1051 port Maintenance Company, Royal Engineers

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by freddieisgod, Aug 21, 2009.

  1. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me.

    I am attempting to research any information about my Grandfather€'s World War 2 service. Unfortunatly he died in 1997 so isn't avliable to ask and during his life would mention very little about his war experiences except that he was in the Far East.

    Recently however, a few photographs have come to light of my Grandfather during the war. One of these photos has penciled on the back "A.G.C. Singapore 1945. 1051 Port Maintenance COY R.E." Also pencilled on the back of the photo is a very faded abbreviation which I think says "S.G.A.C." which means nothing to me. I have also since found a Royal Engineers cap badge too.

    I have tried searching this information throught the internet without much sucess. So if anybody can shed some light on any of the above information, even if it is only explaining what A.G.C or S.G.A.C. means it would be greatly appreciated.

    Many thanks.
    Stuart.
     
  2. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Possibles,

    AGC Adjutant General Corps

    I think the S in SGAC will relate to Singapore
     
  3. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Thanks for your help - much appreciated.
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Sure the SGAC doesn't actually say SEAC ?
    South East Asia Command
     
  5. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Sure the SGAC doesn't actually say SEAC ?
    South East Asia Command
    Ah, It could well be because the pencil is a bit faded and it is writen in very flowery writing. I'll have to get the photo scanned and uploaded onto here.

    South East Asia Command would make sense though.
    Many thanks for the help.
     
  6. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Here is a scan of the photo in question that has given me the starting point. any help people would be greatly appreciated.

    Many Thanks.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Freddieisgod,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    The scrolled E in RE is the same as in SEAC, so Owen was absolutely spot on!

    Regards
    Tom
     
  8. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Thanks Tom.

    Yes the more I look at it I think your right in that Owen is spot on.

    I just wish I could track down more information on the "1051 Port Maintenance COY" bit. I might have to try the IWM to see if they can help.

    Stuart.
     
  9. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Stuart

    There are 2 war diaries listed at Kew which are in the right theatre of ops, but which require a further question of the archivists to establish that they do relate to 1051 Port Maintence Coy.

    They are just listed in the database as 1051 Coy, RE. The only RE unit listed with the number 1051.

    The diary numbers are:-

    WO172/7898 - Jul, Sep - Dec 1945
    WO172/10390 - Jan - Sep 1946

    Hope this is of some help.

    Edit:-

    There are also:-

    WO166/12333 - Nov 1943 (UK)
    WO171/1791 - Jan - Dec 1944 (North West Europe)
    WO171/5740 - Jan - Feb 1945 (North West Europe)

    Regards - Robert
     
  10. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Thanks robert, you're a star.

    Stuart
     
  11. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Here is a Photo of the unit. I'm not sure if this was taken in India (1944-45) or Singapore (1945-1947).
     

    Attached Files:

  12. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    I wonder how a member of the unit received this sort of award in 1944, isn't it French and the unit was probably in India at that time -

    Recommendation for Award for
    Searight, Joseph
    Rank:
    Serjeant
    Service No:
    2977954
    Regiment:
    1051 Port Maintenance Company Royal Engineers
    Award:
    Croix de Guerre Bronze Star
    1944
    WO 373/186


    Or do I need to re-read one of the prior posts that indicates the unit was in NWE up to Feb45 ??


    The unit must have stayed in Singapore for a while as the CWGC has two burials there for this unit, one Xmas eve 1945 and one ANZAC day 1946 (25April)
     
  13. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    That is one of the slightly more confusing twist to the story.

    When I visted Kew and read the company's records it turns out that after basic training in Lincolnshire and Scotland the unit appears to have been split. Half of the unit is documented as going ashore on the D-day beaches on about the 7th or 8th June 1944 and then serving in and arround the Caen (ish) area of France for a period. Unfortunately I can't give you an exact time frame or locations in France off the top of my head. I might have notes on this at home, which I will check this evening, otherwise you will need to refer back to the original documents at Kew.

    The other half of the unit (along with my granfather) boarded ships and went on to India and subsequently Singapore.

    I don't know if and when the two halves of the unit rejoined. However I do know that the section my grandfather was with was in Singapore from 1945 until at least late 1947.

    I hope this is of some help.

    :poppy:
     
  14. KGoddard

    KGoddard Junior Member

    Hi Stuart

    My Dad says he remembers my Grandfather mentioning about being in France so if he was then the unit must have been split up? :unsure: as my Grandfather was in Singapore until May 1946.

    Hopefully i will know more when i get his service records back in 6 to 8 months time.

    I think my Uncle has all my Grandfathers Army photos so i will have to ask him if i can borrow them and scan them.

    Kind Regards
    Keith
     
  15. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    This is a British military map of Singapore in 1942 - just before the Japanesse took the island. However the fortifications and locations are pretty much the same in 1945 onwards when the British Army re-took the Island.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Gozzer

    Gozzer Junior Member

    Hi Stuart,

    Like you, on & off I have been trying to find out info on the Port Maintenance Company, only I was searching for info. on 1052 Port Maintenance Company. Unfortunately I do not have any info. about 1051 out in Singapore / India. but I was told by a Sapper that 1050 Port.Maint.Coy, was split into 1051 & 1052. He served in 1051 whilst it was still based in England and I remember him saying he was issued with a tropical uniform and then having it taken off him and being re-issued with the standard kahki battle dress. He then became part of 1052 Port.Maint.Coy. 1052 then became involved in the D-Day landings. 25 men (I think 'A' coy.) actually landing on D-Day 6th June 1944 on Tank Landing Craft carrying tanks marked with the Desert Rats insignia. They were supposed to land on Gold beach.
    I hope you have found this as interesting as I did. Unfortunately I don't have any documentation to back this up, only the priceless memories of a D-Day Veteran.

    All the best,
    Nick.
     
  17. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Hi Stuart,

    Like you, on & off I have been trying to find out info on the Port Maintenance Company, only I was searching for info. on 1052 Port Maintenance Company. Unfortunately I do not have any info. about 1051 out in Singapore / India. but I was told by a Sapper that 1050 Port.Maint.Coy, was split into 1051 & 1052. He served in 1051 whilst it was still based in England and I remember him saying he was issued with a tropical uniform and then having it taken off him and being re-issued with the standard kahki battle dress. He then became part of 1052 Port.Maint.Coy. 1052 then became involved in the D-Day landings. 25 men (I think 'A' coy.) actually landing on D-Day 6th June 1944 on Tank Landing Craft carrying tanks marked with the Desert Rats insignia. They were supposed to land on Gold beach.
    I hope you have found this as interesting as I did. Unfortunately I don't have any documentation to back this up, only the priceless memories of a D-Day Veteran.

    All the best,
    Nick.
    Dear Nick,

    That is very interesting indeed. It ties up with and sheds light on the information that I unearted at the National Archive about the 1051 going ashore on the Normandie Beaches.

    Thank you for the information.

    Regards

    Stuart
     
  18. David Morris

    David Morris New Member

    I an enquiring whether anyone can tell me whether 1051 was the only Maintenance Company in Singapore around 1945/6. A friend of mine has shown me her late father's photographs for his time in Singapore. She confirms that he was in the RE and was on maintenance work. However there is nothing to show that 1051 was his company.

    The photos start in India with the unit censor code of G 700. The arrival in Singapore appears to be October 1945 with a censor code of G 699. There is a Christmas photo for 1945. There is a further photo witha censor code of F 597.

    There is also a photo taken in Belfast probably before they went to India and Singapore. The names on it are Riley?, Brookbanks, Tibbetts, Dale, Rogers and Whittaker. The Corporal's name is undecipherable.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    David Morris
    .
     
  19. marksevans

    marksevans New Member

    Have found this reference to 1051 Port Maintenance Coy following sighting of my great Uncle's discharge papers. His name was Sgt Alfred Evans and he was discharged in Singapore in 1946. I gather from my father than he went to India around 1944 and then onto Burma and then to Singapore after the war ended. Having downloaded the platoon photo above I can see my Uncle there - seated forth from right. If anyone is able to share any other photos or information on where 1051 served that would be much appreciated.
    Thanks
    Mark Evans
     
  20. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    It's a very long time since the last post on this topic, but I have only just come across it. My late father was in 1051 POC at this time and I have lots of photos of his time in Singapore. Prior to this, he had been in 1034 Port Operating Company which was in the battle order for Juno Beach on D-Day (although he didn't land until a couple of weeks later). 1034 was concerned with the Mulberry Harbours which Dad had worked on in Scotland. If anyone is still interested in this let me know, and I will share some photos and the limted further information that I have.
    Best regards
    Chris
     

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