70 Field Coy Royal Engineers

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by bart43945, Dec 18, 2004.

  1. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    My father recalls mine clearance around Aromanches-on to Bayeu and Caen-keeping roads clear in the Falaise Gap push-crossing the Seine-liberation of Brussels-bridge work at Njimegen-ferrying troops across the Rhine-work on canal at Emsdetten. What beach did he land on and what Units/Divs was he attached to/supporting?
    Bart
     
  2. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I have had a look through the Sword Beach Landings of the RE, I can find no mention of 70 Field Company RE...Nor can I recall any mention of that company when I was there...There was a 71 Fld Coy RE that was there on D plus 3, assisting in The Orne Canal bridging.

    It would appear then, they he was associated with "Gold" Beach. All the information I have regards the RE is in Third British Infantry Divisions area of operations. I have the records of all RE units serving in that area, and 70 is not there. Nor as I said, can I recall that unit at the time.

    To find out write to the RE Headquaters in Kent where they will be able to supply you with a record of all the units pn "Gold" Where they went, and what they done...It maybe that you Fathers name will be mentioned there, though that is a long shot.

    The documents for my Company record my wounding the first time, but not the second.
    Best Regards.
    Sapper.
    246 Field Co RE
    8th Brigade.
    3 Div
    Sword.
     
  3. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    Sapper
    Many thanks for your help-can you let me know the address of RE HQ Kent since I don't seem to be able to find it on their web site. I will write to them as you suggest and I'll let you know the outcome if you like.

    By the way just read your postings which are of particular interest since my father spent much time on mine clearance around Aromanches/Bayeau-didn't know about the nature of the schu mines-what a nightmare!
    Regards
    Bart
     
  4. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    HQ Royal Engineers Museum
    Brompton Barracks
    Chatham
    Kent
    Ought to find them. Bit long winded, not much staff?
    Sapper
     
  5. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Just checked the 'Order of Battle' for WW2 and there is not mention of a 70th Field Company at all, which means it must have been a home service unit? It certainly did not serve in NW Europe.

    Where did you get the unit name from?
     

    Attached Files:

  6. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Paul.
    60 years ago! a slip of memory? I have first class recall of the great majority of events, but sadly some of it was wiped clean some years ago when I was taken ill...completely deleted.

    Perhaps if Bart 43945 looked again, we may be able to assist him more? Always willing to help, where I can. Though I have no recourse to official papers only my own. Cheers
    Sapper
     
  7. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Hi Sapper - my comments weren't directed at you, but Bart; hopefully he can tell us where he got the 70th Field Coy info from!
     
  8. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    I too have checked the order of battle for 6th June and on D-Day the following RE groups were present if this helps:

    GOLD:
    233rd Field Co
    295th Field Co
    505th Field Co
    235th Field Co
    73rd Field Co
    89th Field Co
    280th Field Co

    JUNO:
    71st Field Co
    72nd Field Co
    85th Field Co
    184th Field Co
    240th Field Co
    262nd Field Co

    SWORD:
    17th Field Co
    246th Field Co
    253rd Field Co
    71st Field Co
    263rd Field Co
    629th Field Sq
    84th Field Co
    91st Field Co
     
  9. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Thats interesting, but you missed out quite a few. 15 th Field Park on sword and all the RE Assault mobs!
    Sapper
     
  10. salientpoints

    salientpoints Senior Member

    Originally posted by sapper@Dec 19 2004, 11:05 PM
    Thats interesting, but you missed out quite a few. 15 th Field Park on sword and all the RE Assault mobs!
    Sapper
    [post=30238]Quoted post[/post]


    Not to cause offence as this was on purpose because the topic is for Field Co. not assault Regiments etc. I have the complete lists for each and was simply illustrating the regiments directly for this query - I certainly wasn't excluding anyone on purpose Sapper :)

    If anyone wants more details please ask

    Cheers

    Ryan
     
  11. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Fine Ryan.
    I am not being awkward. I see your point,
    Cheers.
    Sapper.
     
  12. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    Guys -thanks for all your interest.
    Extract from Service record reads:


    No of Pt II or Pt III Orders**Unit **Record of all casualties**Place of c.**Date of c.
    2E21/56??/44**CRE6AT Engs**Embarked UK**NWE **4 June 44
    2E21/722/45**70 Fd Coy**To XII List**NWE**31. 12.44
    Any further thoughts please?

    Record also shows that he joined 261 Field Park Coy in 1940. The entire Coy was volunteered by the O/C for Airborne and he trained on gliders.
    In Nov 1942 he was posted to TT Wing SME Chatham where he qualified as Carpenter & Joiner and remained as an instructor until Jan 44 when he was posted to CRE6AT Engs-see above.
     
  13. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    For Ryan and Pauls interest in particular since what follows will necessitate an amendment to records:As to the lack of involvement of 70 Field Coy RE in NWE- my father gave me an account of a corporal who was working with him checking pins on the top panels of a large bridge near Njimegan. A Messerschmidt made two passes on the bridge and on the second pass his friend fell to the fast waters below. I discovered his friend's casualty record on CWGC yesterday which of course records his Company-70 Field Coy RE.
     
  14. angie999

    angie999 Very Senior Member

    Although 70 Field Coy is not listed in the D-day OOB, it may be that it was landed later as a replacement or reinforcement unit. The incident at Nijmegen could not have happened earlier than the 2nd half of September 1944 - when was it?

    Bart, I suggest you contact the RE museum whose staff may well be able to help you with research on the unit history.
     
  15. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Angie.
    Earlier I posted the address where anyhting about the RE companies can be found.
    Sapper
     
  16. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    Thanks Angie
    This took place 14th Feb 1945. I am wondering now if he was attached to another Company when he made the D-day landings-The earlier Companies/Units mentioned in his service record are 261 Field Park Co***TT Wing SME***CRE6AT Engs***. Not SME but maybe he was posted to one of the others.
    I have now written to RE Museum and as you say hopefully they will fill in the gaps.
    Bart
     
  17. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Originally posted by bart43945@Dec 20 2004, 04:40 PM
    Extract from Service record reads:


    No of Pt II or Pt III Orders**Unit **Record of all casualties**Place of c.**Date of c.
    2E21/56??/44**CRE6AT Engs**Embarked UK**NWE **4 June 44
    2E21/722/45**70 Fd Coy**To XII List**NWE**31. 12.44
    Any further thoughts please?
    [post=30247]Quoted post[/post]

    We may have solved your problem. 6AT is 6th Assault Troops. These were part of 79th Armoured Division, which became the 6th Assault Regiment in October 1943 (According to Joslen's OOB). They were attached to 50th (Northumbrian) Division on D Day at Gold Beach.

    The 70th Field Coy is not mentioned at all in Joslen; this includes about 99.9% of the British Army units that served in WW2 and I find this quite curious.
     
  18. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    Paul your resolution sounds more than feasible. I will let you have RE Museum 's interpretation when I hear from them.
     
  19. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Thanks - and thanks for your emai. I/We look forward to hearing what the reply is relating to this elusive Field Company!
     
  20. bart43945

    bart43945 Junior Member

    Just stumbled across http://orbat.com/site/uk_orbats/index.html which covers RE extensively and I find:

    6th Army Troops Engineers Possibly formed from 3rd Chem Warfare Group. Served with 21st Army Group 1944/5. Disbanded Sep 1945+.
    Controlled 69th 70th and 75th Field Coys RE and 277th Field Park Coy RE

    So CRE6AT Engns are as above and not 6 Assault Troops. The added verification is the link with the elusive 70 Field Coy of which more can be found on this site as follows:

    3rd Chem Warfare Group RE Formed by Sep 1940.................Group later broken up (or used to form 6th Army Troops RE)
    Formed with 68th,69th and 70th Chem Warfare Coys RE................

    Next:

    70th Chem Warfare Coy RE Formed by Sep 1940 (assigned 3rd Chem Warfare Group). Converted later as 70th Field Coy RE Served with 6th ATRE 1944-45. Disbanded Sep 1945.

    It seems I have now found the correct Units/Coys with which my father served although there is a reference to one Unit which remains a mystery-105 CRC to which he was posted from 23/3/45 until 25/9/45.

    Does anyone know what the abbreviation CRC might mean?

    I am back to square 1 as far as the division to which these Coys were attached-perhaps it was 50th Div-my father recalls landing near Aromanches at zero hour plus 1. Anyone any more ideas whilst I await the views of RE Museum?
     

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