Headquarters, Royal Engineers

National Archives catalogue number WO 171/4162.

Abbreviation

197482

Adv

Airfd

Airldg

a/m

Armd

A/Tk

Att

BAOR

Bde

Bn

Br

C-in-C

Cl

Comd

Constr

Coy

CRE

DCRE

Det

Div

Engr

Eqpt

FBE

Fd

Fwd

Gds

GOC

Gp

HQRE

IO

Maint

Mech

Pk

RA

Rd

RE

Regt

Rly
S

Sp

Sqn

Tp

Trg

Map Reference

Advance

Airfield

Airlanding
Aforementioned

Armoured

Anti-Tank

Attached

British Army of the Rhine

Brigade

Battalion

Bridge

Commander-in-Chief

Class

Command

Construction

Company

Commander Royal Engineers

Deputy Commander Royal Engineers

Detachment

Division / Divisional

Engineer

Equipment

Folding Boat Equipment

Field

Forward

Guards

General Officer Commanding

Group

Headquarters Royal Engineers

Intelligence Officer

Maintenance

Mechanical

Park

Royal Artillery

Road

Royal Engineers

Regiment

Railway

Scottish

Support

Squadron

Troop

Training

Month and year : March 1945

Commanding Officer : Lt.Col. J.R.C. Hamilton DSO RE

1st March 1945

Place: Bulford

Arrival of 27 reinforcements from Depot HALIFAX, these were accommodated for the night, paired and sent on leave. H.Q. 3 & 591 go on 7 days leave. I.O. to Airborne Corps.

2nd March 1945

Place: Bulford

Check of BEACON BARRACKS and G1098 deficiencies. Plumbing work in Div area being carried out under D.C.R.E. with Airborne personnel held back from leave.

3rd March 1945

Place: Bulford

As above.

4th March 1945

Place: Bulford

As above.

5th March 1945

Place: Bulford

As above.

6th March 1945

Place: Bulford

As above.

7th March 1945

Place: Bulford

As above.

8th to 18th March 1945

Place: Bulford

Planning and preparation of Stores required for Operation Varsity for 3 & 591 Sqns and H.Q.R.E.

19th March 1945

Place: Bulford

H.Q.R.E. sea elements move to Tilbury transit camp for embarkation to N.W. Europe.

20th March 1945

Place: Bulford

H.Q.R.E. air party moved by rd from BULFORD to MUSHROOM FARM TRANSIT CAMP near BRAINTREE ESSEX.

21st March 1945

Place: Mushroom Farm

Op: Varsity briefing for officers and men of the Airborne element Div R.E.

22nd March 1945

Place: Mushroom Farm

H.Q.R.E. loading glider 341 at RIVENHALL Airfield. 3 & 591 sqns briefing for Op: Varsity.

23rd March 1945

Place: Mushroom Farm

3 & 591 Sqns fitting chutes at airfd. Address by G.O.C. 0900 hrs.

24th March 1945

Place: Rivenhall, Essex

HQRE and dets of 591 and 3 Para Sqns R.E. take off 0800 hrs land in area HAMMINKELN, GERMANY. Operation "VARSITY".

25th March 1945

Place: Hamminkeln

HQRE links up with Sea Party adv party and HQ set up at 197482.

26th March 1945

Place: Hamminkeln

Sqns in sp of bdes for strengthening HQs setting up water points and Div route maintenance.

27th March 1945

Place: Hamminkeln

As above. 249 fd coy arrives from WEST of the Rhine.

28th March 1945

Place: Wesel

HQRE moves to WESEL area 249448 rd clearance and maintenance area HAMMINKELN - BRUNEN - WESEL. Construction of Bailey br over R. ISSEL at 2543.

29th March 1945

Place: Rhade

Construction of Bailey br at G RECKEN. Route maintenance and clearance ERLE, RHADE, Div HQ moves to RHADE.

30th March 1945

Place: Billerbecke

Clearance of route through COESFELD and construction of Bailey br at LETTE. Div HQ moves to EAST of BILLERBECKE.

31st March 1945

Place: Greven

Construction of br over River EMS (Bailey) by 249 fd Coy at GREVEN 9188. Move of Div HQ to area WEST of GREVEN 8988.

Month and year : April 1945

Commanding Officer : Lt.Col. J.R.C. Hamilton DSO RE

1st April 1945

Place: Greven

Constr of br over DORTMUND-EMS Canal by 591 Para Sqn. Move of Div HQ to East of GREVEN.

2nd April 1945

Place: Greven

Move of Div HQ to LENGERICH B0899. Completion of br over DORTMUND-EMS Canal and clearance of Div exit routes.

3rd April 1945

Place: Lengerich B0899

Clearance of obstacles and maint of routes from GREVEN to LENGERICH and in sp of bdes advancing on OSNABRUCK.

4th April 1945

Place: Blasheim

5 Bde with 591 Para Sqn in sp seize brs over WESER-EMS Canal. 257 Fd Coy under comd CRE seizes brs in OSNABRUCK and clears rly br obstacles. Div HQ moves to BLASHEIM W5612.

5th April 1945

Place: Messlingen W7821

Move of Div HQ to area MESSLINGEN. Assault crossing of River WESER at PETERSHAGEN by 6 Airldg Bde with under comd tp of 591 Para Sqn and in sp 249 Fd Coy. 591 Para Sqn assault boat crossing, 249 Fd Coy FBE br; 100 Coy under comd CRE 6 Airborne Div construction of Cl 40 Bailey Pontoon.

6th April 1945

Place: Messlingen W7821

Completion of FBE and Bailey Pontoon rd br and track maintenance on approaches to R WESER at PETERSHAGEN.

7th April 1945

Place: Messlingen W7821

591 Para Sqn in sp 5 Para Bde for move forward from WESER br head to R LEINE. Two brs intact. Br at NEUSTADT blown, but br head established and maintained by FBE raft.

8th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

Div HQ move to STEINHUDE. 249 Fd Coy with 6 Airldg Bde in reserve. 3 Para Sqn move with 3 Para Bde. 591 Para Sqn consolidating R LEINE br head at NEUSTADT with 5 Para Bde.

9th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

591 Para Sqn recce WUNSTORF airfd and report returned to 8 Corps. Craters filled in on flying field. 3 Para Sqn and 249 Fd Coy prepare to move fwd from LEINE with 3 Para Bde and 6 Airldg Bde.

10th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

3 Para Sqn and 249 Fd Coy move fwd from LEINE with bdes and 591 Para Sqn do rd maint in div area NEUSTADT.

11th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

Div remains static.

12th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

3 Sqn moves to area PETERSHAGEN for FBE br trg on R WESER. The remainder rd maint from the WESER to R LEINE on 8 Corps axis.

13th April 1945

Place: Steinhude 1030

3 Sqn rehearsing FBE on R WESER. 591 Para Sqn move to area CELLE in sp 5 Para Bde. 249 static with 6 Airldg Bde in area FRIELINGEN 2130.

14th April 1945

Place: Eschede 6862

Div moves to area ESCHEDE. Bdes move up axis of 15 (S) Div to area NORTH of CELLE.

15th April 1945

Place: Eschede 6862

Div HQ remains static while bde gps concentrate in area UELZEN with RE sqns and coys in sp.

16th April 1945

Place: Kallenbrock 9178

6 Airldg Bde advance with 249 in sp to area ROSCHE, EAST of UELZEN; br 40 ft gap and carry out route improvement. 3 Bde advance with 3 Sqn in sp on Southern route, widening and strengthening two brs and carrying out route maintenance. Div HQ moves to the area of KALLENBROCK 9178.

17th April 1945

Place: Esterholz

Div HQ moves to ESTERHOLZ. Churchill tank track br used on 6 Airldg Bde route laid and lifted in the evening for 3 Para Bde advance in SOUTH route. 249 build alternative br.

18th April 1945

Place: Esterholz

Change of plan limited advance EAST for 6 Airborne Div. XVIII Corps (US) to strike NORTH across 6 Airborne projected axes. 5 Div to take over on left flank of XVIII Corps.

19th April 1945

Place: Esterholz

3 Sqn fighting patrols with 8 Bn. All coys clearing German tps from area and searching for arms, mines etc.

20th April 1945

Place: Esterholz

Recce party to LUNEBERG for new concentration area. 3, 591 and 249 unloading shells in LUNEBERG area (emergency).

21st April 1945

Place: Luneberg

Div HQ moves to LUNEBERG. Sqns and coys move to area due SOUTH of LUNEBERG. Maintenance of Corps route from CELLE to LUNEBERG.

22nd April 1945

Place: Luneberg

As above work only. Clearance of area for arms etc.

23rd April 1945

Place: Luneberg

591 Para Sqn FBE trg on River ILMENAU and trg RA in use of Stormboats. 3 Para Sqn strengthening culverts and brs in Div area.

24th April 1945

Place: Luneberg

As above.

25th April 1945

Place: Luneberg

As above.

26th and 27th April 1945

Place: Luneberg

249 - destruction of naval explosives dump in area of CELLE.

28th April 1945

Place: Luneberg

Visit of C-in-C. 21 Army Gp.

29th and 30th April 1945

Place: Luneberg

Preparation for ELBE crossing.

Subject:- War Diaries.

To:- Under Secretary of State, The War Office, (C.7.)

From:- GHQ 2nd Echelon.

2E21/WD/23025.

28 Aug 45.

HQ RE 6 Airborne Div.

CRE of the a/m unit reports that no copy of the war diary for May 45 exists at his HQ and as the staff has changed since last May it is now impossible to compile an accurate diary.

[Signed R. Phillips for]

D.A.G.,

GHQ 2nd Echelon.

B.A.O.R.

Appendix

RE 6 AIRBORNE DIV CONFIRMATORY OPERATION INSTRUCTION No.3.
OPS/297/3/G

Copy No.6

1. INFORMATION

(a) General.

(i) Issued Verbally. Objectives, div bridges and bounds are shown on the att trace.

(ii) 503 Fd Coy comes under comd 28 Mar.

(b) Engineer Intelligence. Probable Corps wheeled and tank routes are shown on att trace. 6 Airborne Div is responsible for Corps wheeled route East of Grid Line 30.

2. RE Tasks

(a) Recce of routes. CRE recce parties will be with Armd Recce Regt.

(b) Opening and marking of div and bde routes.

3. Normal Affiliation to Bdes

3 Para Sqn - 3 Para Bde

591 Para Sqn - 5 Para Bde

249 Fd Coy - 6 Airldg Bde

503 Fd Coy - 6 Gds Tank Bde on revertion to this Div.

Sqns / Coys will maintain close liaison with these bdes at all times. 3 and 591 Para Sqn will move with affiliated bdes until further orders.

4. Road Policy

(a) Div Routes. To carry Cl 9 vehicles. Brs and culverts to be Cl 40. Separate tank tracks to be provided wherever possible and in all places where tanks will destroy road surfaces.

(b) Bde Routes. To be developed in the following stages.

(i) Jeep and A/Tk gun tracks.

(ii) Routes for Artillery, WT trucks, ambulances.

(iii) 3-ton vehicles.

In terrain with few hard surfaces rds (as at present) it is imperative that track vehicles should wherever possible be kept off routes that it is intended to develop into div or bde wheeled routes. Early marking by sapper parties well fwd is therefore essential. Stocks of notices must be kept by Sqns / Coys. Sqns / Coys in sp leading bdes will developed intended Corps or Div routes in their area up to required class wherever possible.

591 Para Sqn - East of Grid Line 40 after capture of ERLE by 6 Airldg Bde.

249 Fd Coy - East of Grid Line 25 to Grid Line 40. Take over from 591 Para Sqn East of Grid Line 30 to be arranged initially between Sqns and Fd Coy Commanders.

5. Water Supply Policy.

(a) Div Water Points will be established at all main communication centres. Supply will be direct from Stella Trailer.

(b) Bde Water Points will be established wherever possible when bdes halt in close harbour areas. Local resources to be used as far as possible. Recce and marking of water points is the main consideration.

249 Fd Coy to establish div water point at ERLE (when reached).

6. Engineer Eqpt. e.g. Mech Eqpt, Tippers etc.

(a) To be controlled as far as possible by 286 Fd Pk Coy with this object in view, 286 Fd Pk Coy will establish wherever possible adv parks to which mech eqpt, tippers etc will be returned by Sqns / Coys whenever possible when tasks have been completed. Adv parks will be sited as close as possible to HQRE.

(b) Demands for plant will be sent to HQRE. 286 Fd Pk Coy will be responsible that HQRE is kept informed of serviceability of plant and the needs for standing down plant for maintenance.

591 Para Sqn - One Armd D6.

249 Fd Coy - Two D4 Bulldozers, One Auto patrol, One Stella Trailer.

(d) Res of Engr Eqpt

One D4 Bulldozer, Two secs Tippers (on arrival 28 Mar).

7. Moves

(a) 249 Fd Coy to 6 Airldg Bde area by arrangement with 6 Airldg Bde.

(b) 503 Fd Coy to area LADDER (duration of halt possibly short).

(d) 286 Fd Pk Coy will recce area ERLE for next Comd.

8. ACK.

[Signed B.H. Holloway Lt. R.E.]

Lt-Col

CRE 6 AIRBORNE DIVISION.

BLA.

28 Mar 45.