294th Field Company Royal Engineers - War Diary - August 1944
1 August 1944 CAZELLE.
The whole Company, less three NCOs lecturing at Mines School, employed on roads as yesterday. The Mines School consists of a collection of enemy mines and booby traps assembled in the Mairie at Cazelle. Instruction in the neutralisation of these weapons is given to 49 Recce Regiment.
2 August 1944
1 Platoon employed in digging in HQ 146 Infantry Brigade at its new location, making a track and erecting cold showers for the LINCOLNS, and testing local wells and streams for a water point.
2 and 3 Platoons carried on with road maintenance as yesterday.
3 August 1944
1 Platoon repaired roads in area of ST HONORINE LA CHARDONERETTE (MR0971) and erected water point in ESCOVILLE (MR1271).
2 and 3 Platoons carried on with roads as yesterday.
4 August 1944
1 Platoon worked on roads as yesterday and supervised the water point.
2 and 3 Platoons carried on with roads as yesterday.
5 August 1944
1 Platoon same as yesterday. Water point open for business at 08:00 hours.
2 and 3 Platoons, same roads.
6 August 1944
1 and 3 Platoons as yesterday while 2 Platoon rested.
7 August 1944
Three 15cwt trucks were fitted out with water tanks and sprinkler pipes for spraying of roads to keep down dust while LINCOLNS and HALLAMS were relieved by 4 Brigade Commando. The operation was successful.
1 and 2 Platoons as on the 5th while 3 Platoon rested.
8 August 1944
The whole Company employed on roads as before. The water point closed down at 20:00 hours. The Assault Section of each Platoon, carried in M5 and M14 half-tracks, and Lieutenant LANNING, Officer Commanding this “Armoured Platoon”, in a Scout Car left Company harbour in area ST HONORINE LA CHARDONERETTE in support of 146 Infantry Brigade eventual move forward.
Four Pioneers from each of KOYLI, LINCOLNS and HALLAMS arrived during evening to attend a course in laying and detection of British and enemy mines and booby traps which is to start under the direction of Lieutenant FULLARTON tomorrow. They are also to be taught how to design and build command posts.
9 August 1944
Whole Company standing by in harbour area to support 146 Infantry Brigade move forward.
10 August 1944
Company engaged on opening routes and clearing mines in area of LA HOGUE MR 0960. Company moved to Cagny MR 1165 between 15:00 and 17:00 hours.
1 Platoon sustained two casualties through shelling. It appears from CWGC records that these men were wounded, though it is possible that they may have died later from their injuries. One possible casualty was Driver Weaver, who died on 12th August.
11 August 1944 Cagny.
Company engaged on route clearance and mine clearance in area of LA HOGUE.
1 Platoon sustained casualties due to shelling. Lieutenant EYNON was wounded, Sergeant GOUGH and Lance Corporal LEDGER were killed. 11 Other Ranks wounded and one missing.
Company harbour area shelled intermittently during the day but no casualties.
12 August 1944
Company engaged on mine clearance and route maintenance in area of FOURE MR 0962. Company harbour shelled from 12:00 – 13:00 hours with no casualties.
13 August 1944
Company less 1 Platoon as yesterday. 1 Platoon rested.
14 August 1944
As yesterday, but for 1 Platoon read 2 Platoon. Body of Sapper COOK, who was reported missing on the 11th, found.
15 August 1944
1 Platoon mine lifting in area of LA HOGUE and FOURE. Rest of Company standing by for bridging.
16 August 1944 STAR WOOD.
Company moved to STAR WOOD MR1261 arriving at 08:00 hours.
Platoons stood by in CANON MR2255 to bridge River DIVES at Mezidon-Canon MR2456. No bridging was done as enemy had not been cleared from town. The bridge was eventually built by 757 Field Company, RE.
Platoons returned to harbour, filling bomb craters in the road at BELLEGREVILLE MR1461 on the way back.
17 August 1944
2 Platoon built 30 foot Single Span Bailey Bridge at LE TORQUE MR1859.
18 August 1944 CROISSENVILLE.
Company moved to area CROISSENVILLE MR208608.
Water point opened at AIRAN MR186592.
Company employed on route maintenance and unloading of bridging equipment.
Reconnaissance Officer 1 and Officer Commanding 2 Platoon made reconnaissance of River La VIE at ST LOUP DE FRIBBIS MR2958 for bridging.
19 August 1944
Company standing by to bridge River LA VIE at ST LOUP DE FRIBBIS MR298586. Enemy still in possession of far bank and unable to bridge.
20 August 1944
Company erected 60 foot Double Span Class 40 Bailey Bridge without endposts at ST LOUP DE FRIBBIS. Started bridging at 14:45 hours and bridge open for traffic at 18:45 hours. Intermittent shelling during building, no casualties to Company, but Commandant Royal Engineer’s driver was killed by shell.
21 August 1944
1 Platoon repaired approaches to bridge at MAGNY MR2458 and put down timber road surfaces on bridge erected previous day at ST LOUP DE FRIBBIS.
2 Platoon rested.
3 Platoon maintained roads and filled craters on road CREVECOEUR–EN-AUGE MR3060 to LEAUPARTIE MR4093.
22 August 1944 LEAUPARTIE.
Company moved to LEAUPARTIE MR 402933 (Map Sheet 7F2).
Water point opened at RUMESNIL MR37674.
Company employed on route maintenance and clearance of mines from verges.
23 August 1944
Company standing by to bridge River LA TOUQUES at LE-BREUIL-EN-AUGE MR533971. Unable to bridge owing to enemy holding far bank.
24 August 1944 BOUQUETOT.
Company built 80 foot Double Span Class 40 Bailey Bridge at LE-BREUIL-EN-AUGE starting at 00:30 hours, bridge open for traffic at 08:15 hours. Company moved at 09:00 hours to BOUQUETOT MR480972.
25 August 1944 CARREFOUR-LA-BOTTE.
Company moved to area CARREFOUR-LA-BOTTE MR620991 Sheet 8F/1.
3 Platoon built 30 foot Single Span Dual Carriageway Bailey Bridge at CORMEILLES MR6598, starting at 15:00 hours and open for traffic at 01:05 hours.
Water point at LEAUPARTIE closed at 21:30 hours.
26 August 1944
Water point opened at ST PIERRE DE CORMEILLES MR661974.
Company moved at 16:45 hours to area EPAIGNES MR711004.
1 and 2 Platoons stood by to bridge River RISLE at PONT AUDEMER MR7608; this was later cancelled and 1 Platoon left harbour at 23:30 hours to come under command of 757 Field Company, RE, and assist them in bridging River RISLE at PONT AUDEMER, while 2 Platoon came under command 756 Field Company RE to assist them in bridging River LA RISLE at APPEVILLE MR850030.
3 Platoon taped off craters in road EPAIGNES – PONT AUDEMER.
27 August 1944
1 Platoon withdrawn from 757 Field Company, RE, during morning and built 110 foot Double Span Class 12 Bailey Bridge without endposts at LES ROILLES MR814069, bridge completed 01:30 hours.
28 August 1944 EPAIGNES.
2 Platoon built 30 foot Single Span Bailey Bridge over stream at LES BOITES MR785079.
Two Sections from each of 1 and 3 Platoons were placed in support of Engineers of BELGIAN Group to assist them in building bridge over River LA RISLE in PONT AUDEMER. Lieutenant FULLARTON acted as Liaison Officer.
29 August 1944
Company moved to LES FOUILLETS MR860094 at 08:00 hours and from there to LE QUEUE DE REYNARD MR772109 at 16:45 hours. (Map Sheet 8E/5).
2 Platoon cleared road BOURNEVILLE MR8412 to AZIER MR8516 of obstacles and proved verges.
3 Platoon maintained route and cleared verges on road BOURNEVILLE to crossroads MR9219.
Water point at MR661974 closed down at 21:30 hours.
30 August 1944 QUEUE DE REYNARD.
Water point established at MR794084 at 10:45 hours.
Two Sections from each of 2 and 3 Platoons maintained route and deloused verges on road ST NICOLAS DE ELIQUETUIT MR9324 to crossroads MR9219.
31 August 1944
3 Platoon filled bomb craters in road at crossroads 9219 to LE MAILLERAYE SUR SEINE.
The rest of the Company was employed on building two Class 9 Rafts at MR991196 in order to ferry elements of the Division across LA SEINE FLEUVE. (Appendix I attached to the War Diary). For details see below.
Appendices attached to August 1944 War Diary for 294 Field Company.
Rafting Report to Commandant Royal Engineers, 49 Division, dated 9 September 1944.
Only the first page of this report was photographed at The National Archives – the remainder may have been missing from the file.
The report indicated that 235 vehicles and 96 motorcycles had been rafted over the river using the Class 9 Rafts, and 200 personnel had been taken across using stormboats.
Each raft was capable of taking:-
1 3-ton lorry
2 15cwt trucks.
1 15cwt half-track or an armoured 4 by 4.
2 Jeeps (or 1 15cwt and 1 Jeep).
1 Recce Car.
The Raft would not take 1 Half-track and a 1 ton trailer together, not a 3 ton lorry with a 1 ton trailer.
The best speed was 5 trips per hour for 2 rafts which gave 10 trips per hour, averaging 16/17 vehicles in total. At night the best timing was 3 trips each for 2 rafts. In darkness the rafts gave each other a much wider berth, despite having searchlights, and this resulted in delays from beating against the current.
Time was lost; disentangling anchors after the rafts drifted, because there were insufficient stores to make a new raft when one was holed, because of the bore and the velocity of the current, when there were no vehicles available to be ferried.
It was considered that the organisation of “feeding” the ferry with vehicles was inadequate.
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