CW Companies, R.E. post-Dunkirk

Discussion in '1940' started by phylo_roadking, May 9, 2011.

  1. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    All, I'm trying to track the movements of the three CW companies previously in France with the BEF as of May 10th during the summer of 1940 in the run-up to the Sealion "window" in mid-September - the 58th, the 61st and the 62nd CW companies...can anyone help?

    The next thing is - does anyone know of the existence of any more than those three by then??? My knowledge on them is extrememly patchy at the moment.

    So far I've seen a few references to a fourth, the 67th CW Company R.E., and there's a file on them in Kew...
     
  2. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Interestingly - WO 166/3580, the file at Kew for June 1940-1942 for the 67th CW company R.E. is sealed for another 29 years!!!

    :huh:

    Must have a look and see if those for the 61st, 62nd and the 58th are similarly closed....

    Maybe my nose is twitching unnecessarily.....but these would be the files covering among many other things the CW companies' preparations/orders/protocols for using war gases on the UK mainland in the event of Sealion...
     
  3. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    In the meantime - until I'm seventy-seven LMAO - can anyone help me with their locations through the summer from Playfair etc.? And if any others existed?
     
  4. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Okay! A bit of Googling found me this 1939-45 listing for the Chemical Warfare Groups R.E.. I've highlighted the 1940-existing units in RED...

    1st Chem Warfare Group RE Served with BEF 1939-40. IN GHQ Reserve Sep 1940 and
    Dec 1941. Arrived in India 11 Jun 1942. Converted 1 May 1943 as HQ XV Indian Corps Troops
    Engineers.
    Formed with 58th, 61st and 62nd Chem Warfare Coys RE. Added 67th Chem Warfare Coy RE by Dec 1941. (Seems to have been in existence as early as Sept. 1940 - my note)
    2nd Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Sep 1940, when under WO Reserve in Home
    Forces. Under GHQ Reserve Dec 1941. Group later broken up.
    Formed with 64th, 65th, 66th, and 67th Chem Warfare Coys RE. 67th Chem Warfare Coy RE gone
    by Dec 1941 and 74th Chem Warfare Coy RE added.
    3rd Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Sep 1940, when under WO Reserve in Home
    Forces. Under GHQ Reserve Dec 1941. Group later broken up (or possibly used to form 6th Army
    Troops RE).
    Formed with 68th, 69th and 70th Chem Warfare Coys RE. Added 75th Chem Warfare Coy RE by
    Dec 1941.
    4th Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Dec 1941 when under GHQ Reserve in Home
    Forces. Group later broken up (or possibly used to form 7th Army Troops RE).
    Formed with 71st, 72nd, 73rd and 76th Chem Warfare Coys RE.
    5th Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Dec 1941 when under GHQ Reserve in Home
    Forces. Placed under First Army Jul 1942. Converted 1943 as 5th GHQ Troops RE.
    Formed with 77th, 79th, 80th , 86th and 87th Chem Warfare Coys RE. By Jul 1942 reduced to 77th,
    79th and 86th Chem Warfare Coys RE.
    6th Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Dec 1941 when under BTNI in Home Forces.
    Converted 1943 as 6th GHQ Troops RE.
    Organized with 81st and 82nd Chem Warfare Coys RE. May have added 87th by Jul 1942.
    7th Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Dec 1941 when under GHQ Reserve in Home
    Forces. Placed under First Army Jul 1942. Group later broken up (possibly converted as 7th GHQ
    Troops RE).
    Formed with 83rd, 84th, 85th and 88th Chem Warfare Coys RE. By Jul 1942 reduced to 83rd, 84th
    and 85th Chem Warfare Coys RE.
    8th Chem Warfare Group RE Raised in 1940. Converted 1943 as 8th GHQ Troops RE.
    Organized with 89th, 90th, and 91st Chem Warfare Coys RE.
    9th Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Dec 1941 when under GHQ Reserve in Home
    Forces. Disbanded or redesignated by 1943.
    Organized with 92nd, 93rd and 94th Chem Warfare Coys RE.

    Three chemical warfare training battalions were formed Sep 1939 and disbanded Jul 1943; designations unknown
     
  5. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Interestingly - WO 166/3580, the file at Kew for June 1940-1942 for the 67th CW company R.E. is sealed for another 29 years!!!

    :huh:

    Must have a look and see if those for the 61st, 62nd and the 58th are similarly closed....

    Maybe my nose is twitching unnecessarily.....but these would be the files covering among many other things the CW companies' preparations/orders/protocols for using war gases on the UK mainland in the event of Sealion...

    Here's a quick list of Chemical warfare company and group war diaries (found using Arcre war diary search engine Arcre - British Army War Diary Search Engine by Lee Richards (c)2011 )

    WO 166/3580 is an open document, the 29 years refers to how many years it was originally closed for, i.e. 1941 + 29 years = opened in 1970.

    WO 166/14 GENERAL HEADQUARTERS: Chemical Warfare (CW). 1940 July, Aug.
    WO 166/3430 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 1 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Apr., July - Dec. 1941 Feb.- Dec.
    WO 166/3431 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 2 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3432 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 3 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3433 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 4 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Oct.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3434 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 5 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3435 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 6 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1941 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/3436 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 7 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1941 Feb.- Dec.
    WO 166/3437 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 8 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1941 Apr.- Dec.
    WO 166/3438 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 9 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1941 May - Dec.
    WO 166/3439 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 24 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Oct.- 1941 July
    WO 166/3573 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 58 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 May - July
    WO 166/3575 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 61 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1939 Dec.-1940 Apr., Oct.-1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3576 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 62 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Apr.-1941 Mar.
    WO 166/3577 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 64 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 May - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3578 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 65 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 June - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3579 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 66 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 July - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3580 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 67 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Aug.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3581 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 68 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Sept.
    WO 166/3582 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 69 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3583 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 70 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3584 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 74 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3585 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 75 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Nov.- 1941 Nov.
    WO 166/3586 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 76 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Nov.- Dec.
    WO 166/3587 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 77 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Aug.- Oct.
    WO 166/3588 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 78 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3589 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 79 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 July - Oct.
    WO 166/3590 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 80 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Jan.- Oct.
    WO 166/3591 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 81 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Jan.- Sept.
    WO 166/3592 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 82 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Jan.- Oct.
    WO 166/3593 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 83 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Feb.- Dec.
    WO 166/3594 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 84 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Feb.- Dec.
    WO 166/3595 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 85 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Feb.- Oct.
    WO 166/3596 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 86 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Mar.- Oct.
    WO 166/3597 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 87 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Mar.- Sept.
    WO 166/3598 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 88 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Mar.- Oct., Dec.
    WO 166/3599 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 94 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/7951 1 Gp. 1942 Jan.
    WO 166/7952 2 Gp. 1942 Jan.- May
    WO 166/7953 3 Gp. 1941 Dec.- 1942 Dec.
    WO 166/7954 4 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7955 5 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7956 6 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7957 7 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7958 8 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7959 9 Gp. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 166/7960 10 Gp. 1942 Mar.- Dec.
    WO 166/7961 11 Gp. 1942 Mar.- Dec.
    WO 166/7962 74 Coy. 1942 Apr.- June
    WO 166/7963 78 Coy. 1942 Apr.- Dec.
    WO 166/7964 80 Coy. 1942 Apr.- July
    WO 166/7965 83 Coy. 1942 Jan.- Mar.
    WO 166/7966 84 Coy. 1942 Jan.- Mar.
    WO 166/7967 85 Coy. 1942 Mar.
    WO 166/7968 86 Coy. 1942 Sept., Oct.
    WO 166/7969 88 Coy. 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 167/855 Chemical Warfare (CW) Royal Engineers 1939 Sept.-1940 May
    WO 167/885 1 Chemical Warfare Group Royal Engineers 1940 May-June
    WO 167/920 58 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 Mar.-May
    WO 167/922 61 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 May
    WO 167/923 62 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 May
    WO 169/34 General Headquarters (GHQ): Chemical Warfare (CW) 1940 Aug.- Dec.
    WO 169/3880 D. of Chemical Warfare 1942 Jan.- Dec.
    WO 169/7469 Chemical Warfare 1942 Sept.- Dec.
    WO 169/8271 M.O. Branch. Includes the formation and minutes of the standing Inter-Service Technical Committee [on explosives and chemical defence] chaired by ADBD (T) (Assistant Director Bomb Disposal (Technical)) 1943 Mar., Apr.
    WO 169/10379 2 C.W. Gp. 1943 Jan.- July

    Lee
     
  6. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Lee, thanks for that; cutting that down, these look to be the ones covering the June-December 1940 period...

    WO 166/14 GENERAL HEADQUARTERS: Chemical Warfare (CW). 1940 July, Aug.
    WO 166/3430 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 1 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Apr., July - Dec. 1941 Feb.- Dec.
    WO 166/3431 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 2 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3432 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 3 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3433 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 4 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Oct.- 1941 Dec.
    WO 166/3439 ROYAL ENGINEERS: CHEMICAL WARFARE GROUPS: 24 Chemical Warfare Group (CW). 1940 Oct.- 1941 July
    WO 166/3575 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 61 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1939 Dec.-1940 Apr., Oct.-1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3576 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 62 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Apr.-1941 Mar.
    WO 166/3577 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 64 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 May - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3578 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 65 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 June - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3579 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 66 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 July - 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3580 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 67 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Aug.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3581 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 68 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Sept.
    WO 166/3582 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 69 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3583 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 70 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Sept.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3584 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 74 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 166/3585 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 75 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Nov.- 1941 Nov.
    WO 166/3586 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 76 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Nov.- Dec.
    WO 166/3588 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 78 Chemical Warfare Company (CW). 1940 Dec.- 1941 Oct.
    WO 169/34 General Headquarters (GHQ): Chemical Warfare (CW) 1940 Aug.- Dec.

    ...and these are the files pertaining to the CW Groups/Coys BEFORE Dunkirk...

    WO 167/855 Chemical Warfare (CW) Royal Engineers 1939 Sept.-1940 May
    WO 167/885 1 Chemical Warfare Group Royal Engineers 1940 May-June
    WO 167/920 58 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 Mar.-May
    WO 167/922 61 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 May
    WO 167/923 62 Chemical Warfare (CW) Company Royal Engineers 1940 May
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Personnel of CW Coys returning from Dunkirk were sent to clearing stations mainly at Wrexham and Cardiff. From these they were sent to Barton Stacey according to 1 CW Groups war diary.
     
  8. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    There is a small thread Chemical Warfare Establishment NE India WW2 that contains a request for help, which I started.

    One of the R.E. C.W. companies referred to here, the 67th later appeared in India. I quote: 'The 67th Chemical warfare company which was at first trained for such warfare and equipped with rocket fired gas canisters, was based in Deolali. As the high temperature was causing the MG shells to sweat, they were soon moved to the eastern front.'
    This passage is from: Cannanore Days - Maddy's Ramblings
     

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