507th Field Company, Royal Engineers War Diary April 1940
Regrettably, the images of the War Diary for 1st to 6th April are poor ones and cannot be deciphered easily. As far as can be determined, however, these few days were the usual mixture of Parades and the Normal Training Programme, with a football match taking place on 3rd April.
7 April 1940 Sunderland
09:40 hours. Company Parade. No Sunday Service.
10:30 hours. Company dismissed for today.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
8 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade. Normal Training Programme.
10:30 hours. Convoy left for Catterick for collecting equipment, with 2/Lt Shirrefs.
16:40 hours. Convoy returned from Catterick.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
9 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade. Normal Training Programme.
10:30 hours. Administrative Order for Advance Party arrived.
14:40 hours. 1 8cwt truck arrived to make our establishment up to 5.
16:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller, 2/Lt Shirrefs, 2/Lt Edgar and 2/Lt Reid left for 23rd Division HQ R.E. for a lecture on the German Army. All NCOs. from Corporals upwards attended.
20:30 hours. The Party arrived back from the lecture.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
10 April 1940 Sunderland
07:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller and Sgt Huskisson and 5 Other Ranks left for Advance Party.
08:30 hours. Company Parade. Normal Training Programme.
11:30 hours. CQMS Howard with 5 15cwt trucks left for Catterick to collect equipment.
12:35 hours. Major K. McK. Cameron returned to 507 Field Company after 7 days’ leave.
14:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs and 2/Lt Reid with CSM Urwin left for 23rd Divisional HQ Darlington, to attend to a lecture on Leadership by Lord Cavan.
17:00 hours. . 2/Lt Shirrefs, 2/Lt Reid and CSM Urwin returned.
18:00 hours. The Adjutant called at Company HQ (Captain Smith).
18:35 hours. Adjutant Captain Smith left.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
11 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade. Normal Training Programme.
09:00 hours. Cpl Telford left for Catterick for stores with 2/Lt Shirrefs.
10:15 hours. Major Cameron left for HQ 23rd Division R.E.
17:20 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs and Cpl Telford with Party returned from Catterick.
18:12 hours. Major Cameron returned to 507 Company.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
12 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade and Normal Training Programme.
09:00 hours. Collected from Sunderland Movement Plates for our transport.
09:45 hours. Cpl Telford left for Finchale to collect .303 ammunition.
11:00 hours. Cpl Telford returned.
13:00 hours. Major Cameron left for 23rd Divisional HQ as Acting C.R.E.
17:40 hours. Major Cameron returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
13 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade and Normal Training Programme.
10:30 hours. Immatures and B5 Category men left under Cpl Ellison for Ripon. The Company Commander wrote a short letter to B Echelon, where War Diaries were collated, seeking advice on whether or not this group of men should be included within the Weekly Staffing Returns.
11:30 hours. All transport checked for movement.
14:30 hours. Games.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
14 April 1940 Sunderland
08:00 hours. Company Parade and R.C. Church Parade.
08:45 hours. Kit inspection and Rifle.
13:00 hours. M.T. Section under command of 2/Lt L. Edgar and comprising 8 15cwt, 5 8cwt and 6 Motorcycles left for Catterick to join (A) Group 23rd Division for move to B.E.F. (See notes below).
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
15 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
09:00 hours. P.T.
Normal Training Programme.
17:30 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
16 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
09:00 hours. P.T.
Company cleaning barracks.
14:00 hours. Nos. 2 and 3 Sections carried out route march.
17:30 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
17 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
All personnel had respirators tested and passed through Gas Chamber.
All men had baths.
17:30 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
18 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
Major Cameron at HQ as Acting C.R.E.
10:00 hours. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Sections left on route march to Marsden Bay.
17:00 hours. Sections returned from route march.
17:30 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
19 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
Billets at Ashbrook closed.
Company on packing and preparation for departure.
17:30 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
20 April 1940 Sunderland
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
11:00 hours. Received Movement Orders. Message received S.A.Q.C. Office: Captain Curle arriving for inspection of quarters.
15:00 hours. 2/Lt Sharp and Sgt Laidler left to take over troop train at East Boldon.
16:00 hours. Haversack rations distributed to Company personnel.
18:30 hours. Train arrived at Pallion. Company entrained and baggage loaded. Company under command of Captain Blench. 2/Lt Sharp as Train Adjutant.
19:10 hours. Train departure.
21 April 1940 Sunderland
07:00 hours. Arrived Southampton Docks.
08:00 hours. Breakfast provided for all ranks.
09:00 hours. Embarked “Ben My Cree”.
14:00 hours. Sailed for Convoy rendezvous.
23:49 hours. Sailed from Spithead. Company slept ‘tween decks.
22 April 1940 France
07:00 hours. Docked at Le Havre after smooth and uneventful crossing.
07:30 hours. Disembarked and baggage unloaded.
08:00 hours. Company marched to Station “Compagnie Generals Transatlantique”.
10:00 hours. Breakfast provided for personnel.
12:45 hours. Company entrained.
13:40 hours. Train departure. Major Cameron O.C. Train.
15:00 hours. Detrained at Assembly Area “Bolbec”. Met by 2/Lt Edgar with transport. Company marched to Billets at FERME DELAUNAY.
17:00 hours. Meal provided for Company personnel.
18:00 hours. Company dismissed.
22:00 hours. Lights Out.
23 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille.
07:00 hours. Breakfast.
08:00 hours. Works Parade.
10:55 hours. Message arrived O.C. Company to attend Conference.
12:30 hours. O.C. with 33 men, 3 8cwt, 2 15cwt and 1 3-ton loaned from 233 Company left assembly area for destination – Miraumont.
22:00 hours. Lights Out.
24 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille.
07:00 hours. Breakfast.
08:00 hours. Works Parade. Cleaning Camp and Billets.
09:00 hours. Instruction in French to Company.
11:30 hours. Captain Blench and 2/Lt Sharp left for Le Havre to contact Base Cashier.
18,000 francs drawn to pay personnel.
2/Lt Sharp contacted RASC. D.I.D. re rations.
19:00 hours. Message from Captain Osborne – Captain Blench to report immediately to 23rd Divisional HQ. Orders received for transport to proceed to Miraumont on 25 April 1940.
20:00 hours. Transport loaded.
22:00 hours. Lights Out.
25 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille.
07:00 hours. Breakfast.
09:30 hours. 2/Lt Edgar with transport left for Blangy (first halt).
10:00 hours. Rations drawn from D.I.D. with donkey and cart borrowed from FERME DELAUNAY.
11:30 hours. RASC lorry arrived at Ferme Delaunay to collect some of our ? for to join our convoy.
12:00 hours. The RASC lorry left to join convoy.
13:30 hours. 2/Lt Sharp with Cpl May left for RASC to draw rations, with having no transport we borrowed a donkey and trap with a little French girl called Susanne and six Sappers to bring back to Company HQ.
18:00 hours. Captain Blench left to attend a Company Commanders’ meeting at Bolbec Ville Station. Colonel Hare, Captain Osborne, Lt Wrightson, Captain Blench and R.T.O attended to discuss arrangements for train times of Main Body.
19:45 hours. Captain Blench returned to Company HQ.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
26 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille.
07:00 hours. Breakfast.
08:00 hours. Company Parade.
08:15 hours. Party of 20 men left for Bolbec Goods Station for Loading Party with two NCOs.
08:45 hours. Loading of stores commenced from HQ.
13:30 hours. All loading of trucks (rail) completed.
20:00 hours. Company paraded and left Ferme Delaunay for Bolbec Goods Station.
20:25 hours. Arrived at Bolbec Station (Goods) started entraining at once. Completed by 21:00.
22:03 hours. Train left for our destination – FREVENT.
27 April 1940 France
05:07 hours. 233 Field Company R.E. detrained at Authnille.
06:02 hours. HQ Division and C.R.E. 23rd Division HQ detrained. MIRAUMONT.
06:45 hours. 2 Sections of 233 Field Company R.E. detrained at ACHIET.
08:15 hours. 1 Section of 233 Field Company R.E. detrained at FICHEUX.
09:00 hours. The train stopped at ARRAS for an hour, we made tea for men and rations distributed out, water was supplied by RTO ARRAS.
10:00 hours. Train left for TINCQUE.
11:15 hours. 508 Field Park Company R.E. detrained at TINCQUE.
11:55 hours. Train left TINQUE.
12:55 hours. 507 Field Company R.E. arrived at FREVENT. On arrival the Advance Parties with transport met us and started unloading stores while transport carried personnel to Camp sites NUNCQ where Sections 2 and 3, BEAUVOIR No 1 Section, Herlincourt HQ.
18:30 hours. All stores unloaded and men had a meal and settled for the night.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
28 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille for all Sections.
07:30 hours. Companies paraded and normal works proceeded, all Sections on accommodation stores for 70 Brigade HQ.
10:15 hours. Major Cameron left for HQ CRE 23rd Division R.E.
17:20 hours. Major Cameron returned.
23:00 hours. Lights out.
29 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille for all Sections.
07:30 hours. Company Parade for all Sections.
11:25 hours. Message from CRE 23rd Division R.E. saying he was calling at 13:00 hours with Captain Smith, Agent de Liaison and RSM Miles and they inspected the Camp and had lunch with us.
14:15 hours. C.R.E. Captain Smith, Major Cameron, Captain Blench, Agent de Liaison, RSM Miles left HQ to inspect Sections 2 and 3 at NUNCQ – left at 15:30 hours.
15:50 hours. C.R.E. arrived with Party to inspect Section No 1 at BEAUVOIR and left at 17:05 hours.
17:40 hours. Major Cameron and Captain Blench arrived back to Company HQ, Herlincourt.
18:15 hours. Brigadier P.H. Kirkup DSO etc and Staff arrived at Chateau D’Herlincourt.
18:30 hours. Section Officers Conference held by Major Cameron. Lasted till 20:00 hours.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
30 April 1940 France
06:00 hours. Reveille. Present dispositions - No 1 Section under 2/Lt Sharp S. in support of 1 Tyneside Scots.
No 2 Section under 2/Lt Miller K.G. in support of 10 Bn DLI
No 3 Section under 2/Lt Edgar L. in support of 11 Bn DLI.
HQ Section at Brigade HQ under Captain E.R. Blench.
2/Lt W.R. Shirrefs attached Company HQ.
All Sections busy on accommodations for 70th Brigade and on issuing and receiving Engineer Stores. Wet day but warm. Men fit and cheerful. No hostile aircraft observed. A.A. LMGs mounted, loaded and manned at all sites.
Shortage of Engineering Stores hampering our speed but situation will shortly improve.
507 Company HQ transferred to cottage in village and Officers’ Mess ditto as Brigade HQ was overcrowded.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
Appendices attached to the April 1940 War Diary.
14 April 1940.
A note from Major Cameron, marked secret, was included in the file setting out the Orders for the move of the Company transport. This was commanded by 2/Lt Edgar and was due to leave for Catterick at 12:00 hours on 14 April.
The convoy was to form part of Group “A” under the command of Captain A.T. Magnall of 23rd Division Provost Company and was to concentrate at Hooge Lines at Catterick at 17:00 hours.
Their route was via Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, Croxdale, Darlington, Catterick, thence Doncaster, Bawtry, Allerton, Oxton, Leicester, Lutterworth and Southampton. Speed would be 20 mph and spacing 20 vehicles to the mile. Rations were to be drawn for 24 hours and refuelling would be done at Stage Points en route, with communication via Despatch Rider.
20 April 1940.
Nominal Roll of Officers proceeding overseas.
The list was as follows-
P/31262 Major K. McK. Cameron
71563 Captain E.R. Blench
92056 2/Lt W.R. Shirrefs
70570 2/Lt S.H. Sharp
In addition, P/94551 2/Lt L. Edgar proceeded with the Advance Party which left on 14 April, and
2/Lt P. Reid was to proceed later with the Rear Parties.
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