War Dairy 229 Army Field Company R.E.

War Dairy 229 Army Field Company R.E. - January 1945

Commanding Officer: Major F.E. Ladly R.E./ Major A.E.Frost RE

Place Date Hour Summary of Event and Information References to Appendix

CAMMAGIORE 1 1 Pl.(Lt. HS Barnes RE), 2 Pl.(Lt. R Hodges RE), 3Pl.(Lt.CD Wattleworth RE) engaged on maintenance of ACE Route. Company liability map ref L.963092 to map ref. M.002132. 2 & 3 Pls normal maintenance. 1 Pl also working on Bailey Br. at L.977115, now Cl. 40, 170 ft T/D reinforced to make 11 central bays T/T. Considerable difficulty in fixing chords bolts in reinforced length. This task started night 29/30 Dec and 1 Pl. are still hammering in chord bolts. 12 remain to be fixed.
Major FE Ladly RE re-assumed command of Company.
Temperature generally about freezing point with the usual 3 - 4 hor midday thaw.

2 One inch of snow night 1/2. Normal maintenance ACE Route.
6 chord bolts still left to fasten on "Touch & Go" Bridge at end of days work. Bolts appear to average about 4 man hours each. Frost continues and is by far most successful road preserver. Traffic along ACE Route is now considerably less than in Nov and, due to traffic reduction, is chiefly one lane. This has thrown traffic to the centre of the road and probably caused the rapid deterioration of the centre of the road which started in Dec and continues now.

3 All chord bolts now fixed on "Touch & Go" Br. Frost continues and night 3/4 was the sharpest frost for some time.

4 1430 O Group CREs H.Q. mainly routine matters. Inspectorate of Unit maintenance afoot. Italian labourers increase of pay of 65 Lire per day on existing rate of 85 Lire. C.R.E. does not approve of wearing of "ROYAL ENGINEER" shoulder titles. Formation sign approved. White 2 on blue background with white G.H.Q. diagonal.

2230 Approval given to close ACE Route to raise ramp at "Touch & Go" br. map ref. L.977115. Work to start 2300 hrs.

CAMAGGIORE 5 0400 Work completed "Touch & Go" Bridge. All chord bolts, pins, sway bracing, bracing frames etc. fixed. C.A.G.R.E. & C.R.E. inspected the road. Signs of thaw. Snow and sleet during day. No frost night 5/6 but more snow and sleet. Cinema show 1830. American comedy, part propoganda "4 Jills in a jeep". Verymuch appreciated by men. Two Nissens have been erected on hillside of 1 in 3, with sloping floor, which makes an ideal cinema. Normally a billet for 35 men. All ranks now in buildings.

6 Slight thaw. Showery in morning. Most of thawing snow and mud cleared off road, both by traffic and men working. Rain has improved road due to this clearing of mud. Steady snow in afternoon but temperature just above freezing.

7 4" - 6" snow night 6/7. Road still 2 way. Snow ploughs working about 1000 hrs. Temperature just above freezing.

CAMAGGIORE 7 Slush on road.

8 Frost night 7/8. Roads covered with frozen slush. Still quite passable 2 way. Men clearing ditches culverts and gullies of snow to allow for drainage if a thaw sets in.
Saw C.R.E. at his H.Q. at 1500 hrs. He approved Plan 2 for reconstruction of "Touch & Go" br. O.C. has read provisions of A.A. and G.O.C. LIAP letter ref.CAO/100/5 to the Coy. during evenings 6,7 and 8.

9 Continue frost night 8/9.

10 "O" Group C.R.E. H Q. 229 to hand over length of ACE Route map ref. L.972109 to map ref M.002132. and new commitment will extend from map ref L.955077 to map ref. L.972109. This is due to 8 Army bdy being extended westwards with consequent release of 13 Corps Troops Engrs from American 5 Army area.

11 Continued frost. Very severe last night. 5°. Rd very icy.

CAMAGGIORE 11 Road works continue. The urgent need is to get stone down and it is usually neccessary to chip off 3"-4" of ice. All compressors in use. The present leave situation is that ORs get leave in ROME or FLORENCE at a rate of 1 leave of 6 days every 12 months (this is average over last 4 months). Officers get 6 days leave every 3 months, an unusual state of affairs. Accomodation appears to limit O.Rs leave. ACE Route is still 2 way and though literally coated with a thick layer of ice there is very little delay in traffic. The 4 x 2 15 cwts. are by far the most prone to skidding though all 4 x 2s slide on average camber or superelevation. The chains with links formed from one inch rectangles of stell seem very inefficient

12 Temperature during night 11/12 -5° C. Day temperature, out of sun 0°C.

13 4"-6" snow night 12/13. ACE Route still passable.

CAMAGGIORE 14 Snow and sleet. Rd thawing and has water on surface. Major FE Ladly RE attached C.R.E. 2 GHQ Troops.

15 Ice on road. Thaw in afternoon making road extremely dangerous.
Following changes in command ordered by C.R.E.
LT.Col.W.H.Hooper assumes apptmt A/C.A.G.R.E. vice Col Stainer who proceeds on LIAP. Major FE Ladly RE assumes apptmt C.R.E. 2 GHQ Tps. Capt.AE Frost BEM RE assumes apptmt O.C. 229 Army Field Company RE and is re-granted A/Rank of Major. All to take effect w.e.f. 15 jan 45. Authority para.6 GRO 1013/44.

16 Still freezing. Snow can be expected. Men working to try and get ice banks off the road at sides to prevent vehicles sliding down on top of each other. Major Read RE 577 Fd Coy RE visited this HQ to fix time for takeover on 18 Jan 45.

17 Snow at night. Very bad thaw in late morning and afternoon making road very dangerous to two-way traffic owing to ice banks on haunches of the road which cause vehicles to lean inwards and slide down towards each other. Several traffic hold-ups caused by vehicles becoming locked. Posting order for Major AE Frost BEM RE to R.E.T.D. as O.C. Training Coy. Men working all out to remove ice-banks but progress very slow.

18 Weather fine and sunny. Slight thaw in afternoon. Rd still very slippery. Company boundaries changed on ACE Route. This company now responsible for sector map ref.L.955077 to map ref. L.972109. Further commitment North handed over to 577 Fd Coy RE 13 Corps Tps Engrs. New Southern boundary taken over from 230 Army Field Company RE. Visited A/CRE for information with reference to my relief

19 Rain and strong South wind. Thaw. ice on road haunches still very difficult to remove. Some smll scale rock falls in afternoon. Men all out removing water from road and clearing ditches and clulverts. Rum issue requested from C.R.E. No gravel available owing to rapid rise of river making river bed unworkable.

20 Fine. Normal road maintenance. No gravel for road owing to machine being waterlogged. 1" of snow during the night.

21 Fine. Thaw in afternoon causing some falls of rock.

22 Fine and frosty. Road hard. normal road maintenance.

23 Fine but overcast - signs of snow. Normal road maintenance. All pls working on improvements to Pl Quarries to improve output of stone.

24 2" of snow during night. C.R.Es. conference at 1000 hrs.
Warning that Company may be called upon to bridge the PO. Likely that they will proceed to CAPUA for floating Bridge training 1st. fortnight in February.

25 6" snow during night. Snow ploughs in action. All labour, except for Quarry personnel, working getting snow off edge of rd to prevent the formation of ice banks.

26 Rain. Thaw in afternoon. Road still two-way but there is a considerable amount of water on the road due to thawing of the ice-banks on the side.

27 Fine. Thaw in afternoon. One sapper received head injuries owing to rock fall. Road is dangerous for working in some parts and men have been ordered to work in steel helmets and have a look-out sentry on the worst places.

28 Fine but overcast. Slight frost at night. Road still two-way.

29 Fine with frost at night. C.R.Es O Group. Informed that bridging training at CAPUA and future bridging of the PO by this company is cancelled. General disappointment amongst Officers.

30 Fine. Frost at night and thaw in afternoon. Road becomes dangerous during thaw.

31 Thaw continues. Mild weather. Ditches taking wate well. Road soft in palces mostly where river gavel has been put down. There is no doubt that the road is improving due to the very hard work done by platoons

Folder also contains:

Sitrep 128 - 158

Source: National Archives WO 170/5207

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Event and Information
CAMMAGIORE	1		1 Pl.(Lt. HS Barnes RE), 2 Pl.(Lt. R Hodges RE), 3Pl.(Lt.CD Wattleworth RE) engaged on maintenance of ACE Route. Company liability map ref L.963092 to map ref. M.002132. 2 & 3 Pls normal maintenance. 1 Pl also working on Bailey Br. at L.977115, now Cl. 40, 170 ft T/D reinforced to make 11 central bays T/T. Considerable difficulty in fixing chords bolts in reinforced length. This task started night 29/30 Dec and 1 Pl. are still hammering in chord bolts. 12 remain to be fixed. Major FE Ladly RE re-assumed command of Company. Temperature generally about freezing point with the usual 3 - 4 hor midday thaw.
	2		One inch of snow night 1/2. Normal maintenance ACE Route. 6 chord bolts still left to fasten on "Touch & Go" Bridge at end of days work. Bolts appear to average about 4 man hours each. Frost continues and is by far most successful road preserver. Traffic along ACE Route is now considerably less than in Nov and, due to traffic reduction, is chiefly one lane. This has thrown traffic to the centre of the road and probably caused the rapid deterioration of the centre of the road which started in Dec and continues now.
	3		All chord bolts now fixed on "Touch & Go" Br. Frost continues and night 3/4 was the sharpest frost for some time.
	4	1430	O Group CREs H.Q. mainly routine matters. Inspectorate of Unit maintenance afoot. Italian labourers increase of pay of 65 Lire per day on existing rate of 85 Lire. C.R.E. does not approve of wearing of "ROYAL ENGINEER" shoulder titles. Formation sign approved. White 2 on blue background with white G.H.Q. diagonal.
		2230	Approval given to close ACE Route to raise ramp at "Touch & Go" br. map ref. L.977115. Work to start 2300 hrs.
CAMAGGIORE	5	0400	Work completed "Touch & Go" Bridge. All chord bolts, pins, sway bracing, bracing frames etc. fixed. C.A.G.R.E. & C.R.E. inspected the road. Signs of thaw. Snow and sleet during day. No frost night 5/6 but more snow and sleet. Cinema show 1830. American comedy, part propoganda "4 Jills in a jeep". Verymuch appreciated by men. Two Nissens have been erected on hillside of 1 in 3, with sloping floor, which makes an ideal cinema. Normally a billet for 35 men. All ranks now in buildings.
	6		Slight thaw. Showery in morning. Most of thawing snow and mud cleared off road, both by traffic and men working. Rain has improved road due to this clearing of mud. Steady snow in afternoon but temperature just above freezing.
	7		4" - 6" snow night 6/7. Road still 2 way. Snow ploughs working about 1000 hrs. Temperature just above freezing.
CAMAGGIORE	7		Slush on road.
	8		Frost night 7/8. Roads covered with frozen slush. Still quite passable 2 way. Men clearing ditches culverts and gullies of snow to allow for drainage if a thaw sets in. Saw C.R.E. at his H.Q. at 1500 hrs. He approved Plan 2 for reconstruction of "Touch & Go" br. O.C. has read provisions of A.A. and G.O.C. LIAP letter ref.CAO/100/5 to the Coy. during evenings 6,7 and 8.
	9		Continue frost night 8/9.
	10		"O" Group C.R.E. H Q. 229 to hand over length of ACE Route map ref. L.972109 to map ref M.002132. and new commitment will extend from map ref L.955077 to map ref. L.972109. This is due to 8 Army bdy being extended westwards with consequent release of 13 Corps Troops Engrs from American 5 Army area.
	11		Continued frost. Very severe last night. 5°. Rd very icy.
CAMAGGIORE	11		Road works continue. The urgent need is to get stone down and it is usually neccessary to chip off 3"-4" of ice. All compressors in use. The present leave situation is that ORs get leave in ROME or FLORENCE at a rate of 1 leave of 6 days every 12 months (this is average over last 4 months). Officers get 6 days leave every 3 months, an unusual state of affairs. Accomodation appears to limit O.Rs leave. ACE Route is still 2 way and though literally coated with a thick layer of ice there is very little delay in traffic. The 4 x 2 15 cwts. are by far the most prone to skidding though all 4 x 2s slide on average camber or superelevation. The chains with links formed from one inch rectangles of stell seem very inefficient
	12		Temperature during night 11/12 -5° C. Day temperature, out of sun 0°C.
	13		4"-6" snow night 12/13. ACE Route still passable.
CAMAGGIORE	14		Snow and sleet. Rd thawing and has water on surface. Major FE Ladly RE attached C.R.E. 2 GHQ Troops.
	15		Ice on road. Thaw in afternoon making road extremely dangerous. Following changes in command ordered by C.R.E. LT.Col.W.H.Hooper assumes apptmt A/C.A.G.R.E. vice Col Stainer who proceeds on LIAP. Major FE Ladly RE assumes apptmt C.R.E. 2 GHQ Tps. Capt.AE Frost BEM RE assumes apptmt O.C. 229 Army Field Company RE and is re-granted A/Rank of Major. All to take effect w.e.f. 15 jan 45. Authority para.6 GRO 1013/44.
	16		Still freezing. Snow can be expected. Men working to try and get ice banks off the road at sides to prevent vehicles sliding down on top of each other. Major Read RE 577 Fd Coy RE visited this HQ to fix time for takeover on 18 Jan 45.
	17		Snow at night. Very bad thaw in late morning and afternoon making road very dangerous to two-way traffic owing to ice banks on haunches of the road which cause vehicles to lean inwards and slide down towards each other. Several traffic hold-ups caused by vehicles becoming locked. Posting order for Major AE Frost BEM RE to R.E.T.D. as O.C. Training Coy. Men working all out to remove ice-banks but progress very slow.
	18		Weather fine and sunny. Slight thaw in afternoon. Rd still very slippery. Company boundaries changed on ACE Route. This company now responsible for sector map ref.L.955077 to map ref. L.972109. Further commitment North handed over to 577 Fd Coy RE 13 Corps Tps Engrs. New Southern boundary taken over from 230 Army Field Company RE. Visited A/CRE for information with reference to my relief
	19		Rain and strong South wind. Thaw. ice on road haunches still very difficult to remove. Some smll scale rock falls in afternoon. Men all out removing water from road and clearing ditches and clulverts. Rum issue requested from C.R.E. No gravel available owing to rapid rise of river making river bed unworkable.
	20		Fine. Normal road maintenance. No gravel for road owing to machine being waterlogged. 1" of snow during the night.
	21		Fine. Thaw in afternoon causing some falls of rock.
	22		Fine and frosty. Road hard. normal road maintenance.
	23		Fine but overcast - signs of snow. Normal road maintenance. All pls working on improvements to Pl Quarries to improve output of stone.
	24		2" of snow during night. C.R.Es. conference at 1000 hrs. Warning that Company may be called upon to bridge the PO. Likely that they will proceed to CAPUA for floating Bridge training 1st. fortnight in February.
	25		6" snow during night. Snow ploughs in action. All labour, except for Quarry personnel, working getting snow off edge of rd to prevent the formation of ice banks.
	26		Rain. Thaw in afternoon. Road still two-way but there is a considerable amount of water on the road due to thawing of the ice-banks on the side.
	27		Fine. Thaw in afternoon. One sapper received head injuries owing to rock fall. Road is dangerous for working in some parts and men have been ordered to work in steel helmets and have a look-out sentry on the worst places.
	28		Fine but overcast. Slight frost at night. Road still two-way.
	29		Fine with frost at night. C.R.Es O Group. Informed that bridging training at CAPUA and future bridging of the PO by this company is cancelled. General disappointment amongst Officers.
	30		Fine. Frost at night and thaw in afternoon. Road becomes dangerous during thaw.
	31		Thaw continues. Mild weather. Ditches taking wate well. Road soft in palces mostly where river gavel has been put down. There is no doubt that the road is improving due to the very hard work done by platoons