Divisional Commander Royal Engineers 23rd (Northumbrian) Division May 1940.
From 28th April until 9th May the unit was carrying out normal duties and working on stores for the Companies.
10th May 1940.
There was an Air Raid in the area and, while bombs were dropped, none were in the vicinity of the unit's HQ.
(For the rest of the month - which was of course a crucial one in the short life of the Division - the War Diary of the Commander Royal Engineers was typed up on a series of plain pieces of paper, rather than on the official War Diary Forms).
15th May 1940
On this date the Divisional Royal Engineers were dispersed as follows:-
HQ was at MIRAUMONT N4278.
508th Field Park Company was at TINCQUES N2708.
507th Field Company (in support of 70 Brigade) were at NUNCQ H1304 and at BEAUVOIR M1296.
233rd Field Company (in support of 69 Brigade) were concentrated near ALBERT N3668.
At 09:00 hours the Commander Royal Engineers received orders to reconnoitre caves at BLERANCOURT N6912 for possible use as a new underground HQ for B.A.A.F. The 507th Field Company were ordered to carry out this task and their reconnaissance party met the Commander Royal Engineers at 16:30 hours.
16th May 1940
At 08:00 hours a message was received from the 507th Field Company's men at BLERANCOURT to the effect that they had been given verbal orders from Signals to evacuate their position as enemy tanks were approaching, and indicated that they were returning to the Engineer HQ pending receiving any orders from the Commander Royal Engineers. This message was acknowledged and, after a discussion with the Engineer-in-Charge at the BEF HQ at ARRAS the Commander Royal Engineers ordered them to return to MIRAUMONT. The reconnaissance party arrived at 14:00.
At 18:00 hours the Commander Royal Engineers was ordered to report to the Divisional Commander, together with another Officer with demolition experience, and was sent forward to meet the Chief Engineer Air Component at MONT-ST-ELOI H4207. On reaching there he was ordered to consider the demolition of six aerodromes (which of course the Division had had a major role in building).
17th May 1940
At 05:00 the Commander Royal Engineers returned to his HQ at MIRAUMONT and ordered the 233rd Field Company to prepare for the demolition of the aerodromes. 2/Lt BELL was given the task of advising the RAF on the destruction of fuel and small arms ammunition and all Engineer Companies were placed at one hour's notice of readiness to move.
At 07:00 the Commander Royal Engineers was given verbal orders by the Divisional Commander that the Division had been ordered to take up positions on the CANAL DU NORD between RUYAULCOURT N6377 and ARLEUX N7097.
