289th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers, War Diary July 1944
1 July 1944 LA RUE.
Army Forms W 3008 and 3009A issued for Basic Element, Light Aid Detachment and 23 Bridging Platoon (attached). See Appendix A. This Appendix was either not photographed on the research visit to Kew, or did not survive in the original file.
5 July 1944
Major I D S Brown relinquished command of this Company on posting to 757 Field Company, Royal Engineers.
7 July 1944
Major C H Priestley assumed command of this Company.
12 July 1944
19:00 hours. 5 * 3-ton lorries carrying 1500 Anti-Tank Mines and minefield marking stores sent to 757 Field Company. Bridging Platoon Drivers assisted 757 Field Company in carrying mines up to field.
15 July 1944
Rear Party arrived. Reshuffling of loads commenced.
15/16 July 1944
Slight enemy shelling during night. Some ? stores damaged. No casualties.
16 July 1944
Circular saw being put into action on crosses and notice boards.
Bridging Platoon being loaded, and at 2 hours’ notice to move, under command of 59 Infantry Division.
Mechanical equipment being transferred from Stores to Bridging Platoon with effect from 17 July. Regimental Medical Officer Royal Engineers attached.
16/17 July 1944
Some shelling of area during night. No casualties.
23 July 1944
Officer Commanding and Lieutenant Arthur recce’d new harbour area in area BEUVILLE – LEBISEY – BLAINVILLE. Excessive congestion made task laborious. Detachment Workshop Platoon moved to new harbour as Advance Party.
23/24 July 1944
Some shelling of area during night. No casualties.
24 July 1944
Ferried Royal Engineer stores to new area. Company resting.
25 July 1944
Officer Commanding, Lieutenant Arthur, Stores Platoon and half-tracks moved to BEUVILLE in penny packets. Officer Commanding met Brigadier Longden who said Corps HQ were now moving into our field.
26 July 1944
Officer Commanding settled new site with Quartermaster and Company moved over in afternoon. Evening spent settling in.
27 July 1944
One bulldozer driver with 757 Field Company slight casualty due to shell splinter. Quiet day.
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