Hi, here is a link to the page i'm trying to make sense of: 240 Field Company, War Diary | Flickr - Photo Sharing! I'm trying to track down the movement of 2 Platoon within the 240 Field Company and the OC has split the company up for the ease of movement and given them new party numbers. I can make out 1 Platoon and 3 Platoon, but not 2 Platoon from the page on the link. Is there something I am missing? Thanks Ben
They are not listed on the page. Have they been allocated/attached to another unit in May or earlier? Did they exsist in May?
I'll search through and see what comes up. How many Platoons normally made up a Field Company? Is it possible they are listed under the HQ Detachments? I'm probably clutching at straws.
I would guess 4 inc Company HQ. All the 1944 unit orbats are covered I believe on here by Mike (Trux).
Right ....Three platoons. May I help? t is very unusual to get the company together They are spread far and wide, fulfilling the requests for help from a huge variety regiments. If I told you I knew no one in one, or three platoons, ..That gives you an idea of how widely a Field Company RE is distributed. I have been out helping other units, sometimes outside our own div, and sometimes miles away form our base. It is the nature of the RE Fld Coys. It is not an understatement that at times one half did no0t know where they were. Sapper
Hello Sapper, In the war diary they split the Company up into separate parties from A-I and they mention a HQ detachment, 1 Platoon, 3 Platoon and HQ Platoon. I can't make out what it says next F Party, but it something like Corps something something. But there is no mention of 2 Platoon, could they be the HQ Platoon? Thanks
I've had a read of the Diary for May, but the only time 2 platoon are mentioned is when they are having their photo taken early in the month. I guess this is the photo I put in one of my earlier links.
Right ....Three platoons. May I help? t is very unusual to get the company together They are spread far and wide, fulfilling the requests for help from a huge variety regiments. If I told you I knew no one in one, or three platoons, ..That gives you an idea of how widely a Field Company RE is distributed. I have been out helping other units, sometimes outside our own div, and sometimes miles away form our base. It is the nature of the RE Fld Coys. It is not an understatement that at times one half did no0t know where they were. Sapper Is that three in total or three and the HQ Platoon?
3 and HQ I have a sneaky feeling you have jumped straight to D-Day I'd always start reading a book at the begining mate They may have been tasked in a earlier month and then pop up again later in the diary. Andy
Looking at my Grandad's service records it says: Pstd to XV list & SOS unit on attch to TT Wing SME Chatham for course exceeding 3 months wef 13 Jan 44. I'm really not sure what this means. Could it have something to do with 2 Platoon not coming up in the D-Day landing page. I've checked the diary for January and they make no mention of the Platoon moving anywhere during January, so I am not sure what to think. Ben
Field Companies Ben, were always three platoons and a HQ......Stadndard.The referral to corps? IT is the Corps of Royal Engineers and probably with the widest series of companies imaginable from docks, bridging, postal, Assault, field, rail, the list is almost endless. If your relative served in a RE field Company he will, for sure ,seen a great deal of very active service... It is in the nature of the Field Coys. You could be road sweeping one day to, leading off an assault the next.... Cheers Sapper
Thanks, The Diary has given me lots of info I never knew about before, such as the unit being involved in Operation Astonia and their movements into Belgium and Holland. I was hoping to find out about their landing on D-Day as the information I had from his Service Records was conflicting. I have three records for him one saying he landed on 6th June, one the 8th June and another D.N.K. It seems from the Diary that the Company had some units landing on the 6th and others coming in the following days. I can't see any mention in the War Diaries of 2 Platoon from January to D-Day apart from them having their picture taken in May. I'll keep digging and see what I find. Thanks for all the comments Ben
I've not read the diaries as such (4 years too late for me) but 2 Platoon are mentioned in a trailer loading exercise in April helping HQ. Its in one of the Appendices Ben.
I was looking at his service records and could do with help understanding another line: T6S from X(V) list 4/5/44 I've looked for X(V) units on one of the posts Drew sent me, but I haven't seen it listed anywhere yet. Ben
