A Veteran RE friend would like some help. Very sorry to say that he recently passed away.

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Smudger Jnr, Dec 16, 2010.

  1. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Bill, a friend of mine and RBL Berlin Branch member has asked me to see if any forum members can help him.

    He was like most, conscripted, in his case late in the war and became a Royal Engineer seeing service in NWE before the war ended.

    I will post his request as received.

    Shortly after the end of the war, I was posted to the 620 Field Park (or Sqn) RE.. The unit was part of the "R" Force which, during the war, had been dealing with camouflage - putting up dummy tanks, bridges, etc. to confuse the enemy. The unit was about to be disbanded and I was only there a few weeks before being transferred to the 104 Army Troops Coy and moving up to Berlin.

    Like most of us getting older, we are inclined to live on our memories and I have always been intrigued by the activities of the "R" Force but have never been able to obtain further information on this unit.

    I wonder whether any members of your Forum would be able to help?

    Many thanks in advance.

    I hope that we as a forum can be of help.

    Bill ended up in berlin where he helped demolish many unsafe buildings and bunkers including the Zoo Flak Tower, which took several attempts.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  2. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Tom there are 4 WO series files on HQ R Force dated 1945 at TNA Kew - there may be a unit history in one.

    There is also a book about Jasper Maskelyne titled The War Magician - Maskelyne developed some of the camouflage and dummy vehicle techniques
     
  3. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Steven,

    Thanks for that information.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  4. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Smuddger
    Maskelyne was one of the first in that field and he was responsible for building an "0ilpipe Line" from empty British petrol cans before the jerrican came into operation - away in the wrong direction to confuse the Germans that a new attack was coming in that Southern area - it worked as the attack went in from the North
    Cheers
     
  5. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Tom,

    Thank you for the information.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  6. Buteman

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

    Hi Tom

    I trust he was happy with the 104 Army Troops RE war diary I sent you a while back on his behalf. Shame I did not know about the others as I could have done them at the same time.

    Robert
     
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  7. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Robert,

    Bill only mentioned this on our wednesday gathering.

    I have looked over the internet and provided him with some links, but nothing much about 'R' Force.

    I have also provided him with the RE Museum Website address, which has a contact button for email questions.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  8. Buteman

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

    Tom there are 4 WO series files on HQ R Force dated 1945 at TNA Kew - there may be a unit history in one.

    There is also a book about Jasper Maskelyne titled The War Magician - Maskelyne developed some of the camouflage and dummy vehicle techniques


    Hi Jedburg22,

    I only found WO171/3868 & WO171/3869. Do you know the numbers of the other 2?

    Rob
     
  9. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    WO171/3832
    is part of a sub-series
     
  10. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Tom
    My father helped build part of that pipeline of oil cans and victallic piping before the battle of El Alamein, part of the deception was that it would not be finished before the full moon period
     
  11. singeager

    singeager Senior Member

    I was given a very interesting little book (84 pages) published by Kent Arts and libraries service called 'D Day Fortutude South'.
    And it gives details of Kents wartime deception operations and activities of R Force. He may have been in the north but the activities were proberbly very similar. Some very good and rare photo's.

    theres a copy on amazon for £3.50. worth buying i think.

    Fortitude South: Kent's Wartime Deception: Amazon.co.uk: John Reymond: Books
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Tom
    My father helped build part of that pipeline of oil cans and victallic piping before the battle of El Alamein, part of the deception was that it would not be finished before the full moon period


    Mike,

    Your father can be proud of his work.
    I have just been reading about the same deception and so it makes it more special with your families personal imput.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  13. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I was given a very interesting little book (84 pages) published by Kent Arts and libraries service called 'D Day Fortutude South'.
    And it gives details of Kents wartime deception operations and activities of R Force. He may have been in the north but the activities were proberbly very similar. Some very good and rare photo's.

    theres a copy on amazon for £3.50. worth buying i think.

    Fortitude South: Kent's Wartime Deception: Amazon.co.uk: John Reymond: Books


    Singeager,

    I will forward the details to Bill as I am sure he will be interested in getting his hands on a copy.

    Many thanks.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  14. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Oldman -
    Too many Tom's around these days -have to start numbering them all...

    Masekline did a tremendous job on that "pipeline" at Alamein and had Rommel thinking that the attack was to got through the southern end at El Halfa - he got a bit of a shock and had to move both 15th and 21st Panzers up North wasting even more petrol - it was the only good those petrol cans ever did - they were the cause of more leakages then you would believe -just looking at them sideways they leaked -I think they were made by the biscuit manufacturers- happily resolved when we had the jerrycans with their interiors painted white for water.
    Cheers
     
  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    It is with great sadness that today I attended Bill's funeral service held at St George's Church here in Charlottenburg, Berlin.
    Bill passed away just days after his 92nd Birthday and even attended the Legion for a small party on his behalf.
    William Sheckleston OBE, or Bill to his friends, will be sadly missed by his family and friends.
     
  16. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    My condolences, Smudger.
     
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  17. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Tom,
    Condolences to his family and to you
     
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  18. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    That is sad news Tom. Thanks for sharing this with us.
     
  19. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Tom
    Condolances to Bill's family and yourself.

    Thanks for sharing with the forum members
     
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  20. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Tom,
    Condolences to his family and you.

    Lesley
     
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