Can anyone supply arrival dates in North Africa for the following South African Engineer units please? 25th, 27th & 31st Field Companies. Thanks, David.
The three companies you are referring to were 25th, 27th and 31st Road Construction Companies, SAEC. The 25th Road Construction Company arrived in the Middle East on January 14th, 1942 and served in North Africa through the Tunisian campaign. The 27th Road Construction Company arrived in August 1941 and similarly served through the Tunisian campaign. The 31st arrived on July 20th,, 1941 and also served until the end in Tunisia. There were many more South African Engineer Corps units that served in North Africa. You should get your hands on the following two volumes of the South African Official History. Orpen, Neil. South Africa at War: Volume VIII-Salute to the Sappers: Volume I - South African Engineer Corps in East Africa and the Middle East 1939-42. Johannesburg: Sappers Association, 1981. Orpen, Neil. South Africa at War: Volume VIII-Salute to the Sappers: Volume II - South African Engineer Corps in North Africa and Italy 1942-45. Johannesburg: Sappers Association, 1981. Here are some of the other non-divisional units that served in North Africa: HQ Corps Troops SAEC - Arrived April 1942 11th Field Company, SAEC - Arrived 8 May 1942 13th Field Company, SAEC - Arrived April 1942 21st Corps Field Park Company, SAEC - Arrived 9 July 1941 u/c 1st SA Div. Corps Tps from April 1942 22nd LOC Field Park Company, SAEC - Arrived in June 1941. Joined Corps Tps Oct 1941 30th Road Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived June 1941. 32nd Road Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived late December 1941 36th Water Supply Company, SAEC - Arrived early September 1941 Railway Construction and Maintenance Group, SAEC 38th Railway Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived October 1941 39th Railway Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived 21 Aug 1941 40th Railway Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived July 1941 41st Harbour Construction Company, SAEC - Arrived July 1941 45th Survey Company, SAEC - Arrived 19 May 1941 47th Railway Survey Company, SAEC - Arrived 21 August 1941 85th Camouflage Company, SAEC - Arrived 22 August 1941 95th Bomb Disposal Company, SAEC - Arrived 26 November 1941 2nd Docks Operating Company, SAEC - Arrived August 1941 3rd Docks Operating Company, SAEC - Arrived September 1942 1st Composite Railway Operating Company, SAEC - Arrived June 1941