War Diary 756th Field Company, Royal Engineers, March 1943
1 March 1943 PENN WOOD.
Training preparatory to Exercise SPARTAN.
3 March 1943
Company moves, under command 70th Infantry Brigade, and concentrates with them near AMERSHAM. Zero hour 24:00 hours.
4 March 1943.
00:01 hours. Move with 70th Infantry Brigade to River KENNET. 1 Platoon left with 11th DLI, 2 Platoon centre with 10th DLI at NEWBURY, 3 Platoon right with 1 TYNESIDE SCOTTISH.
09:00 hours. NEWBURY. Arrived at River KENNET and preparations for demolitions at all river, rail and canal crossings commenced.
22:40 hours. All bridges (60 in all) prepared and blown to Umpires satisfaction.
22:50 hours. Commanding Officer captured by Canadian Division in NEWBURY, brought back for interrogation and escaped at 03:00 hours and made 170 miles detour to rejoin 49 Division the next morning. Company under Second-in-Command withdrawn with 70th Infantry Brigade.
6 March 1943 HADENHAM.
Six miles of minefield laid near THAME. Company HQs at HADENHAM.
8 March 1943
21:00 hours. Last remaining bridge in rear of Company blown in error on orders from Adjutant leaving Company with no possible exit. Bridging material ordered up by wireless from rear and No. 2 Platoon builds two Steel Bridge Girder bridges to extricate Company. 1 Platoon dismantles bridge after Company has crossed and lay delay mines under bank seats in hope that the enemy, who are very close, may attempt to bridge the same site. Company moves to WADDESTON PARK.
9 March 1943
Company moves to ROOKLIFFE and prepares all bridges over canal and railway for demolition.
10 March 1943
3 Platoon thickening up demolitions.
12 March 1943
Company moves to HEATH and REACH under command 146 Infantry Brigade for last stand against enemy.
13 March 1943 HEATH and REACH.
Company in good position for all round fire, protected with minefields and wire, prepared to fight to last man as Infantry.
00:00 hours. Company attacked, first wave beaten off and defences repaired again.
07:00 hours. Attacked again but whole of enemy Battalion wiped out chiefly with artillery fire, previously ranged on road in front of minefield.
09:00 hours. Cease fire given for Exercise SPARTAN.
14 March 1943
Company rests. Move to WOBURN PARK.
16 March 1943 WOBURN PARK.
07:30 hours. Company leaves to return to STOURBRIDGE.
18 – 20 March 1943 STOURBRIDGE.
Company on training, particularly demolitions and minefields.
22 – 24 March 1943
Company shooting at KINGSBURY RANGES.
25 March 1943 KINGSBURY.
Company wins inter-Company shooting competition against 294 and 757 Field Companies and 289 Field Park Company.
26 March 1943 STOURBRIDGE.
Route March and Scheme.
29 March 1943
Company wins inter-Company Motor Cycling Competition.
29 – 31 March 1943
See training programme for week ending 4 April. Appendix A attached. This Appendix was either missing from the file or was not photographed at Kew.
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