War Dairy 717 Artisan Works Company - April 1943

Commanding Officer: Maj. G.W. Taylor, R.E.

Place Date Hour Summary of Event and Information References to Appendix
BENGHASI 1 Apr   Quarterly Audit of Company funds by order of the O.C. showed them to be worth £E 416.216. This amount appears to be large but with the Company split into many detachments, the money is in stock.  
  5 Apr   Lieut. Kilner completed fifteen months' commissioned service and became entitled to higher rate of Engineer pay.  
  7 Apr   Lieut. Dunlop proceeded by air to Cairo to attend No. 4 Bulk Petrol installation course at S.M.E.

O.C. visited Cairo and reported to C.E. Aerodromes. £50 was spent on sports gear.

 
  12 Apr   Work on construction of the Filter Room at Driana completed.  
  13 Apr   No. 2 Section under Lt. Hunter proceeded to Marble Arch aeromdrome to undertake supervision of construction of Mix in Place runways and to erect transmitting and receiving stations and power house.  
  14 Apr   L/Sgt. Duffel with 15 O.R.s proceeded to Tamat aerodrome to undertake supervision of construction of Mix in Place runways.

The extreme detachments of the Company are now 550 miles apart.

C.Q.M.S. Nekola confirmed in war substantive rank of C.Q.M.S.

 
  15 Apr   Equipment store and cookhouse for 215 A.M.E.S. completed.

The great majority of the original members of the Company complete three years' service to-day and become entitled to increments in pay.

 
  22 Apr   Outstanding detail work at Appolonia handed over to 738 A.W. Coy., R.E., and the detachment proceeded to Marble Arch. aerodrome.

Lieut. Dunlop returned from Course at S.M.E.

 
  23 Apr   A supply of cricket bats and balls obtained from Cairo was distributed to detachments. Nets were set up at H.Q. billets.  
  24 Apr   All outstanding works at Benina handed over to 738 A.W. Coy., R.E., and the detachment under Lieut. Nelson proceeded to Bersis Aerodrome to undertake construction of Repair Workshop, 60' x 30', with concrete blocks made on site.  
  26 Apr   Cannon Butts for testing aeroplane guns completed on Berka Main aerodrome.  


Source: National Archives WO 169/10755

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