507th Field Company, Royal Engineers War Diary November 1939
1 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 hours. Works and Training Programme. Normal.
09:15 hours. Ration lorry left for Fenham to draw rations.
09:30 hours. Mr Miller and L/Sgt Howard and L/Cpl Scott to Bishop Auckland.
09:45 hours. Mr Edgar and NCO and men for Seaburn Camp.
NCOs and men to Chester-le-Street re Passive Air Defence work for 70th Brigade HQ DLI and proceeded to 23rd Division HQ Darlington for Passive Air Defence work.
10:30 hours. Major K McK Cameron for to meet Colonel Kennedy to proceed to 70th Brigade HQ DLI.
13:00 hours. Ration lorry returned.
14:10 hours. 507 Field Company Rugby team left to play Technical College, Sunderland. We won by 16 points to 0.
17:30 hours. Mr Miller returned.
17:40 hours. Mr Edgar returned from Seaburn Camp.
18:15 hours. NCOs and men returned from Chester-le-Street and Darlington.
22:30 hours. Major Cameron returned from 23rd Division Commander Royal Engineers HQ.
22:35 hours. Message from 23rd Division HQ Darlington by Special Despatch Rider.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
2 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. 2 Sappers left for Chester Road Schools on works.
10:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller with L/Sgt Howard and 12 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland on works for DLI.
10:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 9 Sappers left for work at Chester-le-Street.
11:35 hours. 2 Sappers returned from Chester Road Schools.
14:25 hours. 2 Sappers left for Alexandra Road.
15:00 hours. 2 Sappers returned from Alexandra Road.
17:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller and Party returned from Bishop Auckland.
18:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and Party returned from Chester-le-Street.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
3 November 1939 – Sunderland
09:15 hours. 2/Lt Miller with L/Sgt Howard and 14 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar with L/Sgt Mimmack and 17 Sappers left for Chester-le-Street and Stanley.
17:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller and Party returned.
18:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
4 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 1 Sapper left for Chester-le-Street.
09:15 hours. L/Cpl Little and 14 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and 16 Sappers left for works at Houghton and Stanley.
10:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 1 Sapper returned to HQ.
14:00 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 2 Sappers left for Darlington.
17:00 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned from works.
17:30 hours. L/Cpl Little and Party returned from Bishop Auckland.
18:45 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned from Darlington.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
5 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 3 Sappers left for Middleton Tyas.
09:45 hours. Company Parade.
10:00 hours. Service held in Drill Hall.
R.Cs. paraded under CSM Urwin for Mass at St Jacob’s Church.
18:45 hours. L/Sgt Howard and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
6 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
L/Sgts Howard and Mimmack and 6 Sappers left for Chester-le-Street and Middleton Tyas.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and 13 Sappers left for West Stanley and Houghton.
09:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller with Party left for Chester Road and Bishop Auckland.
2/Lt Blench left for Scotch Corner Hotel for Course in Military Law.
Bomb Destruction Party (L/Cpl Ellison, Sapper Wallace and Driver i/c Beadnell) left for Hull.
17:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and Party returned.
18:00 hours. L/Sgts Howard and Mimmack and Parties returned.
2/Lt Miller returned with Party.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
7 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
08:45 hours. 2/Lt Miller with 2 L/Cpls and 11 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and Parties left for Chester-le-Street, Houghton, Lambton and Stanley.
12:15 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 4 Sappers left for Middleton Tyas. 2/Lt Edgar left for Stanley.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned from Bishop Auckland.
17:30 hours. Party returned from Bishop Auckland.
18:15 hours. 2/Lt Edgar returned from Stanley with Parties from Houghton, Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
21:00 hours. L/Sgt Harris left to pick up Party at Houghton – L/Sgt Howard and 4 Sappers.
22:30 hours. L/Sgt Harris returned with L/Sgt Howard and Party from Houghton.
8 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
08:30 hours. Party of 15 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar, L/Sgt Mimmack and 20 Sappers left for Chester-le-Street, Houghton, Lambton and Stanley.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller, L/Cpl Little and 1 Sapper left for Bishop Auckland.
11:00 hours. Major Cameron left for reconnaissance.
13:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller and Party returned.
17:50 hours. Bishop Auckland Party returned.
18:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar returned with Parties from Chester-le-Street, Houghton, Lambton and Stanley.
9 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
08:55 hours. L/Cpl Scott and 11 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:00 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 1 Sapper left for Barnes Park.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and 20 Sappers left for Houghton and Stanley.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 1 Sapper returned from Barnes Park.
11:00 hours. L/Sgts Howard and Mimmack and 17 Sappers left for Darlington, Bishop Auckland and Chester-le-Street.
14:00 hours. CQMS Smith left for Sunderland to collect stores.
16:45 Hours. CQMS Smith returned.
17:50 hours. L/Cpl Scott and Party returned.
18:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and Parties returned.
19:00 hours. L/Sgts Howard and Mimmack and Parties returned.
19:30 hours. Chester-le-Street Party returned.
10 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 21 Sappers left for Darlington and Chester-le-Street.
09:20 hours. L/Cpl Little and 10 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:20 hours. Sgt Laidler, L/Cpl Burrell and Party left for Houghton and Stanley.
09:20 hours. 2/Lt Miller left for Bishop Auckland.
11:10 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned. Major Cameron went on leave prior to Course at Sheerness.
16:30 hours. Sgt Laidler and Parties returned from Houghton and Stanley.
17:45 hours. 4 Sappers left for HQ.
18:00 hours. L/Cpl Little and Party returned from Bishop Auckland.
18:30 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and Parties returned.
19:20 hours. 4 Sappers returned from HQ.
11 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
09:15 hours. 7 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 10 Sappers left for Chester-le-Street.
09:15 Hours. 2/Lt Miller left for Bishop Auckland by car.
09:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson left for Houghton with 6 Sappers.
11:25 hours. Load of timber left for L/Sgt Mimmack at Chester-le-Street.
12:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned from Bishop Auckland.
16:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned from Houghton.
17:25 hours. Party returned from Bishop Auckland.
17:30 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack returned with his Party from Chester-le-Street.
12 November 1939 – Sunderland
09:30 hours. Company Parade and Inspection.
10:30 hours. Church Service at Bishopwearmouth Church.
13 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
09:00 hours. L/Cpl Scott left with 11 Sappers for Bishop Auckland.
09:00 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson with L/Cpl Hope and 15 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
09:20 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 11 Sappers left for Darlington.
10:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs left for Chester-le-Street.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned.
17:00 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned.
17:45 hours. L/Cpl Scott and Party returned.
18:50 hours. L/Sgt Howard returned with Party from Darlington.
14 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
08:45 hours. L/Sgt Howard went to Bishop Auckland with 2/Lt Miller.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Burdon and 10 Sappers left for Darlington.
09:30 hours. Sgt Laidler, L/Sgt Mimmack and 11 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
11:30 hours. Cpl Mogie went to South Shields.
12:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned from Bishop Auckland.
12:30 hours. Cpl Mogie returned.
12:30 hours. L/Cpl Scott and 12 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
13:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller went to York on Intelligence Course.
17:30 hours. Sgt Laidler returned with Parties from Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
17:45 hours. L/Cpl Scott returned from Bishop Auckland.
18:45 hours. L/Sgt Burdon returned from Darlington.
15 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
08:45 hours. Sgt Laidler, L/Sgt Mimmack and 16 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
09:00 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 13 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
L/Sgt Burdon and 11 Sappers left for Darlington.
11:30 hours. Colonel Kennedy and Adjutant called to see Powder Magazine and inspected Camp.
17:05 hours. Sgt Laidler and Party returned.
17:35 hours. L/Sgt Howard’s Party returned.
19:30 hours. Concert held in Drill Hall. Captain Pritchard’s Party.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
16 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
09:00 hours. Sgt Laidler and 11 Sappers, L/Sgt Mimmack and 6 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
09:10 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 13 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
09:10 hours. 2/Lt Edgar, L/Cpl Burrell and 2 Sappers left for Houghton.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar, L/Cpl Burrell and 2 Sappers returned.
15:10 hours. 2/Lt Edgar left for Houghton.
17:30 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack’s Party returned. Sgt Laidler’s Party returned.
18:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar returned from Houghton.
18:15 hours. L/Sgt Howard and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
17 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Normal Training Programme.
09:00 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 9 Sappers left for Darlington.
09:10 hours. Sgt Laidler, L/Cpl Burrell and 13 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 14 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
11:05 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and 3 Sappers left for Houghton.
13:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and 3 Sappers returned.
14:40 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and 3 Sappers left for Houghton.
17:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar and Sappers returned.
17:15 hours. Sgt Laidler and Party returned.
17:40 hours. L/Sgt Howard and Party returned.
18:15 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
18 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:45 hours. Cpl Nicol and 12 Sappers left for Darlington.
09:15 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson, L/Cpl Rennie and 12 Sappers left for Houghton and Chester-le-Street.
09:30 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 3 Sappers left for Bishop Auckland.
15:45 hours. L/Sgt Howard and Party returned.
17:30 hours. Cpl Nicol and Party returned. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
19 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade and inspection.
R.Cs. attended Church under Senior R.C. at St Jacob’s Church.
10:00 hours. Church Service held in Drill Hall by Captain Pritchard.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
20 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
08:45 hours. L/Cpl Burrell and 4 Sappers left for works at Fulwell.
09:30 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and 2 Sappers left for work at Stanley and Bentley.
09:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and 16 Sappers left for works at Houghton, Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
L/Sgt Howard and 24 Sappers left for works at Bishop Auckland for DLI.
2/Lt Edgar and 2 Sappers left for works at Fulwell.
10:30 hours. 2/Lt Blench left for 70th Brigade HQ and Bishop Auckland – to inspect billets of 10th DLI.
12:00 hours. 2/Lt Edgar with L/Cpl Burrell and Party returned.
15:00 hours. 2/Lts Shirrefs and Edgar with Party of NCOs. left for 23rd Divisional HQ for lecture on demolition by Commander Royal Engineers.
17:00 hours. 2/Lt Blench returned.
18:00 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party returned.
L/Sgt Howard and Party attached to 10th DLI for rations and accommodation.
19:00 hours. 2/Lts Shirrefs and Edgar and Party returned.
20:00 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
21 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade. Sgt Laidler and Party of NCOs. left for demolition at Marley Hill.
09:10 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and 11 Sappers left for Darlington.
11:00 hours. 9 Sappers left for Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
17:30 hours. Party of Sappers returned from Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
17:50 hours. Message received – lorry broken down at Ferryhill on return from Darlington.
Lorry left for Ferryhill with M.T. Driver to pick up Sappers.
20:30 hours. Lorry returned from Ferryhill with Party.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
22 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
2/Lt Edgar and NCOs. left for demolition at Marley Hill.
10 Sappers left for Lambton and Chester-le-Street for works.
09:30 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and 9 Sappers left for works at Seaburn.
17:45 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party returned.
18:00 hours. Party returned from Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
2/Lt Edgar and Party returned from Marley Hill.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
23 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:15 hours. NCOs. left for demolition at Marley Hill.
Party of 11 Sappers left for works at Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
10:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller left for Bishop Auckland to inspect works for 10th DLI.
13:45 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
15:30 hours. 2/Lts Blench and Miller left for Durham to inspect billets for DLI.
17:00 hours. 2/Lts Blench and Miller returned.
Party returned from Lambton and Chester-le-Street.
18:00 hours. Demolition Party returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
24 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
Party of 11 Sappers left for works at Lambton and Birtley.
08:45 hours. L/Sgt Mimmack and Party left to pick up timber from Darlington.
09:15 hours. 2/Lt Miller left for works at Bishop Auckland.
09:30 hours. NCOs. left for demolition at Marley Hill.
14:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
L/Sgt Mimmack returned.
17:00 hours. Party returned from Lambton and Birtley.
17:30 hours. Party returned from Marley Hill.
19:15 hours. Concert given for troops and friends in Drill Hall.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
25 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
12 Sappers left for works at Lambton and Birtley.
2/Lt Miller left for works at Bishop Auckland.
13:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
13:35 hours. Team left to play Rugby against 4th Survey Regiment at Ashbrooke.
Team left to play Football against ? at Seaburn.
19:00 hours. Party returned from Lambton and Birtley.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
26 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade and inspection.
R.Cs. attended Mass at St Jacob’s Church.
10:00 hours. Company attended Church Service at Bishopwearmouth Church.
12:25 hours. Officers, NCOs and men left to play Football against 4th Survey Regiment at Gateshead.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
27 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
(Next entry unreadable – poor copy)
? and 3 Sappers left for works at Chester-le-Street.
08:30 hours. L/Sgt Howard and 24 men left for Bishop Auckland after week-end leave, for works at DLI.
08:45 hours. L/Cpl Rennie left for Seaburn on works with Party.
10:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller left for works at Bishop Auckland.
11:30 hours. Colonel Kennedy called to inspect Camp and left later with 2/Lt Blench to inspect works at Houghton and Bishop Auckland.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
15:15 hours. Party returned from Chester-le-Street.
16:15 hours. Party returned from Seaburn.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
28 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 Company Parade.
09:15 hours. Party left for Darlington for timber.
14:15 hours. CQMS and Sapper left for Fulwell Quarries.
15:15 hours. CQMS returned.
18:00 hours. Party returned from Darlington.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
29 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 Hours. Company Parade.
9 Sappers left for North Riding Fortress R.E. being posted for all purposes.
5 Sappers left for East Riding Fortress R.E. being posted for all purposes.
08:45 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party left for Darlington on works.
2/Lt Shirrefs left for Darlington.
14:15 hours. Sgt Ward and Party left for Seaburn.
14:30 hours. 2/Lt Blench left for Bishop Auckland.
18:00 hours. Party returned from Darlington.
Party returned from Seaburn.
18:30 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned from Darlington.
19:00 hours. 2/Lt Blench returned from Bishop Auckland.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
30 November 1939 – Sunderland
08:00 hours. Company Parade.
08:15 hours. Sgt Ward and 9 Sappers left for Livingston Road to dismantle hut.
L/Cpl Rennie and 9 Sappers left for Darlington.
12:30 hours. Sgt Ward and Party returned.
18:30 hours. Party returned from Darlington.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
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