294th Field Company Royal Engineers - War Diary - June 1944
1 June 1944 METTINGHAM.
Standing by at six hours’ notice to move to Marshalling area.
2 June 1944
Company Advance Party consisting of Officer Commanding, Company Sergeant Major, Driver/Operator, Batman and Despatch Rider left for concentration area at 18:15 hours.
3 June 1944
19:30 hours. Remainder of Company, less residues, left METTINGHAM for concentration area.
4 June 1944 LONDON.
09:30 hours. Arrived Camp T2.
5 June 1944
16:30 hours. Lieutenant Fullarton and one Sapper rejoined unit at Camp T2 after detachment at 30 Corps.
6 June 1944
04:30 hours. Captain Langley and vehicle party left Camp T2 to load vehicles on Motor Transport ship 96 at EAST INDIA DOCKS.
17:45 hours. Remainder of Company embussed and left for East India Docks.
19:00 hours. Company embarked.
7 – 8 June 1944 Motor Transport Ship 96.
Anchored in River Thames off SOUTHEND.
9 June 1944 Motor Transport Ship 96.
06:30 hours. Weighed anchor.
10 June 1944 FRANCE.
10:00 hours. Dropped anchor off CALVADOS after uneventful crossing of ENGLISH CHANNEL. Not an enemy plane or craft was seen.
11 June 1944
12:00 hours. Unloading of Motor Transport Ship 96 began; raft left for beach at 17:00 hours.
12 June 1944
10:30 hours. Unloading continues, and the final Rhino Ferry left for beach at 20:15 hours, landing at 22:30 hours on KING GREEN BEACH West of Le Riviere. Landing was completely dryshod owing to ferry beaching itself on a sandbank and having to wait for the tide to go out.
13 June 1944
00:07 hours. Final vehicle of Company (less water purification plant complete, which was landed in an underwater shell-hole and drowned while landing from first raft) arrived in 146 Infantry Brigade Concentration area near St GABRIEL (MR 896777).
13 – 14 June 1944 FRANCE.
Company resting while remainder of Division concentrated. Drivers completed de-waterproofing of vehicles.
15 June 1944 Ducy-St-Marguerite.
Company moved to new harbour area at Ducy-St-Marguerite (MR 852733) arriving at 13:40 hours. Chateau in grounds was searched for booby traps but none found. Showers erected for GERMAN troops in grounds were found and work was started to get them into working order. Three Platoon employed on filling up potholes and generally improving routes.
16 June 1944
On the Brigade front the 1 /4 KOYLI attack on Cristot was successful, the town being in our hands at 13:04 hours. Officer Commanding 2 Platoon went on recce of area at 16:45 hours and clearance work started. It mainly consisted of burying cattle killed in the action. The village soon had the name of “Dead Cow Corner”. Started bathing Brigade with our showers.
17 June 1944
Platoons continued with burying dead cattle and clearing of village. At 15:00 hours Lieutenant Wizard reported by radio telephone that Lieutenant Hatfield had been killed by a sniper, shot through the forehead. All Platoons were recalled to harbour area at 17:00 hours owing to prevalence of snipers in the area. Bathing continued, getting through about 400 men in the day.
18 June 1944
In the morning Lieutenant Hatfield was buried by the Reverend Thomas, Chaplain to the Forces, at 865734. (Lieutenant Hatfield's body was later re-interred in the BAYEUX War Cemetery). Work on clearance of Cristot area continued. Recce Officer 1 recced Le Pont Roc area and found site for water point at 839710. At 19:25 hours Lieutenant Eynon and Lance Sergeant Cooper left to join patrol of 4 LINCOLNS to recce area of river line south of road Tilly-Sur-Seulles to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel. Recce was not completed owing to engagement with enemy patrol in that area. About 450 men bathed.
19 June 1944
Water point erected at 839710by detachment from 1 Platoon, and in operation. Company harbour area machine-gunned by Me109 at 16:00 hours. No casualties to Company, but the ’plane was shot down about 1 ½ miles from camp. About 450 men bathed. All Platoons engaged on clearance of Brigade area.
20 June 1944
Company still engaged on clearance of Brigade area, less detachment operating water point.
21 June 1944
Routine as two previous days. Camp area again machine-gunned, but no casualties. Lieutenant P Lanning, RE, joined unit to replace Mr Hatfield.
22 June 1944
Company employed on improvement of routes in Brigade area. Company harbour and vicinity shelled from 14:00 to 14:07 hours. No casualties, except for two cows wounded in adjoining field!! Afterwards never have so many dug so much in so little time. Bulldozer employed on digging in Brigade transport.
23 June 1944
Improvement of routes continues. Work started on erection of steel scaffolding ladder in steeple of church in Ducy-St-Marguerite. It is to be used for survey work by Survey Company, Royal Engineers. Bulldozer employed in digging in tents of Brigade Advanced Dressing Station and digging vehicle holes for Brigade HQ when it moves forward to area of St Pierre.
24 June 1944
In the morning, 1 and 3 Platoons continued improving routes as the previous two days while 2 Platoon completes ladder in steeple of church Ducy-St-Marguerite. The afternoon was spent in preparing for the attack on Fontenay-Le-Pesnel due the following day.
25 June 1944
1 Platoon (less one Section) and 3 Platoon under command LINCOLNS and HALLAMS respectively for attack on Fontenay-Le-Pesnel and Tessel WOOD. Routes for wheels and tracks were provided over stream in area 8667 to line of road JUVIGNY – Fontenay-Le-Pesnel. Casualties seven wounded and two missing. Lance Sergeant Cooper killed two Boche. Windows of CHATEAU Audrieu were boarded up by 2 Platoon.
26 June 1944
The morning was spent by 2 Platoon in clearing up roads in Fontenay-Le-Pesnel area, while the other two Platoons rested. In the afternoon the whole Company was engaged in clearing up that area.
27 June 1944 Ducy-St-Marguerite.
All Platoons engaged on clearance of routes in area North of road Tilly-Sur-Seulles – Fontenay-Le-Pesnel. In afternoon Company HQ moved to area ORCHARD 852704 arriving there at 15:32 hours. The Platoons rejoined the Company there on completion of their tasks. Late that evening Lieutenant FULLARTON and party went out to assist 6 DWR to lay a minefield in area MR852668 while Lieutenant LANNING and party assisted 1 /4 KOYLI to lay a minefield in area MR8566.
28 June 1944 852704.
Platoons continued with clearance and improvement of routes in Tilly-Sur-Seulles – Fontenay-Le-Pesnel area.
29 June 1944
Small detachments from Platoons assisted Battalions of Brigade Group to lay small local protective minefields, while rest of Company rested.
30 June 1944
All Platoons engaged on clearance of routes in area Tilly-Sur-Seulles – Fontenay-Le-Pesnel. At 19:45 hours Company returned to Ducy-St-Marguerite as Self-propelled guns harboured in same field and their reports stopped the Company from getting any sleep.
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