234 Field Coy. RE

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Chris Basey, Feb 14, 2006.

  1. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    232, 233, 234 Fd Coys and 235 Fd Park Coy, RE, were all in 50 Div, until it was reorganised into a Motor Division in 1938. It then lost the 149th Infantry Brigade (all Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) and a lot of the Divisional troops that were nominally attached to that brigade. Included within those Divisional troops lost was 234 Fd Coy, RE. They were sent at that time to Northern Command, along with the 506th Fd Coy (which I believe was the post-Munich crisis duplicate of the 233rd Fd Coy, RE.)

    They were II Corps troops as at 10 May 1940: https://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/940BEAA.pdf. They would be allocated tasks by II Corps, not any of the Divisions therein, albeit II Corps could have attached them to one of the three Divisions for particular tasks.

    Unfortunately, I have no information on the 234th Fd Coy other than that earlier in this thread and here.

    Suggest that the 234th Fd Coy’s applicable War Diary may be the only source of better information and if none exists, the II Corps War Diary for the same period.

    Hope this helps!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
    Charley Fortnum likes this.
  2. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    LST's - Group L1
    NAN RED



    Serial 1153 is an LST(2) 425, Lt P.M. Wilcockson, RNR carrying:

    On the Tank Deck.
    • 6 x Crusader AT Tractor towing 6 x Trailer No 27 and 6 x 17pdr AT guns - 246 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 3 x Jeep - 246 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 2 x Carrier - 246 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x M14 Halftrack - 246 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 72 men - 246 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 2 x Jeep - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x 15 cwt Water - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x 15 cwt GS - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x 15 cwt Battery Charging - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x Motorcycle - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 18 men - 248 Battery, 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x Jeep, 2 x motorcycle & 6 men - 670 Artisan Works Company RE. Recon Party
    • 4 x Jeep & 11 men - ‘B’ Battery, 9 Survey Regiment RA
    • 1 x M14 Halftrack & 7 men - 234 Field Company RE
    • 1 x M14 Halftrack - Headquarters 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x Carrier Universal - Headquarters 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x Jeep - Headquarters 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 1 x Motorcycle - Headquarters 62 AT Regiment RA
    • 12 men - Headquarters 62 AT Regiment RA.
    On the Main Deck:
    • 1 x Jeep - ‘A’ Flight, 652 AOP Squadron
    • 1 x 15 cwt GS - ‘A’ Flight, 652 AOP Squadron
    • 4 men - ‘A’ Flight, 652 AOP Squadron
    • 1 x 15 cwt Water - 234 Field Company RE
    • 1 x 15 cwt Compressor - 234 Field Company RE
    • 1 x 15 cwt FFW - 234 Field Company RE
    • 4 x 3 ton 4 X 4 Austin - 234 Field Company RE
    • 4 x 3 ton 4 X 4 Winch, Karrier, - 234 Field Company RE
    • 1 x Trailer, Stella Water Purification - 234 Field Company RE
    • 3 x M14 Halftrack - 234 Field Company RE
    • 52 men - 234 Field Company RE - 234 Field Company RE
    • 1 x 15 cwt GS - ‘A’ Echelon, 17 Movement Control Group
    • 1 x Car 2 seater - ‘A’ Echelon, 17 Movement Control Group
    • 1 x Motorcycle - ‘A’ Echelon, 17 Movement Control Group
    • 24 men - ‘A’ Echelon, 17 Movement Control Group
    • 1 x White Scout Car - ‘A’ Echelon, 5 ARRE
    • 1 x 3 ton 4 X 4 GS - ‘A’ Echelon, 5 ARRE
    • 7 men - ‘A’ Echelon, 5 ARRE
    • 2 x 3 ton 4 X 4 GS - 155 AA Operations Room
    • 1 x Generator Trailer - 155 AA Operations Room
    • 1 x 3 ton Mobile Operations Room - 155 AA Operations Room
    • 1 x 15 cwt Wireless House - 155 AA Operations Room
    • 55 men - 155 AA Operations Room
    • 2 x 15 cwt GS - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 2 x Motorcycle - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 1 x 15 cwt Water - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 1 x 3 ton 4 X 4 GS - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 1 x 3 ton 4 X 4 Albion Machinery - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 1 x Car 4 seater - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 24 men - 274 Battery, 86 HAA Regiment RA
    • 1 x Amphibious Jeep & 4 men - 996 Port Operating Company RE
    • 1 x Amphibious Jeep & 4 men - 998 Port Operating Company RE
    • 1 x Amphibious Jeep & 4 men - 1018 Port Operating Company RE
    • 18 men - 112 Pioneer Smoke Company
    • 12 x 10 cwt trailers - CRASC 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
     
    mark abbott likes this.
  3. Nathan Portlock

    Nathan Portlock New Member

    Hello,

    My first post here.

    Very interesting post, and very useful even though over a decade old. Thanks to the OP and all others who have updated this thread of history.

    My grandfather Alfred Leonard Portlock was a sapper with 234 Filed Co RE in 1944. He'd been a regular in '39 I think and was at Dunkirk with the BEF. However, I'm not sure if he would have been with the same unit at that time.

    He spoke very little about his service, other than telling a 10-year-old me "Never drop a Sten gun."

    He was wounded in the arm at some point and, so my grandmother said, saw fairly heavy action at Caen.

    My grandmother told me that he landed with the Canadians at Sword, and that he'd told her about bulldozing bodies into pits at Belsen concentration camp.

    There was a BBC article today about a veteran from 224 Field Co who recently went back to France (to find a girl).

    World War Two: Soldier reunited with girl he met in France

    Does any of this ring any bells for anybody?

    I currently live near Amsterdam and would like to travel his unit's route from France to Germany.

    What do you think are the next steps for finding his service record?

    Thanks again.

    Nathan
     
  4. David Nixon

    David Nixon New Member

    I am a newcomer to this discussion group. I have just found out that my father was a captain in 234 Field Company with his record of service in Northern France showing from 29.9.39 to 27.5.40. Can anyone shed light on what they were up to during that period? With thanks.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I've asked Drew5233 if he has the unit war diary for 1940 .
    Hopefully he has.
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I can tell you Captain A Nixon was the company 2 IC. Is this your fathers signature?
     

    Attached Files:

  7. David Nixon

    David Nixon New Member

    Yes, indeed, that was his signature.
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    He left 234 Company on the 3rd April to become the commanding officer of 18 Field Park Company.
     

    Attached Files:

    Owen likes this.
  9. David Nixon

    David Nixon New Member

    I shall follow up your War Diary link to the National Archives. I shall be there next month.
    Thank you for that.

    Very helpful. Thanks.
     
  10. the-green-man

    the-green-man New Member

    I'm researching a relative (now deceased) who according to his army record was in 234 Field Company RE. It says on his record that he entered NWE on 11th June 1944. From what I've read here his unit took part in the action on D-Day. Would it be normal for some of the unit to follow on later?

    Thanks

    Martin Hooper
     
  11. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Movements post VE Day 8 May 45

    234 Field Company – 1 Corps from 21 May 45 1 Corps District Troops – 18 Army Group 2 Jan 46 to 26 Feb 46
    Hüthum west of Bocholt – Hasselt south-west of Bocholt 23 May 45 – Dortmund-Aplerbeck 16 Jul 45

    21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
     
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