I have just received my grandfather’s (William Henry Martin’s) war record and as had thought it seems he was evacuated from Dunkirk. He served in the Royal Engineers 695 General Construction Company. He was put on the Y list in 1941.I wondered if anyone knows more about the unit?
Hi, Welcome to the forum. It often helps members to help more if a full service record is posted - so context can be established and more potential clues can be discovered. However if you simply want to know more about the unit your grandfather served with in BEF 1940 your best bet would be to gain a copy of the unit War Diary from UK National Archives. He is unlikely to be named. Good Luck. Steve
See next post by Owen. This War Diary held at TNA Kew should cover the period shown in the above service records abstract. (Some BEF diaries covering withdrawal / evacuation are either absent or were reconstructed shortly after return to UK.) ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 695 General Construction Company. | The National Archives Reference: WO 166/3879 Description: ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 695 General Construction Company. Date: 1940 Feb.- 1941 Feb.
WO166 are Home Forces files. This is the BEF one. 695 General Construction Company Royal Engineers | The National Archives WO 167/1059 Description:695 General Construction Company Royal Engineers Date: 1940 Feb.-Sept.
As a member of a General Construction Company, he was probably evacuated south of Dunkirk...Most tradesmen were evacuated through ports such as Cherbourg. Unless he was unlucky, he wouldn't have withdrawn into the Dunkirk pocket.
