Hello, Being a brand new member, I have just realised that I perhaps just posted a query to the incorrect forum, instead of to this one! My query is: Does anyone have any information about the 54 Field Coy, Royal Engineers in Burma? What exactly was their role? Whereabouts were they located in Burma? Are there any websites which may perhaps list members of the 54 Field Coy during WWII? Any websites which give details of the war service of that Coy? Any scrap of information no matter how small will add to my knowledge of dad's brother, Reginald Jackman, a sapper in the 54 field coy who died of malaria in Burma on 22nd August, 1944. And if by some miracle, there is someone out ther who actually knew Reg Jackman, it would be great to hear from them! Many thanks for any help you may be able to give me. Ally, Bribie Island, Australia
Royal Engineers units are not the easiest to research and regrettably, the RE Museum does not have any WW2 War Diaries. I am in the process of trying to research the RE units attached to 2nd Infantry Division. My interest is the Dunkirk period but 2nd Div did go on to become one of the two (I think) British Divisions in 14th Army. I think the next step for me is the National Archive at Kew but a visit in person seems to be the only way to find out what's there. I have looked at Malcolm Bellis's "Divisions of the British Army" and cannot see 54 Fd Coy listed during 1944. They were part of 70th Infantry Division until October 1943 at which point Bellis states "trained for long range penetration and transferred to Special Force when Divisional HQ ceased to function." I can't find a reference again until they reappear as part of 36th Infantry Division in Burma in June 1945 I'm afraid that I don't know enough about the Burma Campaign to know which Special force that may have been but I hope it helps you search further. Rich.
i think that they were captured by the Japs got that from here: http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/armedforces_m_command.html I have found out that in 03.09.1939 54 coy were in 7th Infantry Division, stationed in Cairo http://niehorster.orbat.com/017_britain/39_org/div_inf.html 7th ID info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_7th_Infantry_Division Just after start of WW2 re-named 6th ID (to avoid confusion with 7th AD) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_6th_Infantry_Division Later it was changed to the 70th ID: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_70th_Infantry_Division list of RE coys, g odown till you find 54 and you can get a acrobat doc for it. (PDF or whatever) http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_units.htm
Many thanks to Rich Payne and Corporal Rootes for their replies. I will check out the websites. I am sure your information will be helpful to me. Cheers, Ally
Hi, My father Sgt Eric Stray was with the 54 Coy RE, he spent 2 years in Eygpt and the they were sent to Burma via Bombay (arrived 12/3/42). He was a platoon commander and was part of the Chindit Campaign (Special Forces) in Burma as were most of 54 Coy, taking part in both expeditions. He contracted Malaria and was sent home on 25/10/44. If you search for the Chindits on the web you will see details of both operations. The information I got was from his Military Records which I sent for as my father died in 2002.
Hi Bostonian and welcome to the forum. Here's two of your fathers units war diaries held at the National Archives: WO 169/400 54 Field Company (Fd Coy) 1939 Aug.- 1940 Dec. WO 169/7076 54 Field Coy. 1942 Jan.- Feb. The above two diaries are of the Africa Campaign looking at the ref number. Regards Andy
Thanks Drew for the info, have been checking fathers records since receiving same on Friday. It took approx 8 months to obtain them and certain parts were excluded for security reasons. I am interested in my fathers Military History being ex-services myself (R.A.M.C.) Any info would be grateful for.
Out of curiousity, any ideas what was excluded? It seems a long time ago for them to be editing your father records. I'm sure they'll be some more diaries covering the rest/more of the war.
Hi Drew, No idea, but I am going to ask why? Will be writing to Records in near future as I paid for this reseach. On his record in Red Stamp it states removed for Security reasons and certain periods have been withheld. Having spoken to my father before he died, he had mentioned specific operations that he could not speak about, only that he was with the Chindits. Hopefully more will be found out in the future. Records in them years were not the best.
Here are some more details on the 54th Field Company: 54th Field Company, RE Station: Delta, Egypt March 1919 – At Bordon and reduced to a Cadre February 1920 – Turkey with 28th Division in Army of the Black Sea December 1920 – Disbanded in Turkey July 1922 – Formed as a Field Company at Bulford in 3rd Division October 1938 – Palestine with 7th Division March 1939 – Abbassia, Egypt August 1939 – Western Desert 1938 u/c 7th Div in Palestine based on Jerusalem in the south Command Tps, Delta 30/9/39 At El Daba in 10/39 and got orders to move to Rumania. Did not go. Located at El Daba from March to May 1940 Command Tps, Delta 31/1/40 5/40 sailed to Kilia in Dardanelles, but back to Egypt in 6/40 HQ XIII Corps, Western Desert & Libya 31/1/41 6th Div 6/3/41-7/4/41 Served under 6th Div in Syria 6th Div 11/8/41-24/10/43 (70th Div on 10/10/41) 10/3/42 Arrived in India with Div and moved to Ranchi area 17/6/43 Moved to Bangalore area with Div 10/9/43 Formed into “Sabotage Pls” for LRP role 25/9/43 Moved to Jhansi area u/c Special Force 3/44 Pls moved into Burma with 74, 47, 16, 61, 84, 65 Cols of 14th Inf Bde 9/44 Arrived in Bangalore, India with 14th Inf Bde 1/11/44 u/c Special Force when 14th Inf Bde reorganized 14/4/45 Arrived in Calcutta under command 14/5/45 Arrived in Rangoon, Burma 2/6/45 Embarked for India 22/6/45 Arrived in Poona u/c 36th Inf Div 36th Div 22/6/45-31/8/45 at Poona May 1940 – Dardanelles August 1940 – Western Desert March 1941 – Egypt with 6th Division October 1941 – Libya November 1941 – Syria December 1941 – Egypt February 1942 – Syria February 1942 – Egypt March 1942 – Ranchi, India with 70th Division June 1943 – Formed into sabotage platoons in India at Bangalore for LRP role September 1943 – Jhansi, India April 1944 – Burma with 14th Brigade December 1944 – Bangalore, India April 1945 – Calcutta, India May 1945 – Rangoon, Burma June 1945 – Poona, India with 36th Division December 1945 – Johore Bharu, Malaya
Hi All, I have recently been contacted by a family whose great uncle was part of 54 Field Company RE and who went on to serve on the second Chindit operation in 1944. It seems likely that he was part of 14th British Infantry Brigade in Burma, where he was wounded and sadly died from these wounds. There is mention of 90 Special Mixed Field Company from his papers, which is the final formation title on his records, has anyone ever come across such a unit? Any help much appreciated.
What year Steve? Edit Doesn't matter searched through the WO 172 spreadsheet I have for 90, Mixed and Special and nothing of note came out. A
Thanks mate. I think this might be a hybrid name for RE personnel fighting as infantry on Chindit 2 (1944). 54 FC went to 14th Brigade, but many individuals moved around and were posted hither and thither. Cheers Steve
I have seen very little on 90 Fd Coy. It seems that it was formed in 1943 as a mixed RE/IE unit. There are 5 members listed by CWGC, 4x RE and 1x IE. The 4 RE all have dates in 05/44; 16/05/44, 24/05/44 and 2x 25/05/44, and the last 3 are on the Rangoon Memorial. This may indicate that they were assigned to 111 Ind Bde at Blackpool. The personnel of the Fd Coys were assigned to the columns' Cdo Pls and that may account for the absence of a WD.
Thank you Charpoy Chindit. I had come to a similar conclusion about 'Blackpool' and a possible attachment to 111th Brigade. I was looking on the HG Lambert site and noticed that many of the 54 FC personnel were attached to the two 7th Leicester's Columns. Then thinking about the 90 FD. Coy pushed me away to 111th Brigade. His date of death is for early June, but he died of wounds in India, so it is still very possible he was involved in the last knockings at 'Blackpool'. Good to know there is mention of the units existence.
