If anyone can help I would be eternally grateful I have been through my grandfathers war records and he was called up at the begining of WW2 to 280th Field Company RE. At the end of 1942 / early 1943 he was transfered to 232 Army Troop Company RE. His records say he served acroos NW Europe between 1944 and 1946 and has several medals for it. His unit has 3 dead buried in Oostende Cemetary with dates of 26th November 1944. The advice I have had so far and the r3ecords I have found suggest that 232 Field Company was destroyed in the western desert in 1942 and not reconstituted. However there is a war diary for 232 Coy. Re from March 1943 to 1945. I have asked for the unit records from the national archive (awaiting price), however the 1943 diary from march to december is deemed classified and closed for another 29 years. There is no trace of 232 Coy. post 1942 in any order of battle for the period 1943 to 1946 yet the war diaries are in the national archive for the years 1943, 44, 45 and the unit 232 Army Troops is all over his record until demob in 1946. I can no longer consult him as he died a couple of years ago and his last years were undone by dementia. he did not want to talk about his time in 1944 / 45 too much other than he landed via Juno beach post D-Day and dealt with the 2nd SS and 12th SS divisions of the germany army immediately after landing. He spent time near antwerp and finished the war in hamburg? The expertise I have asked so far suggest that its a naming problem as Army Troops were numbered 500+ but his unit seems to have been a very strange one with the secrecy of the diary in 1943 and a lack of mention in almost any ORBAT I have encountered. any advice gratefully received
Hello and welcome to the forum. Firstly all War Diaries for WW2 are now available and are open to view/copy. Ignore the closed note. Secondly it will be extremely cheaper for me to copy the files for you (10p a page) compared to the National Archives rates. Thirdly if a diary exists I can find it Cheers Andy
Drew5233 How much for 232 Coy. 1944 war diary - all of it? very frustrating cant findhis unit anywhere Service number 1889378 Eric Wilfred Thrustle joined up 20th Field Coy - 13 nov 1939 transfered 21/4/1943 to 232 Army Troops Company - mystery begins! No acces to war dairy allowed for 29 more years according to NA. 1944 / 45 available. 3 casualties in 1944 - buried Oosetend belgium Attended course (SME) DBRE for 3 weeks november 1943 Promoted twice - lance corporal june 1943, corporal november 1943 Left for NW europe - confirmed arrival july 1944. demobbed 16 may 1946 any help gratefully received
Hello prt198, I think the confusion maybe arises from the fact that 232nd Field Company, RE, and 232 Army Troop Company, RE, maybe/are different outfits. The former were Divisional troops of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division from 3 September 1939 to 1 June 1942 and for all but circa 3 weeks of that period they were either attached directly to 50 Div or the 150th Infantry Brigade of 50 Div - 4th Bn East Yorkshire Regt, and 4th & 5th Bns Green Howards. The significance of the 150th Infantry Brigade reference is that the 232nd Field Company, RE, were overrun at Gazala, along with the 150th IB and the 72nd Field Regiment, RA, on the 1 June 1942. The latter two were struck off the nominal roll and it is likely that the 232nd Field Company, RE, was as well. This would mean that it had no existence after that date for the duration. Whereas 'Field Companies', RE, normally supported Divisions with the construction of a variety of defence works and often accommpanied them in the assault, 'Army Troop Companies' were mainly involved in work connected with logistics. Amongst their many tasks; they operated saw mills, erected huts and were responsible for water supply - erection of water tanks and the laying of water pipelines, etc. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about 232 Army Troop Company or its place in the Orbat. As Andy suggests, it is likely that the War Diaries for 232 Army Troop Company, RE, are in fact available and this is the unit that your gradfather served with. I believe that you need to follow this line of investigation. Best, Steve.
WO 166/12103 232 Coy. 1943 Mar.-Dec. WO 171/1595 232 Coy. 1944 Jan.- Dec. WO 171/5512 232 Coy. 1945 Jan.- Dec. WO 171/9394 232 Coy. 1946 Jan.- June The first file is in the UK Home Forces series (UK Based) and the other three are in the North West Europe series (D-Day onwards). Let me know if you want the ref's for any other files. Cheers Andy
To anyone who has struggled to find a unit history. I have spent 2 /12 years solving a small mystery. Ignore the internet for information - most of what is published is wrong and inaccurate - go to the national archives and the imperial war museum. My grandfathers unit and platoon are missing from most because they were under the direct command of the top RE general with the 21st Army Group and did a lot of independent work as a unit and even down to section level. As Army Troops they were mis represented in internet information and orders of battle. I managed to see and read all 750 pages of the units own war diary, training and orders for the period 1943 to 1945. here is my grandfather - Erics - war in summary He was called up on 2nd September 1939 - because he was a specialist fitter with the railways and they wanted his technical skills. his first unit was 280 Field Co Re with 15th Scottish Division and he spent 3 years on uk defences. he was then transferred to 232 Army Troop / Field Company - not a lines of communications troop but one specifically trained for the capture of river crossings and making them safe from traps, mines and bombs. Because of their perceived secret training in dealing with German traps,mines and bombs, especially the butterfly bomb (early cluster bomb) they were given a unit designation that had already been used by a unit destroyed in north Africa. The unit spent 1943 training the assault,capture and reclamation of different types of river crossing. His pecific platoon were the lead for dealing with traps, mines and bombs. The unit had a number of men posted to the OX and Bucks Operation and accompanying RE Field Cos for Pegasus bridge. Erics platoon were split and sent early to Normandy, due to a shortage of RE personnel with the Canadians, and took part in the combat at Le Mesnil and Capriquet having landed at Graye Sur Mer. The whole unit reconvened in July 1944 in Caen, Erics platoon dealt with traps, mines and bombs around the castle area and the castle itself, the rest of the unit repaired specific bridges and with other RE units the sewers. Erics platoon also had to bury all the dead from victims at the convent from the allied bombing. Erics platoon was again split and then sent back to the Canadians to support the drive on Falais. The whole unit reconvened at Vaucelles near Bayeux and then accompianed the Canadians to Belgium and Ostende area, were the unit (Company estb 260 men - Platoon circa 70) suffered about 24 casualties, 6 dead from engagement with the Germans and dealing with traps, mines and bombs. All deaths occurred in Erics platoon which was the trap clearance team supporting the 4th Canadian Armoured division and clearance of traps around Ostende and other areas of the Scheldt. Eric himself is mentioned in orders being sent on specific individual tasks to deal with unusual devices and traps across Belgium, Erics platoon were also given the task of clearing traps at the V2 rocket site at St Omer. The rest of the war was with the Canadians until Germany when the unit was transferred to the 7th Armoured Div of British 2nd Army for the assault on Hamburg. The unit rarely appears in any text relating to the 2nd Army as most of its time was attached to the Canadians or under the direct command of the chief engineer, but it also does not appear on the Canadians official order of battle either as a British unit. Eric almost got sent to SEAC and japan but the wars end saved him from that fate and he finally got home April 1946, having had 3 weeks leave in nearly 6 1/2 years, one week to get married and another to see his son - my father., who was nearly 3 when he first spoke to my grandfather. All of this was only found after visiting the national archives and imperial war museum in person to see the full unit war diary. ITN also have film of the unit in action on mine clearance in Ostende in their on-line archive. The imperial war museum has a photograph of his platoon embarking for Normandy on 9th June 1944. Keep persevering!
To anyone researching the RE it is easy to assume that the British Army was a very formal and highly structured environment when in fact the RE were a highly flexible structure that adapted and flexed to meet needs at army, corps and unit level. It makes researching RE units difficult during the 1943-45 period, unless the unit was a divisional one that stayed permanently with the division. Even my granddads unit was split up down to sections and even individuals for tasks, fortunately the units commander Major HJB Ness was a stickler for recording every training and operational action by whatever unit or individual was under his command. The war diaries eve listed guard duties and leave passes at an individual level as well as an end of war cricket match against the RAF! The people at the national archive and the imperial war museum are swamped but are very helpful. It is truly a humbling experience to turn the pages written so long ago and read about the day to day lives of that generation. Its all just a pity that I discovered all this after granddad died, he never talked about any of it other than to remember his friend killed and buried at Bayeux, whos grave I paid a visit to this year.I cant believe he spent nearly two years defusing mines, booby traps and bombs., but then again he did have a very relaxed attitude to us playing with fireworks when we were young. Miss him lots and very fortunate to know him for over 45 years.
