War Diary 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers, February 1943
1 February 1943 PROSPECT HOUSE, PROSPECT HILL, STOURBRIDGE.
09:00 hours. Weather report. Heavy clouds, showery.
13:00 hours. Heavy rain.
Company on Exercise “POMPUS”. 21:30 hours. Conducted rafting on River SEVERN with Class V Floating Bridging Equipment raft at UPTON-on-SEVERN.
2 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Light clouds, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
01:45 hours. Class V raft completed. Great difficulty in rafting owing to River SEVERN being in spate. 2 Platoon assisting 294 Field Company with Pontoon Bridge over Severn. 2/Lt Little returned from Course.
3 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Light clouds, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
Exercise “POMPUS” . Dismantling Class 18 Pontoon Bridge. Completed dismantling and loading 16:30 hours. Company returned to STOURBRIDGE by 18:10 hours.
4 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Heavy clouds, rain.
13:00 hours. Rain.
Platoons cleaning up equipment and conservancy.
5 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Dull, slight rain, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
Platoons on Pontoon Rafting and ? construction on River SEVERN at BEVERE ISLAND.
6 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Bright, clear, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
Platoons unloading Floating Bailey Equipment from WEST HAGLEY STATION. Captain Lucas admitted to hospital.
7 – 13 February 1943
Due to an error in photographing the original War Diary file this page is blurred and unable to be read clearly.
14 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Cloudy, showers, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
Conservancy. Major Newman RE and Captain Bale RE (S.T.B.R.E.) report for Umpire duty on FILLDYKE.
15 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Bright, clear, average temperature.
13:00 hours. Cold, hail, showers.
Company loading up vehicles. Nos 1 and 2 Platoons under command 146 Brigade for Rafting on FILLDYKE. Officer Commanding attending Cloth Model Exercise in Drill Hall, STOURBRIDGE in preparation for FILLDYKE. Officer Commanding attends Commandant Royal Engineers’ “O” Group.
16 February 1943
Exercise “FILLDYKE”. Company moves into harbour BISHOP'S WOOD near HARTLEBURY. Officer Commanding attends Commandant Royal Engineers’ “O” Group at 20:00 hours. No. 3 Platoon “R” party despatched to EASTHAM near TENBURY to make recce. Company moved to harbour at KNIGHTON-ON-TEME.
17 February 1943
Nos 1 and 2 Platoons returned to my command. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Platoons constructing 110 foot Double Single Bailey Bridge over River TEME at EASTHAM.
16:00 hours. Company moved to KIMBOLTON. Bridge site at EATON, LEOMINSTER recce’d.
18 February 1943
02:00 hours. All Platoons constructing 64 foot Class 24 S.B.G. Bridge over LUGG at EATON. Dismantled S.B.G. and loaded on vehicles. Officer Commanding attended Commandant Royal Engineers “O” Group.
19 February 1943
Dismantled Bailey Bridge at EASTHAM and returned to STOURBRIDGE.
20 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Fine and clear.
13:00 hours. No change.
Officer Commanding attending G.o.C. Conference on FILLDYKE at WHITNEY COURT. Captain Lucas returned from hospital.
21 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. \mild, slight rain.
13:00 hours. Light clouds.
Lecture on FILLDYKE to Company by Officer Commanding.
22 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Light clouds, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
Company on Demolition Training. Lt Howard attending War Office Board re Regular Army Commission.
23 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Clear and fine.
13:00 hours. No change.
Captain Lucas left for Combined Operations Course at TROON prior to posting. Company on demolition and mining training.
24 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Cloudy, average temperature.
13:00 hours. Light clouds.
Company on demolition etc training.
25 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Cloudy, average temperature.
13:00 hours. Light clouds.
Officer Commanding attending Commandant Royal Engineers’ “O” Group. Lieutenant P E Williams RE posted to this unit from 289 Field Park Company, Royal Engineers, as Second-in-Command.
26 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Ground frost, clear.
13:00 hours. Bright, clear.
All Officers attending Chief Engineers’ Conference on “FILLDYKE” at STOURBRIDGE.
Company loading vehicles for Exercise “SPARTAN”. Advance Party left for concentration area at PENN WOOD near HIGH WYCOMBE. Lt Howard rejoined unit.
27 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Light clouds, average temperature.
13:00 hours. No change.
All Officers and Senior NCOs attending lecture by Commandant Royal Engineers on FILLDYKE and SPARTAN. Loading vehicles for “SPARTAN”.
28 February 1943
09:00 hours. Weather report. Light clouds, average temperature.
Company moves to concentration area PENN WOOD, HIGH WYCOMBE.
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