Good evening Ladies & Gentleman, This is my first post, so I hope i do not bore anyone. I am trying to put together my late Grandfather's war time record. I have sent away for his Army Service Record, but I have been told by the Army's Personnel Centre, I might have to wait up to a year for it! His name was Arthur Mills a plumber by trade, who was a member of the TA, before the war. His unit was the 244 Field Company, Royal Engineers. This TA unit was based in Swansea. Part of the 53rd Welsh Division. I know that their is a 53rd Welsh Division thread on this website and have looked through it extensivly, However it focuses on 1944 onwards. My Grandfather did seem to get about abit. He seemed to have been detached on two occasions from his company. Now, he very rarely talked about the war, as like most veterans, he kept silent. However on occasions he would open up. But my Uncle's, Cousins and myself, only ever managed to get 5 minutes or so out of him each time. Before the memory's turned bad and he would change the subject. As time has passed, I know that no one will remember him. However my family and myself are interested in how and why he ended up where he did. This period in our Grandfather's life is abit of a mystery. So I have decided to find out more about this part of his life. So here goes... The First Detachment was to France in 1940, Where he ended up at Dunkirk. I know that 244 Field Company never went to France. But he did, and I hope this will be on his Sevice Record. I doubt though, that I will find out what unit he was with, during this time. The one time that we spoke of Dunkirk, he told me that he never ate for three days. Whilst they were bombed non-stop. He was sheltering in a basement of a house, when a Sargeant-Major appeared at the top the stairs, called down to the men and told them it was time to go home. He managed to board a ship and he came home. After this little episode, he rejoined 244 RE, and then did Bomb-Disposal work, during the Blitz. Where he and his collegues would have to dig a shaft down to the Unexploded Bomb! so it could be removed! Then, in 1941. He and nine other men were volunteered(!) for a special mission. They were issued Artic Warfare Equipment. They were not told where they were going. They only found out, they were off to Iceland, when the ship sailed. Once their, he spent two happy years. He always spoke well of Iceland and its people. He came back to the UK sometime in 1943. Now Iceland, was the only period during the War, that he would talk about at any great length. I think it might have something to do with the young ladies he met there?? Any way their are two incidents, which I am interested in. He told that during his time there, HMS NELSON arrived, and he and other Royal Engineers had to remove some of the guns from the ship, and then place them in coastal batteries. The thing is I have looked at HMS Nelson's war record, at Naval-history.com and it does not mention any armament shipped at Iceland, although she did visit Iceland during this period. The second incident was the shooting down of a German Aircraft, which my Grandfather told me he was using a Bren Gun to shoot at it. It flew up the fyjord and every one and everything, just opened up on it and brought it down. Would anyone now anything about these episodes, he was positive it was HMS Nelson. And I have read about a German aircraft being shot down over Iceland. But I cannot remember the book it was in. In 1943 he returned to the UK. Rejoined 244 and was posted to Alton Towers in Staffordshire, where he then guarded captured German Officers, I think i remember him saying that they were being interrogated there. Whilst he was there he met my Grandmother, who was from the nearby village of Cheadle. They married a couple of weeks before D-Day. He then went to France with 244 RE. Where I have been able to follow the unit in the book - Welsh Bridges to the Elbe by John H Robberts. I hope that someone might be able to shine a light on this period of my Grandfathers life, as we only have small glimpses of this period of his life. Many Thanks Simon Jason
Hi Simon and welcome to the forum. His service records should say who he was with in France during 1940 so don't be put off by the wait-It will be worth it. When you find out who he was with let us know . Regards Andy
These war diaries are listed at Kew for RE units serving in Iceland during the period mentioned. As Andy rightly states, it's worth the wait to find out more. WO 176/294 ICELAND: Headquarters: Commander Royal Engineers (CRE). 1940 July-1942 Apr. WO 176/342 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: Movement Control. 1940 May-1942 Sept. WO 176/343 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 1 Electrical and Mechanical Section. 1940 Sept.-1942 Sept. WO 176/344 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 19 Field Survey Company. 1940 July-1941 Apr. WO 176/345 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 294 Army Field Company. 1940 July-1941 Apr. WO 176/346 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 659 General Construction Company. 1941 June-1942 June WO 176/347 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 666 Artisan Works Company (Art Wks Coy). 1940 July-1942 May WO 176/348 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 668 General Construction Company. 1941 May-1942 Jan., Apr.-Nov. WO 176/349 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 687 Artisan Works Company (Art Wks Coy). 1940 July-1941 Dec. WO 176/350 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 688 Artisan Works Company (Art Wks Coy). 1940 May-1941 Oct. WO 176/351 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 699 General Construction Company. 1940 July-1941 Dec. WO 176/352 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 711 General Construction Company. 1940 Aug.-1942 May WO 176/353 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 803 Road Costruction Company (Rd Constr Coy). 1941 Mar.-Oct. WO 176/354 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 804 Road Construction Company (Rd Constr Coy). 1941 May - Sept. WO 176/355 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 807 Road Construction Company (Rd Constr Coy). 1941 Apr.- Nov. WO 176/356 ICELAND: Royal Engineers: 1007 Docks Operation Company. 1940 Aug.- 1942 Aug.
Good evening Ladies & Gentleman, This is my first post, so I hope i do not bore anyone. I am trying to put together my late Grandfather's war time record. I have sent away for his Army Service Record, but I have been told by the Army's Personnel Centre, I might have to wait up to a year for it! His name was Arthur Mills a plumber by trade, who was a member of the TA, before the war. His unit was the 244 Field Company, Royal Engineers. This TA unit was based in Swansea. Part of the 53rd Welsh Division. I know that their is a 53rd Welsh Division thread on this website and have looked through it extensivly, However it focuses on 1944 onwards. My Grandfather did seem to get about abit. He seemed to have been detached on two occasions from his company. Now, he very rarely talked about the war, as like most veterans, he kept silent. However on occasions he would open up. But my Uncle's, Cousins and myself, only ever managed to get 5 minutes or so out of him each time. Before the memory's turned bad and he would change the subject. As time has passed, I know that no one will remember him. However my family and myself are interested in how and why he ended up where he did. This period in our Grandfather's life is abit of a mystery. So I have decided to find out more about this part of his life. So here goes... The First Detachment was to France in 1940, Where he ended up at Dunkirk. I know that 244 Field Company never went to France. But he did, and I hope this will be on his Sevice Record. I doubt though, that I will find out what unit he was with, during this time. The one time that we spoke of Dunkirk, he told me that he never ate for three days. Whilst they were bombed non-stop. He was sheltering in a basement of a house, when a Sargeant-Major appeared at the top the stairs, called down to the men and told them it was time to go home. He managed to board a ship and he came home. After this little episode, he rejoined 244 RE, and then did Bomb-Disposal work, during the Blitz. Where he and his collegues would have to dig a shaft down to the Unexploded Bomb! so it could be removed! Then, in 1941. He and nine other men were volunteered(!) for a special mission. They were issued Artic Warfare Equipment. They were not told where they were going. They only found out, they were off to Iceland, when the ship sailed. Once their, he spent two happy years. He always spoke well of Iceland and its people. He came back to the UK sometime in 1943. Now Iceland, was the only period during the War, that he would talk about at any great length. I think it might have something to do with the young ladies he met there?? Any way their are two incidents, which I am interested in. He told that during his time there, HMS NELSON arrived, and he and other Royal Engineers had to remove some of the guns from the ship, and then place them in coastal batteries. The thing is I have looked at HMS Nelson's war record, at Naval-history.com and it does not mention any armament shipped at Iceland, although she did visit Iceland during this period. The second incident was the shooting down of a German Aircraft, which my Grandfather told me he was using a Bren Gun to shoot at it. It flew up the fyjord and every one and everything, just opened up on it and brought it down. Would anyone now anything about these episodes, he was positive it was HMS Nelson. And I have read about a German aircraft being shot down over Iceland. But I cannot remember the book it was in. In 1943 he returned to the UK. Rejoined 244 and was posted to Alton Towers in Staffordshire, where he then guarded captured German Officers, I think i remember him saying that they were being interrogated there. Whilst he was there he met my Grandmother, who was from the nearby village of Cheadle. They married a couple of weeks before D-Day. He then went to France with 244 RE. Where I have been able to follow the unit in the book - Welsh Bridges to the Elbe by John H Robberts. I hope that someone might be able to shine a light on this period of my Grandfathers life, as we only have small glimpses of this period of his life. Many Thanks Simon Jason Hi my late father father also served in iceland was issued with tropical kit on the dock !! he was in the RE 804 road construction coy he liked iceland apart from living on boiled fish !! He also seved in france belguim and germany but never told me very little about this i intend to search for the war diaries kind regards john
Hi John, Looking at the National Archives list I think his unit may have converted to 804 Field Company by January 1942
