War Diary - December 1942
1 – 7 December 1942
Initiation of 294 Field Company's War Diary with effect from 1st December.
Present War Establishment. Officers 5 Other Ranks 230 Y List 6 attached Army Catering Corps 2 attached personnel.
Officer Commanding. Major W S Tyzack.
Second-in-Command Captain C W Cougan.
C.S.M. T C Moore.
C.Q.M.S. J Elkins.
Section Sergeant W Yeo.
No. 1 Section Officer Lt R Saunders.
Section Sergeant W Adams.
No. 2 Section Officer Lt M Langley.
Section Sergeant A Appleby.
No. 3 Section Officer 2nd Lieutenant G Hudson.
Section Sergeant A Stonyer.
1 December 1942 School of Military Engineering, Ripon.
Reference Training Programme. Appendix A attached. For details see below.
2 December 1942
Reference Training Programme. Experiments carried out with S.W.R. mat suspension bridge.
3 December 1942
Reference Training Programme. Experiments carried out with S.W.R. mat suspension bridge.
4 December 1942
Reference Training Programme. Experiments carried out with S.W.R. mat suspension bridge.
5 December 1942
Reference Training Programme. 12 1/2 ton test on Mat suspension bridge over 80 foot gap.
6 December 1942
No Works.
7 December 1942
Reference Training Programme. Trials carried out with 40 ton 2 girder S.B.G. raft.
C.I.F. School of Military Engineering present at trials. 14 1/2 ton test on mat suspension bridge, ground started cracking at 8 tons, no further cracks observed as extra weight was applied. 80 foot gap.
8 December 1942 School of Military Engineering, Ripon.
Refer to Training Programme. See Appendix A attached. See below for details.
9 December 1942
See Training Programme.
10 December 1942
See Training Programme. Trials carried out with S.W.B. ? Suspension Bridge 120 foot gap.
11 December 1942
See Training Programme. Trials carried out with S.W.B. ? Suspension Bridge 120 foot gap.
12 December 1942
09:00 hours. Pass Off.
13 December 1942
Move to Stourbridge. See Appendix B attached. See details below.
14 December 1942 Stourbridge.
Cleaning billets.
15 December 1942
Radio Telephony lectures.
16 December 1942
General Fieldworks.
17 December 1942
General Fieldworks.
18 December 1942
General Fieldworks.
19 December 1942
General Fieldworks.
20 December 1942
General Fieldworks.
21 December 1942
Demonstration at Hereford on Booby Traps and Mines 2 and 3 Platoons, 1 Platoon Fieldworks.
22 December 1942
Demonstration at Hereford on Booby Traps and Mines 2 and 3 Platoons, 1 Platoon Fieldworks.
23 and 24 December 1942
Fieldworks. No. 1 Platoon Fieldworks training on Fieldworks ground.
29 December 1942
Lieutenant Langley to School of Military Engineering to attend No. 7 Bridging Course till 26th January 1943.
Lieutenant Saunders to School of Military Engineering to attend No. 2 Mines and Demolition Course till 12th January 1943.
Appendices attached to the December 1942 War Diary.
Appendix A – Training Programme for the periods ending 5th and 12th December 1942.
This document runs to three pages – the first being the distribution schedule. The second page sets out the topics to be covered each day – much of which concerns bridging and the operation of assault boats, together with mines, field engineering and battle drills. The third page contains the administrative and timing information, with the length of periods to be spent on the various subjects.
Appendix B – Movement Order for the move to Stourbridge on 13th December 1942.
The document deals with the usual administrative and vehicle arrangements for the move, including; the manning of a Cooks’ Party – intended to have a hot meal ready for the Company on arrival at Stourbridge, the role of the Rear Party in handing over billets, dress and equipment, Local Protection, Traffic Control, and the order of movement.
This latter item is set out in detail on the second page and describes the route and very specific timings. Interestingly, at the regular breaks, the vehicles move forward a mile from the halt, and the dismounted troops then march to catch up to the transport – thus ensuring exercise en route. The convoy was expected to cover the 151 miles from Ripon to Stourbridge in a couple of minutes under 10 hours, at a rate of 30 vehicles to the mile.
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The prompt help of the Copying Department at The National Archives is acknowledged in the recovery of a readable copy of the first page of the War Diary. Names have been extracted and added to the Company personnel list.
