War Diary - CRE - June 1941
1 June 1941- Reykjavik
Progress Reports:-
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 31/5/1941 – see Appendix A attached.
294 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 31/5/1941 – see Appendix B attached.
2 June 1941
Whit Monday. Icelandic holiday. Civilian labour employed only on priority work.
1,536 feet of safety fuse arrived by air from the UK.
3 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers and Regimental Sergeant Major to KEFLAVIK. All Civilian Labour except four men were discharged on 31/5/1941. Three more were engaged on 3/6/1941 for job of two or three days.
Field Engineer 2 goes to inspect concrete culvert near Brautarholt, which is said to be collapsing. He finds abutment has failed on West side. Commander, Royal Engineers orders re-building.
4 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to Kaldadarnes. Extension to Runways and perimeter roads are discussed by Commander, Royal Engineers with RAF.
Two colloidal concrete mixers ex Sicilian Prince are sent to Kaldadarnes.
5 June 1941 – Reykjavik
Four more colloidal concrete mixers ex Sicilian Prince are sent to Kaldadarnes.
Three Dumpers, ex Empire Energy, which docked 4/5/1941 despatched to Kaldadarnes. One six-ton roller and three 11 ½ ton rollers ex Empire Energy unloaded and taken to Royal Engineer stores.
6 June 1941
Six more Dumpers ex Empire Energy are despatched to Kaldadarnes.
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to HVITANES with Officer Commanding 668 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers.
8 June 1941
23:30 hours. H M T Royal Scotsman docks, bringing 13 Other Ranks for 668 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers.
9 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers goes with Chief Engineer to Kaldadarnes.
Field Engineer 1 inspects work on the ULFARSFELL – MIDDALUR Road.
Leave Party departed (Trip E).
10 June 1941 – Reykjavik
Progress Reports:-
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 7/6/1941 – see Appendix C attached.
294 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 7/6/1941 – see Appendix D attached.
18:30 hours. Civilian ARP practice in Reykjavik.
11 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers goes with Chief Engineer to Conference at RAF HQ Reykjavik in the morning.
Commander, Royal Engineers and Adjutant go to Kaldadarnes in the afternoon.
12 June 1941
King’s Birthday Parade on the Recreation Ground , Reykjavik.
13 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers and Adjutant go to Kaldadarnes and on to ODDI.
As work at ODDI is approaching completion, Lieut Fox of this HQ staff warned to leave there. He returns to Reykjavik and is ordered to go to HOFN (Iceland map sheet 106, scale 1/100,000, map reference 480210), to prepare for construction of emergency landing runways there.
15 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to Kaldadarnes.
16 June 1941 – Reykjavik
Progress Reports:-
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 14/6/1941 – see Appendix E attached.
294 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 14/6/1941 – see Appendix F attached.
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to Force HQ.
Regimental Sergeant Major goes to Keflavik and reports on his return that Runways are completed and ready for use. Obstructions are erected. Infantry Defence Post complete except for finishing of camouflage, which the Infantry Section are to do. Sapper billet vacated and job wound up.
17 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers visits D Coast Battery, Royal Artillery at Hafnafjordur to examine the defences.
18 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers, Adjutant and Field Engineer 1 inspect damaged bridge at BALDURSHAGI. From there they go to inspect GEITHALS – MIDDALUR and MIDDALUR – HAFRAVATN roads, and later to inspect sites to select site for training Sections of the Field Company on bridging.
Commander, Royal Engineers instructs 803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers to repair damaged bridge near BALDURSHAGI.
19 June 1941
Very strong wind.
S S DORAD II left with Lieut Fox, one NCO and 2 Other Ranks on board, to proceed to HOFN. She put back 3 hours later on account of heavy seas.
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to GEITHALS and inspects road works with Chief Engineer.
20 June 1941
Weather much improved.
S S TIBA docks at Reykjavik with Motor Transport for 804 and 668 Companies, of this command and stationery and maps for 18th Field Survey Company.
S S DORAD II left with Lieut Fox and Party for HOFN.
21 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers and Adjutant go to Kaldadarnes.
23 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers goes to Conference at Force HQ.
Progress Reports:-
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 21/6/1941 – see Appendix G attached.
294 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, period week ending 21/6/1941 – see Appendix H attached.
No 7 Section 135 Mechanical Engineering Company, Royal Engineers arrives from UK.
Chief Engineer Instruction No 8 – see Appendix J attached.
Lieut R S Winnington-Ingram Royal Engineers returns from leave.
24 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers and Lieut Winnington-Ingram go to Kaldadarneswhere the latter remains, attached to 668 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers to carry out the duties of Garrison Engineer, Kaldadarnes Sub-Area.
25 June 1941
Lieut Fox, Royal Engineers of this HQ returned from HOFN having fixed the site of three runways for an emergency landing ground, arranged for local labour and hire of plant etc and left one NCO and one Other Rank to supervise the work.
27 June 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers accompanied by Captain CROWTHER and Lieut WHITFIELD of No 7 Section 135 Mechanical Engineering Company, Royal Engineers go to Kaldadarnes.
30 June 1941
A detachment of No 7 Section 135 Mechanical Engineering Company, Royal Engineers under command of Lieut WHITFIELD move down to Kaldadarnes.
Chief Engineer and Commander, Royal Engineers go to Kaldadarnes.
Appendices attached to June 1941 War Diary for Commander, Royal Engineers, Iceland Force.
None of the Appendices listed above appear to have survived to be included within the War Diary file.
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