War Diary 756th Field Company, Royal Engineers, October 1943
1 – 31 October 1943
Training was carried out as per training programmes at Appendices 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. See Appendices attached to the War Diary. The only Appendix which was photographed at Kew covered 28 Sept to 11 Oct 1943. For details see below.
8 October 1943
2 Platoon carried out a deomstration of assault bridging equipment at IRVINE. 1 Corps representatives including Chief Engineer and 49 Division representatives and detachments attended. Aircraft were provided by Army Co-operation Command at DUNDONALD.
During the month, each Platoon in turn spent a week with Companies of their affiliated Infantry Battalions at the Divisional Battle School near DUNBLANE.
Nos. 1 and 2 Platoons spent two days each at the Scottish Command Town Fighting Wing at LEITH.
A course of ten days duration was run by the Company for all three of the 147 Brigade Pioneer Platoons as per training programme at Appendix 34. See Appendix attached to the War Diary. This Appendix was either not photographed at Kew or was omitted from the original War Diary file.
10 October 1943
Officer Commanding Company attended Exercise BULLSEYE at LINNEY HEAD near PEMBROKE.
Appendices attached to the October 1943 War Diary for 756th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
Training Programme for the period 28 September to 11 October 1943 - Page 1 only.
The Platoons had moved into ALTON CAMP on 28 September for a course under the direction of Major J R Grimsdell.
On the first day the lectures were on British mines, laying methods and recording minefields. This was demonstrated on day 2, together with the use of mine detectors and practical minelaying and recording.
On the third day the topics moved on to enemy mines, with information on breaching and marking minefields and then a lecture on British booby traps.
On day four the subject was enemy booby traps and their neutralisation, together with a talk on Service Explosives.
Unfortunately, as this was the only page photographed, the details of the remaining elements of the course are not known.
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