1051 port Maintenance Company, Royal Engineers

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

  1. Laurie F

    Laurie F Member

    That fits, Chris. My dad mentioned, on the rare occasions he said anything about his war experience, that he was involved in building the components for Mulberry Harbour, so, as you say, more than port maintenance. As far as I know, he didn't go to France, but was then sent to the far east at the same time as your dad.

    I sent for his war recon back in November - still waiting! If and when it comes, I may be able to add more to our stories
     
  2. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    1051 Port Maintenance Company, RE

    Five officers and 76 other ranks with four vehicles landed on D+1 to man the Beach Gear Store and carry out maintenance work on cranes. One officer and 51 other ranks followed on D+2
     
  3. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Dr Chris,

    Sorry it has taken so long to reply.

    If you could share some photos of your fathers time in Singapore with the 1051 Port Maint Company I would be very much interested in seeing them.

    Sadly my grandfather never said much about his time in the unit & the far east. It was only after he died that I found his photos which was the first I knew of his unit. Prior to that all he ever said was that he had basic training in Skegness which he described as "flat, cold & wet" before being sent to the far east & ending up in Singapore. Other than that & refusing to eat either rice or corned beef since he returned home I knew nothing.

    Trying to research the unit is incredibly hard so any photos that may shed light on his time in the company, his comrades and things he would have seen/known in the far east would be great to see.

    I will try to digitise his photos and upload them to this feed too.

    All the best.

    Stuart.
     
  4. freddieisgod

    freddieisgod Junior Member

    Dr Chris,

    Sorry it has taken so long to reply.

    If you could share some photos of your fathers time in Singapore with the 1051 Port Maint Company I would be very much interested in seeing them.

    Sadly my grandfather never said much about his time in the unit & the far east. It was only after he died that I found his photos which was the first I knew of his unit. Prior to that all he ever said was that he had basic training in Skegness which he described as "flat, cold & wet" before being sent to the far east & ending up in Singapore. Other than that & refusing to eat either rice or corned beef since he returned home I knew nothing.

    Trying to research the unit is incredibly hard so any photos that may shed light on his time in the company, his comrades and things he would have seen/known in the far east would be great to see.

    I will try to digitise his photos and upload them to this feed too.

    All the best.

    Stuart.
     
  5. Laurie F

    Laurie F Member

     
  6. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Hello Stuart
    Pleased that you have returned to the thread - and many thanks for starting it.
    I'm afraid that I have posted all the photos that I have from Singapore. I have though eventually got a visit to Kew booked for the start of June, so if I find out anything then I will record it on here. If there is anything specific you would like me to look out for, do please let me know.
    Best regards
    Chris
     
    Osborne2 likes this.
  7. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    I am uploading a note I have written following a day at Kew last week - very Covid secure by the way, but no paper in the reading room and understandably limited selections in the cafe (through free car-parking!). It is based on the War Diaries of 1051 PMC as identified in an earlier post on this thread. They start in November 1943 and go through to 1946, although I confess my account/summary stops when my father left 1051 in April - I ran out of time and to be honest a little interest.
    Two questions if I may please:
    1. Does anyone know what 'G-1098' was? The context suggests it was some list of basic stores that was transported independently of the personnel.
    2. Does anyone know if there are War Diaries of the 1034 Port Operating Company from D-Day to the end of 1944 - my father was transferred/attached to this company during the period? I must admit I find the National Archives 'Discovery' system very difficult to navigate
    Good reading to those with a specific interest
     

    Attached Files:

  8. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    WO 171/1780, 1034 Coy., 1944 Jan.- Dec. is the WD for 1034 Port Operating Coy.

    Regards

    Danny
     
    Dr Chris likes this.
  9. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Danny

    That's most kind of you - another visit to Kew coming up!

    Thank you very much

    Chris
     
  10. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Had my visit to Kew yesterday, but found little of interest to me. Attached though is my summary of the war diary of 1034 Port Operating Company, and a slightly updated summary of 1051's times, in case others are interested. I had assumed that 1034 would have been involved with the Mulberry harbour but it was not.
    Chris
     

    Attached Files:

    4jonboy, Temujin and CL1 like this.
  11. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    info on G-1098 on this site:

    What exactly were G1098 Stores?
     
  12. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    WE is not warranted establishment, as per your original notes, but War Establishment, or complement of allowable listed ranks.for each trade or responsibility. The actual numbers in a unit on any one day varied with casualties, sickness and shortages of skills (your notes demonstrate this with the lack of electricians).
     
  13. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Many thanks for this: like others, I too should have used the search function!
     
  14. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Many thanks for this.
     
  15. Stknight

    Stknight New Member

    Hi Dr Chris, my grandfather also disembarked Bombay 13 June 1945 with the 1051 PMC. I have uploaded a copy of his service record - no mention of Singapore unfortunately, unless it is hidden in the code in the right hand column. I have also attached a photo - my grandfather is 4th right at the front. Plus the back of the same - hopefully of interest to Lofty Morris, Dinger Bell etc. Plus another picture apparently from Singapore.

    Cheers,
    Steve

    . 1943 Royal Engineers Record - Clifford Granville Knight (1).jpg CGK & army pals 1.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Laurie F

    Laurie F Member

    I finally received my dad’s service record a few weeks ago, after an 18 month wait! Inevitably, it raises as many questions as it gives answers, so I’m hoping for some help please! In particular, despite the very helpful long, long list of abbreviations they enclose, there are quite a few not on that list.
    • The first one is from when my dad was in 285th Field Company before being transferred in April 1943 to 1051 Port Maintenance Company. In 1942 he spent time at M.D.L.C. (or M.O.L.C). I can’t find what that was - some kind of medical facility? Possibly related to this, he had two periods of what was called private leave. Again, I can’t find out what constituted private leave.
    • In 1942 he was ‘posted TT’. ‘TT’?
    • Once in 1051 Company, he was at one point in 1944 posted from CRE (CON). ‘CRE’ I think is Command Royal Engineers, but ‘CON’? And a month later he was ‘SOS’ this unit and posted back to 1051. SOS?
    • Under Special Instances of Gallant Conduct, there is an entry ‘EM(T) Awarded List 145/85 - ?
    I was quite taken aback to find he was not discharged from the Reserves until 1959, nine years after I was born! Was that the norm?
    I now want to pursue my research to try to find out a bit more about what it was like for my dad and his generation, spending their young adulthood away from home in the army. In which regard thank you so much, Dr Chris, for your summary of 1051’s war that you posted last year. And also you, Steve, for your photos which give such a picture of what those young men were like (even though my dad isn’t in any of them, much to my disappointment!)
    Laurie
     
    Dr Chris likes this.
  17. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Could you please post the service records up on the forum if it's not too personal, then members can translate the abbreviations for you.
    Lesley
     
  18. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Hi Laurie
    18 months is a long wait!
    I was away last week when you posted, but have now looked again at my father's papers. He too was only discharged from Reserve Liability in 1959 (30 June), just before his 39th birthday. He was called up in June 1943. Afraid I can't help on any of the abbreviations.
    Chris
     
  19. Laurie F

    Laurie F Member

    I was hoping to hear from you Dr Chris! My dad was in the TA before the war so was called up immediately in 1939and so served nearly seven years Something I noted in his record which will be of interest to you is that he was transferred to 1051 Port Maintenance Company in April 1943, so the company was in existence earlier than you thought. Any idea on the organisational arrangements - was the company embedded in an infantry regiment or free standing in some way?
     
  20. Dr Chris

    Dr Chris Member

    Hi Laurie
    Thanks for this. Yes, I noted that 1051 PMC had come into life a little earlier: it was speculation on my part based on not finding an earlier War Diary. If anyone has references for an earlier, another trip to Kew will be needed. On re-reading my notes, I came across a few typos so may go through and correct them when I get chance, if not correct them with additional info including your inputs, Laurie.
    In answer to your question, Laurie, about being embedded or free standing, I don't have a definitive answer, although I lean very much towards not being linked to an infantry unit, and being free standing: infantry units would have been nearer the front and moving, and although in the retreat to Dunkirk RE units were embedded with some infantry and mobile battalions (e.g. 12th Lancers) they were doing the bridge demolitions. I saw no mention in the War Diaries on 1051 on links to other units other than larger RE Port Operations groups.
    I hope this helps
    Best regards
    Chris
     

Share This Page