289th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers, War Diary August 1944
1 - 8 August 1944
Company at PERIERS–SUR–LE-DAN, with the Division in a holding role EAST of the River ORNE.
8 – 17 August 1944
Company moved across River ORNE to St HONORINE. Workshops employed chiefly on vehicle repairs and comforts for various headquarters.
Stores Platoon collecting scattered dumps together and supplying some wire and sandbags to Infantry.
Bridging Platoon main task control of mechanical equipment, of which a considerable amount attached to Divisional Royal Engineers.
Lieutenant SAUNDERS casualty 14 August. (According to research on CWGC records it is assumed that Lt Saunders was wounded, but not killed. The Field Return covering this date was either missing from the file or was, unfortunately, not photographed). 17 - 30 August 1944
During this period the Division advanced rapidly from the CAEN perimeter to the SEINE. The main task of the Company was the supply of bridging equipment and administration of Bridging Company personnel. Throughout this operation one or two Bailey Platoons, one Assault Platoon and one Section Field Bridging Equipment were continuously attached to the Company. Bridging Platoon Commander (Lieutenant Saunders) being a casualty, Stores Platoon Commander (Lieutenant Arthur) was placed in command of both Bridging and Stores Platoons.
The Field Return of Officers dated 19 August was filed with the War Diary. See below for details.
The system adopted for the control of bridging equipment, which proved very satisfactory, was as follows:-
1. All RASC Platoon Headquarters remained with this unit and rationed Platoons from here as a firm base.
2. When situation required it, an Advanced Bridging Park under Officer Commanding Bridging Platoon was formed. Advanced Bridging Park had a 28 set on Commandant Royal Engineers’ Net and was situated as far forward as possible.
The refilling system on the whole worked very well.
The Field Returns of Officers and Other Ranks dated 26 August was filed with the War Diary. See below for details.
30 – 31 August 1944
Company in PONT AUDEMER station. Workshops unpacked.
Appendices attached to the August 1944 War Diary.
Field Return of Officers Page 1 dated 19 August 1944.
This again showed the number of Officers matching the War Establishment of 4, with no changes during the previous week.
Field Return of Other Ranks dated 26 August 1944.
This Return showed the Unit fully staffed against its War Establishment of 112 men. In addition; three men were attached from 49 Division Signals, two men attached from 49 Division Royal Engineers, 4 NCOs attached from 6235 BD Flight RAF, 25 men attached from 68 Company Pioneer Corps and one Driver attached from 49 Division RASC.
A request was made for the urgent return of Sapper Ormerod B 2133556, an Operator Excavator, who was probably still in hospital.
The Unit was shown as having 9 tradesmen surplus, but a deficiency in other tradesmen of 10 men.
Field Return of Officers Page 2 dated 26 August 1944.
This return identified the four Officers on the strength – the change being in the substitution of Major Priestley 69068 for Major Brown from the 6th of July 1944.
Two other Officers were shown as attached to the Field Park Company – firstly, as mentioned in the War Diary, Captain McKay of the Royal Army Medical Corps from 24th August and, secondly, Reverend I M German of the Royal Army Chaplain’s Department from 23rd July – both temporary attachments.
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