Hi all, looking at a few of my dads ww2 pics and will be posting them for help in identifying the location. My father Sapper George Reid, 1909854 was posted to Newark Notts Bailey bridge training establishment following his experience with same in the 8th Army, Alamein, Suez etc. He met my mother then went D-day to Berlin bridging various bits of water. He had a leave which produced me the he went back to Berlin and was still there clearing up after the flags had gone up. He never talked much and we are only just guessing the middle bits. Cheers, Les
Attched pics of my father Sapper George Reid,1909854 and pics of a river maybe Belgium, Holland or Germany----any guesses folks
Welcome Les Did he tell you of having to dive into the river to retrive panels Hammers' Etc. Newark was engraved on a lot of RE's hearts as the most hated place they went through.
Hello and welcome Les. My gf Sapper John Pughe 2123345 also served in the same areas as your father, with the 8thArmy.El Alamein,Sicily,Germany,Holland(Venlo), He was also on the D-Day landings,and was one of many on the Mullberry Harbours at Arromanches,will have to ask my uncle if he has any pictures. Regards John.
Hi all, looking at a few of my dads ww2 pics and will be posting them for help in identifying the location. My father Sapper George Reid, 1909854 was posted to Newark Notts Bailey bridge training establishment following his experience with same in the 8th Army, Alamein, Suez etc. He met my mother then went D-day to Berlin bridging various bits of water. He had a leave which produced me the he went back to Berlin and was still there clearing up after the flags had gone up. He never talked much and we are only just guessing the middle bits. Cheers, Les Hi Les The photo of your father in the window was taken in 1945 at Spandau Berlin . and seved with no 1 Troop 621 Field Squadron Royal Engineers 7th Armoured Division. My father was also with the 621st but a different troop. two years ago we met a lady whos partner was in no 1 troop she gave be a book of items including some photos taken in the same window and a hand written list of no 1 troop which has G.Reid ? Leicester. My father is still alive 91 years old i take him to Normandy each year in the Bayeux area they use his picture on the D-Day posters. In Normandy the 621st spent a lot of time on reconnaissance my father was a half track driver. hope this helps Best Wishes Andy
Les / Owen- While there is no doubt that your father did all these things with Engineers of 7th Armoured - he did not have any experience in building Bailey Bridges at El Alamein as the first one was built in North Africa some time afterwards and so this is perhaps the reason for his course on the Baileys at Newark - the Jerboa of the 7th is that of the 1945 version which tiesup with the picture at Spandau and the German Rivers from the amount of industrial chimneys around there His medal rack show also that he was in Africa - Italy and Germany as they came home from Italy after Naples Cheers
Pughe That is a familiar name.... What Company did he serve in? for we had a Sapper Pughe in our company. May just be coincidence....
Tom My father who was out in Italy with 6 Armoured Div among others, notes in his diary that Bridging School came up frequently, I presume this is because of different technical aspects of using the bailey bridge. As the course was near Rome I beleive a good swan was in order!
