War Diary - CRE - March 1941
1 March 1941
Progress report of work under contract – see Appendix A below.
Figures given by RAF for wind and temperature at Kaldadarnes from February 25th, 27th and 28th :-
February 25th
Temperature
09:00 hours 9.8F
12:00 hours 14.2F
15:00 hours 14.2F
17:00 hours 12.0F
Average wind 25 – 30 mph, gusting to 40 mph.
February 27th
Temperature
09:00 hours 9.0F
12:00 hours 13.8F
15:00 hours 16.4F
17:00 hours 17.8F
Average wind 40 – 50 mph, gusting 60 – 70 mph.
February 28th
Temperature
09:00 hours 23.8F
12:00 hours 29.5F
15:00 hours 31.8F
17:00 hours 35.1F
Average wind 80 – 90 mph, gusting to 100 mph.
2 March 1941 – Reykjavik
Snow during night 1st/2nd . Owing to gale the 1/6/Duke of Wellington’s Regiment had been unable to relieve the post in the lighthouse on the end of the mole. The gale having abated, they were relieved today and a line put across, in order that hot food could be pulled across on a tackle if another gale occurs.
3 March 1941
Little wind and warmer.
5 March 1941
Two more 12” by 6” stone crushers taken to Kaldadarnes.
Progress “A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Rock foundation – 775 yards – Crushed 383 yards – Rolled 257 yards.
G.O.C. inspects progress at Kaldadarnes.
8 March 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers issues Amendment No 1 to Operation Order No. 1 – see Appendix B below.
Progress of work under contract – see Appendix C below.
803 Road Construction Company Royal Engineers arrive and accommodated in the transit cage.
Officers – Major L W Pillar, Captain J W Wilkinson, 2/Lieut F J S Phillips, 2/Lt E A C Tarrant Royal Engineers.
Thaw precautions put into effect (i.e. no vehicle over 15 cwt to be used without a pass from the Chief Engineer – speed limit 15mph).
9 March 1941
Progress report from 294 Field Company, Royal Engineers – see Appendix D below.
11 March 1941
“A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Rock foundation 838 yards – Crushed 515 yards.
A detachment of a Corporal and 10 from 294 Field Company sent to KEFLAVIK to start emergency landing ground at GARDARSKA?I.
12 March 1941
Chief Engineer takes over issue of explosives from War Department stock to civilians. State Engineer to act as intermediary on behalf of purchasers and vouch for bona fides of each applicant. Pre-payment to Force Paymaster necessary for private purchasers. Licence for import of explosives by Icelandic consumers suspended.
13 March 1941
Intelligence Officer and Officer Commanding 35th Field Hygiene Section RAMC to KEFLAVIK to test water. Water requires sterilisation tablets.
Work started on the Landing Ground road approaches with 9 civilians.
14 March 1941
4500 yards D.A.F. issued to 147 Infantry Brigade.
“A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Rock foundation 848 yards – Crushed 612 yards.
15 March 1941
Progress of work under contract – see Appendix E below.
16 March 1941
803 Road Construction Company start to take over all road jobs from 294 Army Field Company Royal Engineers. Progress report from 294 Field Company – see Appendix F below.
17 March 1941
Labour at KEFLAVIK raised to 39 civilians and three civilian foremen and two War Department.
The following important stores arrived on S S RALLUS –
Concrete breakers and steels – 20.
100 cubic feet compressors – 7.
Raper 410 Diesel Four Purpose Excavator (9 tons) - 1
Raper 410 Diesel Four Purpose Excavator (2 tons) – 1
18 March 1941
“A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Foundation 860 yards – Crushed 714 yards.
20 March 1941
Force Reserve of 5,000 yards D.A.F. set aside by Officer in charge Royal Engineer stores.
21 March 1941
3,000 yards D.A.F. issued to 70 Infantry Brigade.
The following important stores arrived on S S CISNEROS 19 March –
D4 Caterpillar tractors – 4
Graders – 2 (2 ? road)
S.B.G. 3 ton lorries – 10
Jane Portable Pentagors ? – 20.
22 March 1941
803 Road Construction Company take over last job from 294 Field Company.
“A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Foundation 893 yards – Crushed 810 yards.
Progress of work under contract – see Appendix G below.
Progress report 803 Road Construction Company – see Appendix H below.
23 March 1941
Certificate received from Senior Mechanical Engineer showing dates of completion of Field Works course attended by Lieut A G White Royal Engineers to have been 22nd February. He has not yet returned to Iceland.
24 March 1941
Progress report 294 Field Company – see Appendix I below.
25 March 1941
Following a visit to KEFLAVIK by Group-Captain Primrose, Chief Engineer, Commander 70th Infantry Brigade, Commander, Royal Engineers, and Intelligence Officer, Royal Engineers decision taken to make one runway only for the present 1100 yards by 50 yards on completion to be widened to 75 yards.
29 March 1941
Progress report 803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers – see Appendix J below.
Progress report roads under contract – see Appendix K below.
“A” runway Kaldadarnes –
Foundation 950 yards – Crushed 950 yards – Rolled 950 yards.
The runway will not be lengthened further until paths have been laid for taxiing from windbreak and the side (Eastern) sloped down so that planes can run onto the runway at any point.
30 March 1941 – Reykjavik
10:03 hours. A Focke-Wulf Condor bomber seen circling over town, engaged by anti-aircraft. Details in Iceland Force Intelligence Summary No 50 dated 4th April.
31 March 1941
Progress report 294 Field Company Royal Engineers – see Appendix L below.
Appendices attached to the March 1941 War Diary for Iceland Force Commander, Royal Engineers.
Appendices A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L – none of these documents appear to have been retained in the War Diary file.
Appendix B – Amendment No. 1 to Operation Order No. 1 dated 8th March 1941.
This document consisted of a series of short, very specific, amendments to existing paragraphs in the Operation Order and, as such, is somewhat difficult to interpret without the original Order itself.
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