507th Field Company, Royal Engineers War Diary December 1939
1 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:15 hours. Parties left for works at Chester-le-Street and Darlington.
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
08:40 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party left for works at Seaburn.
2/Lt Shirrefs left for Chester-le-Street.
09:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller left to inspect works at Seaburn.
10:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned and left for Bishop Auckland.
2/Lt Blench promoted acting unpaid Captain.
L/Cpl Rennie and Party returned.
12:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned from Chester-le-Street.
14:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs left for Gateshead.
16:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned.
18:30 hours. Parties returned from Chester-le-Street and Darlington.
19:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
2 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
L/Cpl Rennie and Party left for Seaburn.
Sapper Ellis F.H. posted to 66th Division R.E. at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Normal Working Programme. Party posted to 10th DLI at Bishop Auckland and returned to this Company.
11:50 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party return.
14:00 hours. Sports.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
3 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade and inspection. Cpl Mogie and L/Cpl Rennie left for Course at Chatham.
R.Cs. attended Mass at St Joseph’s Church.
10:00 hours. Service under Captain Pritchard given in Drill Hall.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
4 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parade.
L/Cpl Little T.T. and 5 Sappers posted to Railway Training Centre R.E. at Longmoor. (Home Service only).
L/Cpl Naylor and 4 Drivers left for Jarrow and Yarm with compressor.
08:40 hours. Party of 70 Sappers left for works at Gateshead.
L/Sgt Huskisson and Party left for works for 70 Brigade at Chester-le-Street.
08:45 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party left for Seaburn.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs left for Gateshead.
09:30 hours. L/Cpl Rennie and Party returned.
12:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned and left for Chester-le-Street.
15:50 hours. L/Cpl Naylor and Party returned from Yarm.
16:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned.
16:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned.
18:15 hours. Party returned from Gateshead.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
5 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
L/Sgt Burns and Party left for Marley Hill on demolition.
08:45 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson left with Party for Chester-le-Street. Works for 70 Brigade.
Party of Sappers left for works at Gateshead.
09:30 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs left for Gateshead.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned.
16:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned.
L/Sgt Burns and Party returned.
17:00 hours. Party returned from Gateshead.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
6 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parade.
08:30 hours. L/Cpl Burrell and Party left for Chester-le-Street – 70 Brigade HQ.
Party left for works at Gateshead.
12:00 hours. Colonel Kennedy called to inspect Company and Camp.
13:00 hours Colonel Kennedy left.
16:30 hours. L/Cpl Burrell and Party returned.
17:00 hours. Party returned from Gateshead.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
7 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parade
08:20 hours. Cpl Harris and Party left for works at South Shields.
08:30 hours. L/Sgt Huskisson left for works at Chester-le-Street.
09:00 hours. 2/Lt Miller left for works for 10th Bn DLI at Bishop Auckland.
12:30 hours. 2/Lt Miller returned.
14:00 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs left for South Shields.
16:30 hours. 2/Lt Shirrefs returned.
Cpl Harris and Party returned from South Shields.
L/Sgt Huskisson and Party returned from Chester-le-Street.
During the day Colonel Kennedy and Captain Jacques inspected the proposed billets at Ashbrooke Terrace and instructed Acting Officer Commanding to proceed with requisitions.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
8 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parade.
08:30 hours. Cpl Harris and Party left for South Shields.
L/Cpl Burrell and Party left for works at Chester-le-Street.
L/Cpl Scott left Bishop Auckland to fix stove.
12:45 hours. L/Cpls Burrell and Scott with Parties returned.
15:15 hours. L/Cpl Harris and Party returns.
19:15 hours. Concert held in Drill Hall.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
9 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Party returned from Ashbrooke.
Normal Training Programme.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
10 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion and Ashbrooke.
61 men granted seven days’ leave.
Normal Training Programme at Pallion.
Accommodation works at Ashbrooke Terrace – Blackouts etc.
23.00 hours. Lights Out.
14 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion and Ashbrooke Terrace.
Sapper Lynch T, attached to 508 Field Park Company.
Norman Training Programme at Pallion and accommodation works at Ashbrooke Terrace.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
15 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parades at Pallion and Ashbrooke Terrace.
08:15 hours. Lorry left carrying 2 M.T. Drivers to collect timber from Catterick.
Normal Training Programme at Pallion.
Accommodation works at Ashbrooke.
15:45 hours. Party returned to HQ from Catterick.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
16 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Company Parades at Pallion and Ashbrooke.
2/Lts Shirrefs and Edgar left for Course at Chatham.
Normal Programme in morning.
14:00 hours. Sports Parade.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
17 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:30 hours. Company Parade and inspection.
R.Cs. attended Mass at St Joseph’s Church.
Non-Conformists proceeded to Service at Sorley Street Congregational Church.
10:00 hours. Church Service including carol signing in Drill Hall under Captain Pritchard.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
18 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke Terrace.
08:30 hours. Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme for Company at Pallion to 16:00 hours.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
19 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke Terrace.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme for Company at Pallion to 16:00 hours.
61 men on leave returned to Company HQ.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
20 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke Terrace.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme for Company at Pallion to 16:00 hours.
14:00 hours. Football team left to play Police team at Monkwearmouth ground.
Party given to children of men in Drill Hall.
17:00 hours. Party finished.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
21 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
5 NCOs. granted 7 days’ leave. 2/Lt Miller granted 3 days’ sick leave.
Normal Training Programme at Pallion to 16:00 hours.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
22 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme at Pallion to 16:00 hours.
Spr Auchterlounie granted leave to 28/12/1939.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
23 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
21 men returned from Jarrow together with 15 Army Intake Class.
Spr Lynch T. returned from 508th Field Park Company R.E.
13 NCOs. and men granted leave to 31/12/1939.
Cpl Allison J. granted leave to 26/12/1939.
Normal Training Programme in morning.
14:00 hours. Sports Parade.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
24 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. R.Cs. Parade to attend Mass at St Joseph’s Church at 09:30 hours.
09:30 hours. Company Parade.
Non-Conformists marched to Sorley St Congregational Church for service.
12:00 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
25 December 1939 – Sunderland.
07:00 hours. Parade of R.Cs. for Communion Services in Drill Hall.
08:30 hours. Company Parade.
Non-Conformists proceeded to Sorley St Congregational Church for service.
10:00 hours. Communion Service in Drill Hall.
11:00 hours. Company dismissed.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
26 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme throughout today.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
27 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme throughout day.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
28 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme throughout the day.
Major K. McK. Cameron returned to this Unit.
Captain E.R. Blench left to take an M.T. Course at Chatham.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
30 December 1939 – Sunderland.
08:00 hours. Parade at Ashbrooke.
08:30 hours. Company Parade at Pallion.
Normal Training Programme in morning.
14:00 hours. Sports Parade. Football match Army Intake Class versus Company.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
31 December 1939 – Sunderland.
09:00 hours. R.Cs. proceeded to attend Mass at St Joseph’s Church.
09:15 hours. Company Parade and inspection.
Non-Conformists proceeded to Sorley St Congregational Church for service.
C of E’s under 2/Lt Miller paraded to march to Bishopwearmouth Church for service.
12:00 hours. Company dismissed until 09:00 hours on Monday. Colonel Kennedy visited Ashbrooke.
23:00 hours. Lights Out.
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