War Diary - CRE - October 1941
1 October 1941 – Reykjavik
Work at VIK completed by 803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers and handed over to F.O. i/c RAF.
4 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers discussed Petrol installations etc at Kaldadarnes with Mr CARTER of Asiatic Petroleum Company.
2/Lt J A Fox returned from No 12 INGLIS BRIDGE Course in UK on H M T BERGENSFJORDUR.
Progress Report week ending 3/10/1941 for 803 Road Construction Company - see Appendix A below.
5 October 1941
Captain C W Harvey, Royal Engineers, proceeded on leave to UK on H M T BERGENSFJORDUR.
7 October 1941
Force Signal Exercise No 11 commenced in early morning. Commander, Royal Engineers, Lt Winnington-Ingram and 2/Lt J A Fox attended, accompanied by Major Pillar (803 Road Construction Company), and moved with 6 Other Ranks to KOTSTROND ( 6086 sheet 37 S.E. map Iceland 1/50,000) where Divisional Headquarters were established for purposes of the exercise.
Captain A G White, Royal Engineers, remained in charge at Headquarters.
Exercise terminated at 20:30 hours.
8 October 1941
Damage to guard rail of Selfoss BRIDGE reported by STATE ENGINEER who is undertaking repairs.
10 October 1941
Conference on Force Exercise No 11 attended by Commander, Royal Engineers, Lt Winnington-Ingram and 2/Lt J A Fox.
General Officer Commanding stresses importance of dispersal and camouflage of vehicles of Divisional HQ. Also stated that orders for Engineer work could be given by Brigade to Section “in support” direct, Commander, Royal Engineers being “INFORMED” only.
11 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers to Chief Engineer to discuss Kaldadarnes, Camps etc.
13 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers to Kaldadarnes with Group-Captain DADDO-LONGLAIS to discuss Camps, accommodation etc.
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers Progress Report for week ending 10/10/1941 – see Appendix B below.
14 October 1941
Commencement of Force Exercise No 12. 70th and 147th Infantry Brigades take part. Commander, Royal Engineers leaves for THINGVALLAVATN to act as Umpire. Captain White, Royal Engineers remains in charge of Headquarters.
15 October 1941
Force Exercise cancelled in afternoon due to very bad weather and road conditions.
16 October 1941
Snow in North East Sector. Road REYDARFJORDUR – SEYDISFJORDUR closed.
17 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers visits Chief Engineer to discuss hutting etc.
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers – Progress Report for week ending today – See Appendix C below.
Preliminary Conference on Force Exercise No 12.
18 October 1941 – Reykjavik
Final Conference on Force Exercise No 12.
Report from North East Sector states road EGILSSTADIR – SEYDISFJORDUR snow-bound and closed; also road HUSAVIK – KOPASKER. One foot snow at OXNADALSHEIDI (Map Reference 7050) on road AKUREYRI – Blonduos.
19 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers visits HVITANES to inspect Camps, roads and Camp railway.
20 October 1941
Road between ALVIDRA and Alafoss - THINGVELLIR road along west side THINGVALLAVATN ordered to be repaired after Force Exercise No 12.
21 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers to Chief Engineer to discuss Camps etc.
23 October 1941
Two Snowploughs ordered from Royal Engineer stores to be stationed in SANDSKEID area for work on road Reykjavik – Kaldadarnes.
25 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers visits Kaldadarnes to inspect Camps etc.
26 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers to Chief Engineer.
27 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers inspects road construction Hafnafjordur – VATNSENDI.
Selfoss BRIDGE : G Conference orders:
1. No vehicle in excess of 3 tons gross weight permitted to use bridge.
2. A Census of all vehicles – 3 ton lorries and over – using the bridge.
803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers – Progress Report for week ending today – see Appendix D below.
28 October 1941 – Reykjavik
Preliminary Conference held to discuss proportion of cost of maintenance and new road construction to be borne by British and American Forces and Icelandic Government, attended by Chief Engineer and Commander, Royal Engineers.
29 October 1941
Commencement of Force Exercise No 13 at 07:15 hours for Battalion Intelligence Sections.
30 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers to Chief Engineer.
31 October 1941
Commander, Royal Engineers with Major Leis DAQMG visits Kaldadarnes to discuss accommodation problems.
Progress Report – 803 Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers for week ending 31 October 1941 – see Appendix E below.
Appendices attached to October 1941 War Diary, Commander, Royal Engineers, Iceland (C ) Force.
Again, either none of the Appendices referred to – in this case all Progress Reports from 803 Road Construction Company – have either survived to be included in the file, or if present, were not photographed at The National Archives.
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