Does anyone know when the 9th's divisional Engineer companies arrive first in North Africa? The regular infantry are quite easy to track, the Engineers less so. Thanks, David.
Have you tried the Divisional HQ war diaries? What sites have you checked so as to avoid duplication of effort...... Photos of officers of the unit in Libya seem to commence in August 1941 TOBRUK, LIBYA. 1941-08-24. FOUR OFFICERS OF THE 9TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION ENGINEERS. FROM THE LEFT :- CAPTAIN K.H. HEARD, MAJOR H.B. BURN, COLONEL J. MANN AND CAPTAIN J.W. SMITH. http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/020340/ CAPTAIN KENNETH HAROLD HEARD SX1462 AAMC – NAA records digitised Lieutenant Colonel HAROLD BRUNSWICK MURN 614296 (SX1452) HQ 9 Australian Division – no digitised records found Brigadier JACK MANN (COMMANDING OFFICER) 335 (VX250) of HQ AUST ENGRS 9 DIV - Companion of the Distinguished Service Order – no digitised records found CAPTAIN J.W. SMITH
DaveB. I tend to approach these things the other way round. I'll ask here to see if anyone has the answer to hand, if not then I'll try other specialist forums, and if they all come up blank, I'll trawl through likely websites. So the answer to your question is; at the moment none. All the best, David.
2/3rd Field Company, RAE Raised October 1939 in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania The company was raised as part of 6th Australian Infantry Division. It went to England with 18th Australian Infantry Brigade leaving Melbourne on 8 May 1940 and arriving in the United Kingdom on 17 June 1940. It left England on 15 November 1940 and arrived in Alexandria on 31 December 1940. The company was transferred to 9th Australian Infantry Division in September 1940 and remained with this division for the rest of the war. The company was sent to Tobruk at the end of January 1941 after its capture to help clear the harbour. In mid-February 1941 it was attached to 17th Australian Infantry Brigade in forward positions at El Agheila. 20th Australian Infantry Brigade took over from 17th Brigade and the company served under this brigade being located between Marsa Brega and Maalan in mid-March 1941. It was later attached to 2nd Armoured Division. The company withdrew with 9th Australian Division to Tobruk by April 1941 and served in the siege until it left for Palestine on 19 and 21 October 1941. The company moved to Syria with CRE 9th Division in November 1941. They were at first located near Damascus but moved to Tripoli fortress in January 1942. During the last week of June 1942 the company moved to Egypt with the division to help defend the Alamein Line. After Alamein on 30 November 1942, it moved to the Gaza area and embarked at Suez for Australia on 26 January 1943. It left Australia for Milne Bay on 26 July-12 August 1943 and landed at Lae on 4 September 1943 under 20th Australian Infantry Brigade. It handed over to 2/13th Field Company on 10 January 1944 and returned to Australia with the brigade on 28 February 1944. The company landed on Borneo under command of the division on 10 June 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
2/7th Field Company, RAE Raised February 1940 at Ipswich, Queensland The company was raised as part of Corps Troops Engineers. The company was transferred to 9th Australian Infantry Division in September 1940 and served with the division for the entire war. It arrived in Palestine in December 1940. It was sent to Cyrenaica at the end of January 1941 and from mid-February to March 1941 the company was serving under CRE South at Agedabia. The company withdrew to Tobruk in April 1941 and remained under siege there until it withdrew by sea on 17-27 September 1941. The company then went to Palestine and remained there while the rest of the divisional engineers went to Syria in November 1941. It finally went to Tripoli with the division on 7 January 1942 and were located in Jebel Tourbol. During the last week of June 1942 the company moved to Egypt with the division to help defend the Alamein Line. After Alamein on 30 November 1942, it moved to the Gaza area and embarked at Suez for Australia on 24 January 1943. It left Australia for Milne Bay on 26 July-12 August 1943 and landed at Lae on 12 September 1943. The company was temporarily detached to Corps Troops in October 1943. The company later supported 4th Australian Infantry Brigade in the advance toward Fortification Point in December 1943. The company returned to Australia with the division in late-January to early-February 1944. The company landed on Borneo under command of the division on 10 June 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
2/13th Field Company, RAE Raised October 1940 in England from 2/1st Field Park Company, RAE The company was affiliated with 25th Australian Infantry Brigade on formation. The company was transferred to 9th Australian Infantry Division in September 1940 and served with the division for the entire war. It left England on 15 November 1940 and arrived in Alexandria on 31 December 1940. It was sent to Cyrenaica at the end of January 1941 under XIII Corps on maintenance and construction tasks. In mid-March 1941 it was under command of the division at Maddalena. It withdrew to Tobruk with the division and was under siege there until withdrawn on 17-27 September 1941. The company then went to Syria in November 1941 from Palestine with the rest of the divisional engineers. They were at first located near Damascus but moved to Tripoli fortress in January 1942. During the last week of June 1942 the company moved to Egypt with the division to help defend the Alamein Line. After Alamein on 30 November 1942, it moved to the Gaza area and embarked at Suez for Australia on 24 January 1943. The company landed at Lae with the division 4-5 September 1943. The company returned to Australia with the division in late-January to early-February 1944. It landed on Tarakan Island under 26th Australian Infantry Brigade Group on 1 May 1945 and remained there until the end of the war.
2/4th Field Park Company, RAE Raised July 1940 in Western Australia Title Change 2/24th Field Park Company - 1941 The company was raised as part of 8th Australian Infantry Division. This company was later replaced in the division by 2/6th Field Park Company. The company transferred to 9th Australian Infantry Division in September 1940 and arrived in the Middle East in January 1941. It remained with the division for the rest of the war. It was sent to Cyrenaica at the end of January 1941 under XIII Corps on maintenance and construction tasks. It was located under the division in the Marsa Brega area in mid-March 1941. It withdrew to Tobruk with the division and was under siege there until withdrawn on 17-27 September 1941. The company then went to Syria in November 1941 from Palestine with the rest of the divisional engineers. In January 1942 they were located at Alma east of Tripoli. During the last week of June 1942 the company moved to Egypt with the division to help defend the Alamein Line. After Alamein on 30 November 1942, it moved to the Gaza area and embarked at Suez for Australia on 24 January 1943. It landed with the division at Lae on 4-5 September 1943. The company returned to Australia with the division in late-January to early-February 1944. The company landed on Borneo under command of the division on 10 June 1945 and served there for the rest of the war.
