Hi there I hope I am posting in the right place - first post so please bear with me! I am trying to find out more about my grandfather's time in the Royal Engineers. He transferred to the Royal Engineers in Aug 1942. Before then he was in the Royal Artillery and I have managed to get the war diaries for the Battery he was with. However, I would really love to see the diaries for the Royal Engineer part of his service. He was with 158 Railway Construction Company from Aug 1942 to 1945, and with 956 Railway Survey Company for a few months 1945 to 1946. The National Archives doesn't have war diaries for these times, and I have drawn a blank with the Royal Engineers Museum. Is there anywhere else that may hold these records? Or is there anywhere that would hold general information about where these companies were during the war? Lots of questions - sorry! If anyone has any suggestions I would hugely appreciate your input. Thanks Phoenix2
Hi Phoenix2 My father was with 157th Rly Con Coy for most/all of WW2 so I spotted your posting. Andy is the guy to ask for war diaries, he's on here as Drew5233 I'm just going to check but I think my father might have been posted to 158 for a short while, will get back to you on that:] Best of luck Ady B-)
Hi and welcome to the forum. These are the only two 158 diaries I can find at the momemnt. Can you post where the unit was during the times your man was with them. ie Africa, Italy Europe. It will help me with the search. It could be that the NA have mistyped files incorrectly or the unit had another name. I have come across both examples more than once WO 166/3645 ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 158 Railway Construction Company. 1940 July - 1941 Dec. WO 167/953 158 Railway Construction Company Royal Engineers 1940 Feb.-June Regards Andy
Thank you guys. Great to hear from you both. I believe he was in Europe 1944/45 as we have a few photos from this time with a bit of info on the back... November 1944 - Bernay, France. Leda (NW Germany near border with Netherlands) Bridge building 1945, Kapellen Airfield (Antwerp) Christmas Eve 1945. An undated photo of Stalag 7. Hopefully I've uploaded them correctly and you should have links to the photos, in case they are of interest. The 1944 Bernay photo (9 men) also says "The Trains Trust" on the back. My gramp is in the centre of the back row in this one. We believe he may have spent some time at Bergen-Belsen after its liberation. He understandably didn't talk of this much so it is difficult to be sure. Thanks again Phoenix2
Great pics and thanks for posting them. Pic number 5 is interesting and lol at 158 Slave Labour Camp ! Are you sure he is Royal Engineers? I only ask as their lanyards appear to be white which points to RA. RE have Navy Blue Lanyards. This could be the file - WO 171/1564 158 Coy If it is marked online as this there could be a few more that run through the war.
Andy - thank you so much. That's brilliant. Am so excited that might be it! That's interesting too about the lanyards. He transferred to the Royal Engineers on 19/4/42, but he was in the Rotal Artillery before this so this photo could be from that time. Looks like he was in Devon with the RA so Paignton Studios would fit. The 158 slave labour camp bit is great isn't it! I searched on the National archives site, and can see the mentions of the other 158 Coy ones. Looks like there's also a 956 Coy one that goes up to January 1946 which is when he was released. Am I right in thinking you are making a trip to the Archives again soon? Would you have time to add any of these to your orders!? Thanks again
Andy/Phoenix2 My father was in the RE's WWII on his wedding photo he had a white lanyard I have somewhere in the house the actual one he wore. It may be interesting to contact the RE Museum and see if they changed the colour after WWII
