War Diary 757th Field Company, Royal Engineers, June 1944
1 June 1944 BECCLES.
Weather. Overcast.
All Platoons on administration of billets etc and loading Bailey Bridging Equipment at BECCLES STATION.
2 June 1944
All Platoons on administration of bittets etc and preparations for move overseas.
3 – 4 June 1944
As for 2nd June.
5 June 1944
All Platoons preparing for move.
Officer Commanding leaves at 23:30 hours for Marshalling Area.
6 June 1944 “D”.
Captain Williams received orders for move at 70th Brigade HQ in morning.
Company move off to Marshalling Area 51 at 20:00 hours.
7 June 1944 “D + 1”.
Company arrived in Marshalling Area 51 at 08:00 hours. All vehicles waterproofed 1st stage.
8 June 1944 “D + 2”.
All vehicles loaded on to “SS EMPIRE LANKESTER”.
9 June 1944 “D + 3”.
Company embark into “SS EMPIRE LANKESTER” at 10:00 hours. Ship sails 19:00 hours and arrives off SOUTHEND at 21:00 hours and drops anchor.
10 June 1944 “D + 4”.
Ship lying off SOUTHEND all day.
11 June 1944 “D + 5”.
Ship sails 06:00 hours, passes through STRAITS OF DOVER 11:00 hours.
12 June 1944
Arrived off coast of FRANCE in area of MIKE Beach 03:00 hours. Some vehicles loaded on to LCT during evening but not landed.
13 June 1944
First vehicles landed 06:30 hours, remainder of Company landed at 15:00 hours and proceeded to Concentration Area.
14 June 1944 VIGNNE-EN-BASSIN, B65791.
Company in Concentration Area de-waterproofing vehicles.
Officer Commanding returns to Company 01:15 hours.
Company move at 15:30 hours to Carcagny 8475. No. 1 Platoon erect water point at 839767 during evening.
15 June 1944 Carcagny 8475.
No. 1 Platoon operating water point. Remainder of Company resting in harbour area.
16 June 1944
No. 1 Platoon operating water point. Remainder of Company resting in harbour area.
17 June 1944
No. 1 Platoon operating water point. Nos. 2 and 3 Platoons clearing roads in area Audrieu.
Company harbour area attacked by ME 109 with machine guns at 11:10 hours. No damage or casualties.
18 June 1944
No. 1 Platoon supporting 10th DLI in clearing St Pierre, under enemy fire – snipers active.
No. 3 Platoon relieved 1 Platoon at 23:00 hours. No. 1 Platoon returned to Company location.
19 June 1944
2 Platoon clearing routes in St Pierre. Snipers still active.
20 June 1944
“ Platoon continued clearing St Pierre – moved Platoon HQ location to AUDRIEY.
21 June 1944 “D + 15”.
04:00 hours. 2 Platoon had to move HQ, owing to shelling of Audrieu to Company location. 2 Platoon lifted 6 Tellermines between St Pierre and Tilly-Sur-Seulles and cleared debris caused by 1,000 Kg (?) bomb.
18:00 hours. 1 Platoon relieved 2 Platoon. Former HQ to LE PONT ROC. Latter returned to Company location. 3 Platoon on route maintenance all day.
22 June 1944 “D + 16”.
All Platoons on Route Maintenance. 1 Platoon mortared in Platoon location at LE PONT ROC.
23 June 1944 “D + 17”.
1 Platoon supporting 10th DLI. Also, with Bulldozer dug in Brigade HQ at Audrieu and blew craters in St Pierre for burying cattle.
24 June 1944 “D + 18”.
1 Platoon supporting 10th DLI. 2 Platoon route maintenance.
3 Platoon attached 82 AVRE Squadron for special minelaying task.
25 June 1944 “D + 19”.
1 Platoon in support 10th DLI made road diversion on St Pierre-Fontenay-Le-Pesnel road with Bulldozer. Lifted mines (12 Tellermines) on road St Pierre – 850678.
Sapper NAPPER killed by shell splinter. First Company casualty.
26 June 1944 “D + 20”.
Platoon locations as yesterday. No. 3 Platoon not yet committed to minelaying task.
Whole Company, less 3 Platoon, under command 70th Infantry Brigade. NO. 1 Platoon working in St Pierre. No. 2 Platoon preparing air strip for Air Observation Post at 70th Brigade HQ.
No. 3 Platoon reported Self-propelled gun blown up on site of minefield laid by 50th Division at 843700. Party proving area - so far further six have been found. Proving proceeding
27 June 1944 “D + 21”.
No. 2 and 3 Platoons now under command Commander Royal Engineers. No. 1 Platoon under command 70th Infantry Brigade.
Commander Royal Engineers “O” Group held at 11:30 hours. Future tasks developing forward beyond and excluding road Tilly-Sur-Seulles – Fontenay-Le-Pesnel as far as situation permits.
No. 2 Platoon allotted this task.
No. 1 Platoon under command 70th Infantry Brigade working on air strip at Brigade HQ.
No. 3 Platoon attached 82 AVRE not yet committed.
No. 3 Platoon completed minefield clearance at 843700 – in all, further 17 mines accounted for making grand total of 392 out of recorded total of 350.
Fontenay-Le-Pesnel a shambles, dead BRITISH and GERMAN troops in large numbers on roads etc, also large quantity of dead cows and horses.
28 June 1944 Cristot “D + 22”.
Company location now at 874706.
No. 1 Platoon still under command 70th Infantry Brigade. No. 2 Platoon clearing routes forward in Fontenay-Le-Pesnel and removing several TIGER and PANTHER tanks blocking roads.
No. 1 Platoon clearing 42 Tellermines from new Brigade HQ location.
TYPHOON crash-landed in Company harbour area, pilot only slightly hurt.
No. 3 Platoon still attached 82 Assault Squadron Royal Engineers for minelaying, not yet committed but assisting 2 Platoon in clearing Fontenay-Le-Pesnel.
29 June 1944 “D + 23”.
Disposition of Platoons as yesterday and work being carried out as before.
50 Pioneer Corps attached for burying dead cattle and horses. Will be working under orders of civil affairs.
30 June 1944 “D + 24”.
Location of Platoons as yesterday. Parties of Sappers and Pioneers burying dead cows by means of cratering (camouflet method).
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