Sqn on salvaging containers & equipment from gliders.
8th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - Sqn on salvaging equipment. No. 2 Tp less 16 men reported to Sqn HQ.
9th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - Sqn on salvaging equipment and general engineer tasks. 3 O.Rs killed and 3 O.Rs injured due to shell fire.
10th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - 4 officers Major Wood, Capt Jackson Lt Best and Lt Oliveira and 27 O.Rs now considered missing. The crews of their aircraft reported dropping them in correct place. Sqn on general engineer tasks. 1 O.R killed. 1 officer Lt Fish and 3 O.Rs injured due to shell splinters.
11th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - General engineer work and salvaging containers from German minefield. 1 O.R killed due to S mine. S.S.M. - 1 O.R casualties due to shell shock.
12th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - General engineer work (1) shoring up Div HQ (2) Rd Maintenance (3) Salvaging containers from minefield.
13th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - Same General Tasks. One Tp laying A.P. mines in German minefield.
14th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - Same tasks as for previous day.
15th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - General Tasks. (1) Clearing fields of fire. (2) Digging in tasks. 1 NCO casualty due to Battle Exhaustion.
16th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - General Tasks. One Tp laid A.P. minefield in German minefield. 2 O.Rs injured to explosion of shrapnel mine.
17th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - 3 Tps on general tasks. 1 Officer Lt Wharton killed. 1 Officer Lt Little injured due to S mine.
18th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - 2 Tp on general tasks. 1 Tp laid 700 yds A.P. mines.
19th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All Tps general engineer tasks.
20th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - 2 Tps on Road Maintenance. 1 Tp laid 500 yds A.Tk mines.
1300 - 1 NCO injured during check of A.P. minefield.
21st June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - 2 Tps moved out in support of Bde in line for general tasks in line. 1 Tp building blast proof shelters for Field Ambulance.
22nd June 1944
Place: Ranville
All troops on same tasks as for 21st.
23rd June 1944
Place: Ranville
All troops on same tasks as for 21st.
24th June 1944
Place: Ranville
All troops on same tasks as for 21st.
25th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops on work constructing shell proof shelters for Div HQ.
26th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops still working on Div HQ.
27th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops still working on Div HQ.
28th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops still working on Div HQ.
29th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops still working on Div HQ.
30th June 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - All troops still working on Div HQ. Total strength this day 9 officers & 85 O.Rs.
Month and year : July 1944
Commanding Officer : Major G.F. Davidson
1st July 1944
Place: Ranville
0800 - Shelters at Div HQ completed.
3rd July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal training in enemy mines etc.
4th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal work. One troop to front line in support of fwd bde.
5th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal sapper work.
6th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal sapper work. Received 1 Sgt + 31 O.Rs reinforcements attached only to Airborne Div for period of stay in France.
7th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal sapper tasks. 2 officers + 4 O.Rs reinforcements attached.
8th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Normal sapper tasks. Total strength this day 9 officers + 83 O.Rs + 5 R.A.S.C. attached + 2 officers + 36 O.Rs R.E. attached.
9th July 1944
Place: Ranville
1700 - One troop in support of fwd Bde. Building M.G. emplacements. Remainder of Sqn building shelters at Div H.Q.
10th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron employed on same job as yesterday.
11th July 1944
Place: Ranville
One troop with fwd Bde. Remainder of Sqn on road maintenance employing 50 French civilians. One Tp running N.C.Os cadre.
12th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron employed as for previous day.
13th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron employed on same jobs. 1 Sgt injured by snipers' bullet.
14th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron carrying on with same jobs.
15th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron carrying on with same jobs. In addition a start was made on three underground shell proof shelters at Le Mesnil. Honours and Awards. Capt R.F. Semple awarded the Military Cross.
16th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Sqn continued on job of constructing shell proof underground shelter for 5 Bde. Rd maintenance carried on.
17th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Underground shelters completed. Ceased to employed French labour on roads.
18th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Sqn took over water point for area and doubled the capacity of it.
19th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Work on water point carried out. Repair of bomb damage to signal shelter commenced. Excavation started for 2 U.X.Bs.
20th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Work as for yesterday. 2 - 50 Kg bombs disposed of.
21st July 1944
Place: Ranville
Signal shelter finished. Water Point roads and standing being improved. Capacity - 40,000 gallons in 24 hrs.
22nd July 1944
Place: Ranville
Work continued on water point. Remainder of Sqn baling out their slit trenches. Strength this day. 11 officers + 118 O.R + 4 R.A.S.C. attached.
23rd July 1944
Place: Ranville
Repair of shelter at 6 Airldg Bde. Water Point capacity increased to double by installing new tanks and new pumping set.
24th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Work on all shelters completed. Maintenance on Water Point.
25th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron starts on period of training. Water Point duties carried out.
26th to 28th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Training continues in } Enemy Mines, Enemy Weapons, Rafting, Watermanship.
29th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Training continues.
30th July 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron assumed responsibility for maintenance of main supply routes through Divisional Area.
31st July to 5th August 1944
Place: Ranville
Squadron continued to carry out maintenance (1) Painting and erecting signs (2) Filling shell craters and potholes. Strength this day. 12 officers, 115 O.Rs + 4 R.A.S.C. attached.
Month and year : August 1944
Commanding Officer : Major G.F. Davidson
6th to 16th August 1944
Place: Ranville
Road maintenance in Divisional Area. Water Point of 50,000 galls capacity a day maintained and operated.
17th August 1944
Place: Troarn
Sqn moved forward to Troarn and commenced bridging two dykes and River Dives with F.B.E.
18th August 1944
Place: Troarn
Bridging Op completed by 1200 hrs. Work started on Ford to take Cromwell tanks.
19th August 1944
Place: Troarn
Maintenance of Bridge and Ford.
20th to 21st August 1944
Place: Troarn
Maintenance of bridge and ford and established Water Point. Lt P.P.H. McCririck killed in action 21 August.
22nd August 1944
Place: Branville
Squadron move forward to BRANVILLE. Verge clearing. Engineer recce carried out. One section in support of 1 RUR on assault of River Touques.
23rd August 1944
Place: Branville
General recce carried out of River Touques.
24th August 1944
Place: Branville
German Bridging Equipment collected and bridging of River Touques at Roncheville commenced at 1200 hrs. Bridge open at 1800 hrs. Great help by F.F.I.
25th August 1944
Place: Pont L'Eveque
Sqn moved fwd to clear demolished rly bridge of main route of advance. Maintenance of bridge at RONCHEVILLE.
26th August 1944
Place: Pont L'Eveque
1 Tp attached to leading elements in push to Pont Audemer. Obstructions met on way cleared by F.F.I. Push finished. Sqn started to concentrate and bring up its Q stores from 30 miles back.
27th August 1944
Place: Beuzzeville
Sqn concentrated in area of BEUZZEVILLE. Established water point. Carried out repairs to road diversions. Water continued on main rly bridge which was blocking main CORPS route.
28th to 31st August 1944
Place: Pont L'Eveque
Work handed over to CORPS troops and sqn rested. Prepared for return to England. Strength on this day. 10 officers and 93 O.Rs.
Month and year : September 1944
Commanding Officer : Major G.F. Davidson
1st to 3rd September 1944
Place: Beuzeville
Sqn prepared for return to England. Lt Dawson & MacWatt posted out of Division.
4th September 1944
SQN moves to transit camp at Arromanche.
6th September 1944
SQN embarked at Arromanche Harbour and sailed midday.
7th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Disembarked at Southampton and return to old billets at Bulford. Capt Harbord rejoins. Lt Baillie posted to 3 Para Sqn RE.
8th to 10th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Squadron starts refitting. 46 ORs posted from Home Details.
11th September 1944
Place: Bulford
Squadron proceeds on leave for 14 days.
