War Diary 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers, September 1944 to December 1944

September 1944, Seine.

1st – 5th Ferrying tanks & lorried infantry over the Seine by three rafts, with the aid of stormboats. Twelve South Wales Borderers & lorry went into the river, no survivors. 14ft Bore on the river from low tide.

6th – 10th Clearing mines for 56 Brigade in advance on Le Havre.

11th L/Cpl Nutter killed.

12th One Sgt & one sapper wounded, one sapper missing.

14th 68 Prisoners taken from S Mole fortress.

17th – 18th Company moved from Le Harve to St Leonard, France.

19th Company moved to Dieppe.

22nd Company moved to S.Lille.

23rd Company moved to Isschot near Lierre.

24th Moved to Oostmalle Belgium to build bridge.

25th Built 40ft S.S.bridge, cleared road verges & unit maintenance.

26th Removed existing bridge. Four sappers killed, five wounded, including Major Brown & Lt Pratt (Sappers Bunn, Williams, Atkins & Cpl Nuttycombe killed). Capt Williams assumed command. Plumb bridge built at St Lenaarts & explosives attached, two sections stayed to man the bridge.

27th Army film unit attached to 757 Field Company. Built bridge at Pont Levis. Erected water point at Grobbend-Turnout. Came under Bob force.

28th Maintaining bridges, Lt Pratt & two sappers wounded.

29th Sgt Venables killed by mine on Roosendaal – Essen road. Maintaining bridges.

30th Constructing Gun Platform for 25 pounder gun.

October 1944, St.Lenaarts.

1st Maintaining bridge on Antwerp – Turnout canal, company resting. Major Brown returned.

2nd Preparing timber to construct improvised bridge (Plum 3). Shoring up church tower at Ryckevorsel for 185 Field Regiment OP post.

3rd Built improvised bridge.

4th Bridge maintenance, completed improvised repairing OP post in church tower.

5th Clearing verges in Ryckevorsel. Company moved to new location. Two sections of 3 Platoon to man post in 56 Brigade area. 21:30 hrs commenced building Orange bridge over Antwerp canal.

6th Completed bridge at 05:00 hrs, 70 ft DS bailey over old site. 2 Platoon to infantry post. Took 19 prisoners.

7th Company moved to St Lenaarts as infantry in BOB FORCE. Holding the line from St Lenaarts to east of Ryckevorsel. Handed over bridge at Oostmalle to 234 Fld Co.

8th Bob Force.

9th 3 Platoons sent out a patrol each north of St Lenaarts, 2 POW’s surrendered to R.A. of Bob Force.

10th Company part of Bob Force. 1 section of 3 Platoon shoring up houses for MMG post. Capt. Williams & Lt. Pratt to Antwerp on leave.

11th 2 Platoon sent out patrol at 03:00 hrs & picked up Canadian Officer who said he was a press officer who had been hiding from the Boshe, after driving through the front line in a jeep into German territory. Passed him over to Bob Force. Lt. Dodd & Lt. McWatt on 24hrs leave.

12th Patrol of 3 Platoon sent to contact Belgians in Canadian area of Brecht, was fired on by Belgians by mistake over password. Sapper Goodman killed, Lt Cottam wounded.

13th Bob Force, 2 Platoon on night patrol.

14th – 15th Bob Force.

16th Polish deserter surrendered to 2 Platoon. 3 Platoon sent out on night patrol (1 Officer and 3 other ranks) to 867113 nothing found. Heard voices at 870116.

17th Bob Force. Glosters looked round our positions prior to takeover.

18th Handed over to Glosters. Coy HQ moved to the brickworks 887087. Put extra surface on St Lenaarts bridge, removed explosive charges.

19th Training new intakes in Bailey Bridging, company resting.

20th Supporting 56 Brigade in attack north of St Lenaarts. Platoon’s on route clearance, felling trees.

21st Route maintenance on roads NW of St Lenaarts - Brecht . Lt McWatt wounded.

22nd Route maintenance .

23rd Handed over routes North of Brecht to 104 US Infantry Division (Timber Wolves).

24th Cleared Nieuwer to Esshen roads.

25th Company moved to Wildert at 07:00hrs to set up water point. Platoon’s on route maintenance.

26th Supporting 56 Brigade in attack on Nispin, lifting “R” at 713252, no booby-traps.

27th Company supporting Clarkeforce (34 TK. Brigade) in advance NE of Nispen. Constructing ramps for tanks over A/T ditch at MR 695273. Bulldozer did good work in face of enemy. Lt Johnstone, recce officer got into the village of Wouw and found it unoccupied.

28th In support of Clarkeforce at Wouw 6730 – Boeink 6930 – Haaink 6928.

29th Clearing Nispen – Esschen road of mines. L/Sgt Venables and Glosters Sgt killed.

30th Moved into Roosendaal at 15:30 hrs. Town fell quickly after attack from the west, cleared road block at south entrance of town.

31st Constructed culvert at 6735. Removed roadblock at 729298. Maintaining bridge Flour and clearing rubble in Roosendaal.

November 1944, Roosendaal.

1st Clearing roadblock with difficulty at 739341 Recce bridge at 713364. Maintained bridge flour.

2nd Constructing culvert at crater 751399, 25ft long.

3rd Supporting Glosters in operation Humid at Stampersgat.

4th Filling crater 729398, bridging crater 729399, demolishing bridge at 731402.

5th Built bridge Eric, 70ft SS class 12 at 729399. Built bridge Wolsey 30ft SS 40 at 721402.

6th Building bridge Tulip at 733414. Clearing road of mines and repairing road 714307 – 716307.

7th In support of S.W.B’s in operation Humid clearing Stampersgat.

8th Maintaining bridges Eric, Wolsey and Iris.

15th Company left Roosendaal.

17th Built class 40 bridge at Stokersharot. Held up by mines on site.

18th Built bridge Jar in support of 146 Brigade in operation Chester, 10 shoe mines 2-3 ft apart, type 42 teller mines in verges and “R” mines on bridge approach under cobble stones. 3 ton vehicle reversed over one, blowing off rear wheel, injuring Lt.Pickard, 6 mines buried below road surface, Lt.Pickard died.

19th Clearing verges of mines. Dismantling bridge at 722045 and made culvert for two way traffic.

22nd Constructing 110 ft T/S Bailey Bridge Joint at 710039. Supporting Recce Reg and Essex Reg. Widening turnings at Joint bridge, 2 drivers wounded.

23rd 2 sections with Recce, supporting 146 Brigade in same operation as 56 Brigade.

24th Erecting bridge Waterford 1 on Uit canal by Sevenum near Venlo to allow Recce and 56 Brigade to move into area. Built Waterford 11 at 819126, 50 ft D/S Bailey in support. L/Sgt. Gammons killed.

25th Filled 2 craters Kerry for 2 way traffic.

26th Maintenance to Waterford 1 and 11. One section with Recce Reg. L/Sgt. Pearson killed.

27th 49 Division moved to Nijmegen via Grave.

28th Lt.Pratt killed.

30th Division took over billets in Nijmegen.

December 1944, Nimegen.

7th Erected flood poles south of Elst.

9th Constructing class 9 support raft.

11th Built Bailey pontoon bridge.

14th Operating Woolwich ferry on the Waal at Nijmegen, road maintenance.

15th Received 3 sapper reinforcements.

16th Clearing mines on road 712734. Handed over Bailey pontoon bridge to 756 Field Company, Lt. Dodds re-joined company.

17th Dismantled pontoon bridge, recce roads in 147 Brigade area.

18th Road maintenance in 56 Brigade area.

19th – 23rd Road maintenance and mine clearing.

24th Laying mines and booby trapes.

25th Christmas day in Nijmegen.

26th Moved to location on island near Elst.

27th – 29th Digging in and defence of buildings.

30th Laying booby traps for Essex Reg, preparing to take over Woolwich ferry.

31st Laying anti-personnel mines for Glosters, taking over Woolwich ferry.