War Diary - CRE - December 1941
1 December 1941 – Reykjavik
Chief Engineer returns from leave in UK on H M T BANFORA. Lieut Col Colley TD Royal Engineers returns from Force HQ and resumes the appointment of Commander, Royal Engineers.
Final Conference Force (Passive Air Defence) Exercise attended by Commander, Royal Engineers, Adjutant, Field Engineer 1, and Lieut Broughton. Conclusion – Unit arrangements satisfactory.
Field Engineer 3 (2/Lt J A Fox, Royal Engineers) proceeds to AUDSHOLT - (5884) reference map 1/50,000 sheet 37 S.E. – to start work on approach road for projected bridge over the River OLFUSA to carry petrol pipeline to Kaldadarnes.
2 December 1941
10:30 hours. Commander, Royal Engineers has conference with Chief Engineer to handovers.
3 December 1941
Approximately 2” snow in Reykjavik area. Captain A G White, Royal Engineers (Field Engineer 1) embarks on H M T BANFORA for leave in the UK.
4 December 1941
A slight fall of snow. Roads becoming dangerous.
5 December 1941
Snowploughs working on Reykjavik – Kaldadarnes road on the KAMBER PASS.
18:15 to 19:30 hours. Introductory talk by Section Education Officers on the Winter Compulsory Education Scheme.
6 December 1941 – Reykjavik
Snow packing down and freezing on roads. Road reports indicate chains required on all roads out of Reykjavik.
Commander, Royal Engineers accompanies Chief Engineer for inspection of work at Kaldadarnes. Owing to icy roads unit DRLS taken on 15cwt truck.
HQ 668 General Construction Company move from TREGANTLE CAMP, Kaldadarnes to INGOLFS CAMP in Reykjavik town.
The distribution of this Company is therefore now:-
(i) Reykjavik – HQ and 1 Section – Major MacKenzie, 2/Lt Bunting.
(ii) Kaldadarnes – 2 Sections – Captain Green, 2/Lt Stenner.
(iii) North West Sector (Borganes and Reykerskoli) – 1 Section – Lt Stewart, Lt Pacey (on leave).
8 December 1941
18:15 – 19:30 hours. Start of War-time Education Scheme. Discussion -= Current Affairs.
Partial thaw.
9 December 1941
Slight frost – icy surface on roads out of Reykjavik.
11 December 1941
Heavy snow – road between SKI HUT and KAMBAR HILL on Reykjavik – Selfoss road reported blocked with 3 foot drifts. Approximately 30 vehicles stuck on this portion. Logberg snowplough sent to help.
06:30 hours. Commander, Royal Engineers leaves REYKJAVIK Aerodrome in Hudson for leave in the UK.
13 December 1941
Following the taking over of the South West Sector by the US Army, Captain BONESTEEL (perhaps a relative of General Bonesteel the American Commander?) , 5th Battalion U S Engineers visited HQ to discuss the demolition schemes in this Sector. Thaw.
14 December 1941
Further thaw – all roads in Reykjavik area passable but very patchy. Report on main north roads dated 13/12/1941 states:-
(i) AKUREYRI – Reykjavik – closed
(ii) AKUREYRI – SEYDISFJORDUR – closed.
(iii) AKUREYRI – Blonduos – closed.
(iv) AKUREYRI – HUSAVIK – open.
(v) AKUREYRI – DALVIK – open.
(vi) AKUREYRI – MELGERDI – open.
15 December 1941
Intelligence Officer visits 203 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery site at BRIGHTON CAMP to advise and authorise materials for Command Post and ammunition recesses. The latter cannot be completed until stocks of CGI and timber arrive from UK and USA.
16 December 1941
12 Kw lighting sets allocated in North West Sector as follows:-
(i) Reykerskoli – 2.
(ii) Borganes (Hopgarden Camp) – 1.
Captain C W Harvey (Adjutant) attends G.O.C’s TEWT.
18 December 1941
Kaldadarnes road between SKI-CLUB and KAMBAR HILL very icy – only passable with chains.
Frost warning – air minimum 30 degrees F, ground minimum 28 degrees F.
19 December 1941
22:15 hours. Civilian sirens sounded the general alert.
Force Exercise No 15 (Passive Air Defence) which was carried out in collaboration with the civilian authorities. Complete blackout achieved by switching off electric power at ARTUN Power Station.
20 December 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers (Operations) OPERATION ORDER No 1 (Revised 20 December 1941) issued, cancelling OPERATION ORDER No 1 by Commander, Royal Engineers (West Riding) Division dated 16th February 1941.
21 December 1941
Lieut F L Randle (Field Engineer 2) sailed on S S TORDENSKOLD with a detachments from “A” Company 10th U S Infantry Regiment under command of Lieut Hooper to take over the defence of the VESTMANNDEYJAR from the detachment of 10th DLI.
23 December 1941
16:00 hours. Actual handover to US troops took place on “VESTMANN Isles”.
24 December 1941
Lieut F L Randle disembarked REYKJAVIK with 10th DLI.
25 December 1941
Signal cable across River OLFUSA (1000 yards wide) between AUDSHOLT and Kaldadarnes carried away by ice. Communications from Reykjavik – Kaldadarnes now go through Selfoss. No signal communication with Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery at AUDSHOLT.
26 December 1941
Frost warning – Air Minimum 20 degrees F, ground minimum 15 degrees F. Road to Kaldadarnes only passable with chains.
27 December 1941
Ice packing in River OLFUSA. No 3 runway at Kaldadarnes flooded to depth of from 2” to 6 “ and out of action. Bombing of ice considered but thaw in evening made this unnecessary (temp 40 degrees F).
28 December 1941
Road REYDARFJORDUR – AKUREYRI closed between EGILSSTADIR and GRIMSTADDUR.
The military telephone line between REYDARFJORDUR and ESKIFJORDUR broken.
29 December 1941
Lieut Randle (Field Engineer 2) sent to Kaldadarnes to take charge of detachment 668 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers while Captain Green on leave. Royal Engineers at Kaldadarnes consist of the following :-
(i) 2 Sections 668 General Construction Company – 2/Lt Stenner, Royal Engineers.
(ii) Field Engineer 1 – Lt Randle, Royal Engineers.
iii) Detachment S.M.E. Section, Royal Engineers – 2/Lt Jackson, Royal Engineers.
(iii) Detachment E.e.M. Section Royal Engineers – installing Electrical Generators.
Bomb Disposal Course for Officers and NCO’s of USA Forces commences under Lieut FLETCHER, Royal Engineers.
30 December 1941
Captain A G White (Field Engineer 1) returns from leave in UK. Major Tyzack, Officer Commanding 294 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers proceeds on leave. All roads out of Reykjavik passable.
OLFUSA River level 2 feet above normal static.
Filed with the pages of the War Diary for December 1941 was a further copy of the Iceland Map showing the various Sectors and significant towns – a copy of this was already included within the Website.
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.
