| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Event and Information | References to Appendix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DORPEN
W 1723 |
1 | 0900 | No work as usual. Showery most of the day. | |
| 1430 | Coy runs Beginners Dance at WINSCHOTEN, HOLLAND. Very popular with everyone. | |||
| 2 | Very heavy rain most of the day. All tarring works delayed | |||
| 3 | Reported HQ RE. CRE hopes to go on leave 5 Jul. All committments [sic] explained. Heavy rain most of the day. | |||
| 4 | O.C. went with C.R.E. to see Col Miller Comd 13 A.G.R.E. Improvised br ref V729915 postponed. CHASE Br to be lifted with w.e.f. 6. Some sunshire. First for about 10 days. | |||
| 5 | O.C. report to H.Q. R.E. (PAPENBURG) as A/C.R.E., Lt.Col Hooper having left on U.K. leave. Capt. Wright assumed comd of Coy. | |||
| 6 | Work started on lifting CHASE Bridge. Tarmacing completed on Kusten CANAL Bridge. | |||
| 7 | Heavy rain all day. Not possible to open KUSTEN CANAL bridge as planned. 'O' Gp 1900hrs. Coy to move to new location near OSNABRUCK on Thursday 12 Jul to clear bridge wreckage from canal. Present committments [sic] to be handed over on Monday and Tuesday. | AF W 3008 and 3009 | ||
| 8 | Day off - weather fine all day. | |||
| 9 | KUSTEN CANAL Bridge opened to traffic. There is quite marked vibration on the bridge under load. This is chiefly due to tht flexibility of the Bailey cross girder which carries the base plates in centre of the bridge. Work on lifting CHASE Br suspended till handover is completed. All plant being overhauled prior to handover. | |||
| 10 | Committments [sic] handed over to 2 Cdn CRE Works (COF), CRE 3 Cdn Div, and CRE 1 Pol Armd Div. | |||
| 11 | Advance party to new location at BRAMSCHE W 1723. Billets in school only large enough for HQ and 3 Pl. 1 and 2 Pls to be sent out on detachment. To be accommodated in Luftwaffe Barracks rooms on fringe of BRAMSCHE Aerodrome. | |||
| 12 | Main body arrived new locn 1430 hrs. | Appendix 'J' | ||
| 13 | Conservancy in billets. Pl Comds recce-ing site of work. Task is removal of demolished bridges from WESER-EMS Canal. C.R.E.'s 'O' Group 1030 hrs. | |||
| 14 | Conservancy in billets during morning. Afternoon free. 7 bulldozers arrived from 866 ME Coy RE this evening. Instructions have been given to drain canal in order to facilitate removal of debris. There is a complete blockage in canal at V139213. Thewater [sic] west of this obstruction is dropping satisfactorily but no change in level has been observed east of the obstruction. 40 Pnr Coy remain under command. Location BRAMSCHE Map Ref W 1625 | AF W 3008 and 3009 | ||
| 15 | Day off. | |||
| BRAMSCHE | 16 |
Work on demolition of bridges commenced 0730 hrs
1 Pl Road Br M.R. W 132210
2 oxy-acetylene cutting plants (Fd Pk equipment) in use by 1 Pl. C.A.G.R.E. and C.R.E. visited sites during morning. |
||
| 17 | Works visited by C.E. 30 Corps C.A.G.R.E. and C.R.E. this a.m. Work on C.E. Serial No. 23 (West span) to stop pending agreement with Railway Tn re salvaging of bridges. 3 Pl to work on serial No. 24. Acetylene for civilain cutting set not available today - expected to be available tomorrow. | |||
| 18 | 2 more civilian oxyacetylen cutting sets arrived on site complete with acetylene and oxygen. Weather fine - works proceeding normally. | |||
| 19 | Works proceeding normally. 2 tanks arrived on site this a.m. task to assist in towing debris clear of canal. 1 Pl commenced work on Serial No. 26. 2 Pl commenced work on Serial No. 25 this a.m. | |||
| 20 | Work on Serial 23b recommenced this a.m. Orders of C.R.E. Works proceeding normal. Weather fine | |||
| 21 | A Pl. ex 557 Armd Trg Estab R.E. strenght 1 Offr (Lt. A.M. Green and 43 ORs come under comd for works (locn with Coy HQ) Works proceeding normal, in morning. Recreational training in afternoon. 3 of batch of 10 reinforcements from 183 Fd Coy Re arrived. | AF Ws 3008 and 3009 | ||
| 22 | AVsRE arrived - 2 to this Coy. No toold [sic]. 2 more reinforcements arrived (with L/Cpl M.T.) Day off - weather fine. | AFW 3008 and 3009 | ||
| 23 | 20 German POW welders collected and attached to unit. British rations - separate accommodation - NO cigarettes. No work for them on cutting as yet due to shortage of plant. | |||
| 24 | Works proceeding normally - weather fine. 2 AVsRE to Br No. 23b with Lt. GREENS spare working numbers who have taken over the job. | |||
| 25 | Works as normal. Most of cutting sets, strops, shackles, etc. have now been issued to sites. | |||
| 26 | Br 22 complete. Platoon move plant etc to Br 26. | |||
| 27 | Br 27 complete. | |||
| 28 | Br 24 complete. 3 Pl prepare to move to new committments [sic] WEST of MINDEN. | AF W 3008 and 3009 | ||
| 29 | Work as usual. Difficulties with Br 23a owing to remaining decking of bridge being submerged. | |||
| 30 | Works as normal. Br 23a difficulties | |||
| 31 | OC to MINDEN (Simeon Barracks) to inspect new Coy billets. |
Folder also contains:
Report of Move - Dorpen to Bramsche.
Source: National Archives WO 171/5509