War Diary 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers, August 1944
1 August 1944 LONGUEVILLE 088721.
Locations – no change. All Platoons on route maintenance in area CUBERVILLE – Demouville.
2 August 1944
Locations – no change. All Platoons on route maintenance as yesterday. 1 Section of No. 3 Platoon working on tank tracks.
3 August 1944
Locations – no change. All Platoons as yesterday.
4 August 1944
Locations – no change. Nos. 1 and 3 Platoons as yesterday. No. 2 Platoon route maintenance on road CUBERVILLE – Sannerville.
5 August 1944
Locations – no change. All Platoons as yesterday.
6 August 1944
Locations – no change. All Platoons as yesterday.
One Officer (Lt J F COTTAM) and six Other Rank reinforcements arrived.
7 August 1944
Locations – no change. All Platoons as yesterday.
8 August 1944
Locations – no change. 1 and 3 Platoons as yesterday. 2 Platoon erecting water supply for Mobile Bath Unit at COLOMBELLES. No. 3 Platoon lay booby traps in 1 Tyneside Scottish area during night 8 – 9 August 1944.
9 August 1944
Locations – no change. 1 and 3 Platoons as yesterday. 2 Platoon road maintenance in area GIBERVILLE.
10 August 1944
Company move to Cagny 111646 during day.
11 August 1944 Cagny.
Locations – no change. 1 Platoon under command 756 Field Company for route maintenance in area Cagny. 2 Platoon constructing Prisoner of War Cage at Rear Divisional HQ. 3 Platoon route maintenance on road Demouville – Cagny.
19:20 hours. Company harbour shelled. Lance Sergeant Collins (Chief Clerk) wounded by shrapnel.
12 August 1944
Locations – no change. 1 Platoon cleared 504 Tellermines from area between main road and railway between FRENOUVILLE and BELLENGREVILLE.
2 Platoon completed Prisoner of War Cage and working on road construction. 094670 to 092644.
3 Platoon experiment with Tar and Water to lay dust on road Demouville – Cagny – not very successful.
12:05 hours. Company harbour area shelled – no damage or casualties.
13 August 1944
Locations – no change. 1 Platoon on route construction FOUR 0962 to LA HOGUE 0960. 2 Platoon route construction 091644 to 092630. 3 Platoon clearance of obstacles on road Demouville – Cagny. One Unexploded Bomb (10 Kg Anti-personnel) disposed of.
12:00 hours. Company harbour shelled – approximately 40 shells. Lt R SAUNDERS of 289 Field Park Company, wounded by shrapnel while visiting this unit. One Lance Sergeant slightly wounded. One 3 ton truck slightly damaged.
14 August 1944
Company Platoons on road construction and mine clearance near LA HOGUE.
15 August 1944
As 14th August. Two 150mm captured Self-Propelled guns collected from Harbour area by REME Recovery.
16 August 1944
Road work. Enemy less active.
17 August 1944 CANON.
Moved Company to CANON (near Mezidon-Canon). Constructed 1 40 foot and 1 30 foot Class 40 Bailey over DIVES at Mezidon-Canon during night – open at 07:00 hours 18th August.
18 August 1944
1 Platoon on Route Clearance and Bridge maintenance.
Lieutenant Howard and 1 Driver/Operator wounded by shrapnel while on Recce.
19 August 1944
1 Platoon erected Water Point on DIVES ay Mezidon-Canon.
2 and 3 Platoons clearing up Mezidon-Canon.
20 August 1944
1 Platoon constructing improvised Class 9 Bridge at 254587 over DIVES.
2 Platoon – Water Point maintenance.
3 Platoon repair road over rail bridge in Mezidon-Canon. Also 2 Platoon built 50 foot Single Single over River DIVES at 293395 – work commenced 17:00 hours, completed 23:59 hours.
21 August 1944
1 Platoon continuing Bridge construction. 2 Platoon Bridge maintenance. 3 Platoon continuing Bridge repairs.
22 August 1944 ST LAURENT DU MONT Map ref 315628.
I platoon taken off Bridge construction and also 2 Platoon – Company moved to new area. 2 Platoon road and verge clearance.
23 August 1944 MANERBE 497926.
Company moved to new area in afternoon. 1 Section 1 Platoon Route clearance with 2nd Essex Battalion. 1 Section 2 Platoon route clearance with 2nd Glosters Battalion. 3 Platoon – 2 Sections with Recce Regiment for Royal Engineer tasks.
This move may be linked to the withdrawal of 70th Infantry Brigade from the line ready for disbandment.
SHELLED – 1 Other Rank wounded.
24 August 1944 BAS FAULE (598981) (nr COLOMBELLES)
Tasks as for 23rd August. 1 Platoon and 2 Sections constructed 40 foot Double Single over River CALONNE at CORMEILLES – started 20:00 hours, completed 07:00 hours 25th August.
25 August 1944 BAS FAULE.
1 Platoon resting. 2 Platoon (1 Sec) Supporting 2 Glosters. 2 and 3 Sections 3 Platoon supporting RECCE.
One Corporal 3 Platoon wounded by shrapnel from mortar bomb.
26 August 1944 723042 Nr PONT AUDEMER.
1 Section 1 Platoon supporting 2 ESSEX. 2 Platoon Route Maintenance. 3 Platoon 1 Section supporting 2 GLOSTERS.
1 Despatch Rider accident casualty.
27 August 1944
Company prepared to Bridge River RISLE in PONT AUDEMER but held up until 18:30 hours by snipers. Lt LITTLE (3 Platoon Commander) and Sergeant (3 Platoon) wounded by sniper in afternoon.
Bridge commenced 18:30 hours – 90 foot T.3. Bailey.
28 August 1944
Bridge completed 06:30 hours. Company rested during day, except 2 Sections 3 Platoon who cleared PONT AUDEMER.
29 August 1944 ROUTOT 916406.
Moved a.m. 1 Platoon completed bridge surfacing above. 2 Section 2 Platoon supporting 56 Brigade. 3 Platoon horse burying and 1 Section supporting South Wales Borderers.
30 August 1944
Platoons supported Battalions of 56 Brigade in clearing mines etc in FORET DE BROTONNE.
1 Lance Sergeant 1 Platoon (Lance Sergeant Leslie Frank SHEPPARD) killed by booby trapped mine and 1 Sapper wounded by charge. Booby trapped on branch obstruction in road.
31 August 1944 HEUTEAUVILLE 977266 on River SEINE.
HQ Company moved 14:00 hours. Company building 3 – Class 40 – 70 foot Bailey Pontoon Raft. Building delayed till 18:00 hours by late arrival of equipment. 1 Raft completed and working at 23:30 hours – 2 completed 07:00 hours and 3 completed 12:00 hours.
Very strong current – load 4 to 5 vehicles per raft. 1 raft can do about 1 complete trip per hour.
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