WO 171/1658 - 612 Field Squadron - September 1944

Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript.	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Army Form C.2118
	WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY	Unit: 612 Field Squadron R.E.
Month and Year: September 1944	(Erase heading not required).	Commanding Officer: Major C.J.C. Bowen Major F.T.K. Wilson

Place	Date	Hour	Summary	Reference
N.E. of AMIENS	1	1045	Sqn. now no longer in support of 29 Armd. Bde., moved off on Div. right hand route, continuing the advance in the general direction of ARRAS.
	1	1700	Sqn. harboured at HABARCQ 3502 about 8 miles West of ARRAS.
HABARCQ	1	1900	Major Bowen set out for Div. H.Q. to visit C.R.E. at AUBIGNY 3408. En Route his jeep was attacked by 8 fighter aircraft. Major Bowen was killed. Profound shock to the whole Sqn., which he had commanded for nearly 3 years (since October 1941). Report received during day that on Aug. 31st. Lt Mackey, under enemy fire, cut the leads to the prepared demolition of the br. over R. Somme at AMIENS 073807. Bowen, Christopher James Croasdaile
HABARCQ	2	0950	Sqn. & attached bridging equipment moved off on right hand route.	For operation order see Appendix "B"
VIMY	2	1530	Sqn. harboured at 484067 - 1 mile S.W. Vimy
VIMY	3	0930	Sqn. & bridging equipment left harbour, morning in convoy on left route. Very slow progress until about 1500 hrs. but then as a result of moving all night the Sqn. covered 111 miles before harbouring in the
RONSEVAL	4	0800	street of RONSEVAL 6442 at 0800 hour for breakfast Lt Kuipers R.E. with D4 + 1 sec. of 1 troop moved on right route with Div H.Q. and cleared numerous burnt out enemy vehicles from the road. Lt Preedy + 2 Tp. moved at the rear of Sqn. convoy + did [...] work on the left route. Sqn withdraw - a D.R. - was involved in a traffic accident during the night + was evacuated. Kuipers, James Bernard Preedy, Richard Francis
RONSEVAL	4	1115	Moved off - temporary harbour at 551641.
BOLLEBECK	4	1445	2 Tp moved off with 2 sec. of Bailey is build a 120 T.S. B.B. at 634812
VILLEBROEK	4	2100	Harboured at 620787.
	5	0415	Br completed. Actually ready for traffic at 2359 but time spent putting on surfacing 1 Tp. 13 Field Squadron also helped with the bridge.
AERTSELAER	5	1130	Moved to 650873. 1 Tp. working in ANTWERP blocking tunnel under R.Scheldt at 6697 & 6696.
AERTSELAER	5	1400	3 Tp clearing charges from bridges at 701799. Returning & harbour at 2100 hrs.
AERTSELAER	5	1610	2 Tp […] ANTWERP […] left […] which were thought to have time-delay mechanismes but investigation […] that they were […] mines floating in the dock & so they were left for the navy.
	5	2200	Lt. Kuipers went to KSLI to recce bridges over Albert Canal in area 6998 – 7398 as soon as infantry should be able to establish a bridgehead. Kuipers, James Bernard
	5	2300	C.R.E. & O.C. went to KSLI to investigate the situation.
AERTSELAER	6		For description of bridging operation over the Albert Canal see Appendix C.
AERTSELAER	7		See Appendix C.
AERTSELAER	8		Sqn rested & refited & had baths.
	9	1410	Sqn moved in convoy & harbour at 203636 at 1915.
HERK LAVILLE	10	1600	Left harbour & moved to 264733 arriving at 1715 hours.
S.E. of BEERINGEN	11		Frost during the night - No move during the day. Stand-to morning and evening ordered by C.R.E.
	12	1825	Moved to harbour at 389825 arriving at 2000 hrs.
W. of PEER	13		Nothing to report.
W. of PEER	14		Situation still unchanged.
W. of PEER	15		As the situation is still unchanged there is nothing to report.
W. of PEER	16	1445	Orders received to construct alternative landing stage for Class S F.B.E. bridge erected at GENEBOSCH by 13 Fd. Sqn. R.E. O.C. took down recce pty. decided on site & got D7 angledozer on the job. Two D4's laid on for next morning.
	17	0800	O.C. issued orders for completion of job at GENEBOSCH. whole Sqn. employed all day.
	17	2200	Major F.T.K. Wilson arrived, posted to the Sqn. as O.C. Wilson, F.T.K.
	18		Orders for GENEBOSCH job having been changed, the F.B.E. was move to the new site constructed by this Sqn.
	19	1745	O.C. & 2 Tp. moved off to harbour near 29 Armd. Bde. Tac. H.Q. area ZAND 4293. Advance expected tomorrow. Sqn. in sp. 29 Armd. Bde. who have 2 Tp. u/comd. for movement.
WEST of PEER	20	1615	Sqn. less O.C. & 2 Tp. moved off on Div. C.L. Northwards
	20	1930	Sqn. less O.C. & 2 Tp. harboured just over Dutch-Belgian frontier at CONVENT DE LA TRAPPE 436025. Half Bailey Platoon attached. 2 Tp. in area ZOMEREN 5812
CONVENT DE LA TRAPPE	21	0130	Orders received to collect class 5 Rafte out of canal at LILLE ST. HUBERT & load them on tpt. from 147 Fd. Pk. Sqn. Then send them up to 2 Tp. 3 Tp. completed this task
	21	1230	Sqn. less O.C. & 2 Tp. moved off.
KREIL	21	1415	Sqn. less O.C., 2 Tp. & 3 Tp. harboured at KREIL 491123. 3 Tp. detached on line of march & later sent up as fwd. tp. North of GELDROP to 4917. 2 Tp. stood by with Class 5 Rafts at ZOMEREN to do assault rafting when Inf. attack across canal should be launched, but relieved by 13 Fd. Sqn. before attack was put in & rejoined Sqn. at 1800 hrs.
	22		Recce Officers employed on various recces in GELDROP - HELMOND area. No tasks done by rest of Sqn. O.C. & 3 Tp. moved in evening to area 5411 in conformity with 29 Armd. Bde.'s move to cross over br. built at ZOMEREN on 23rd Sept.
	23	0400	Orders received for Sqn. to move through HEEZE towards ZOMEREN at 1030 hrs. Enemy resistance apparently considerable during the day & Sqn. did not move at all. O.C. & light Sec. of 3 Tp. crossed canal with Tac. H.Q. 29 Armd. Bde. & reached ASTEN 6113; rest of 3 Tp. in ZOMEREN.
	24		During day 3 Tp. lifted a dozen T-Mi 35 on rd. ASTEN - DEURNE 6520. No other R.E. work. Rest of 3 Tp. crossed canal to ASTEN; O.C. & Lt.Sec. 3 Tp. reached VLIERDEN 6318. Lt Mackay wounded in head by air-burst shell. Mackay, D.K.
	24	2230	Orders received for Sqn. (less O.C. & 3 Tp.) to cross canal at ZOMEREN at 0630 hrs. 25 Sept.
	25	0550	Sqn. less O.C. & 3 Tp. moved off from KREIL, crossed canal at 0630 hrs. & reched new harbour at OMMEL 620150 at 0645 hrs.
OMMEL	25	2055	2 I.C. went to see C.R.E. at Main Div. & received orders to move Sqn. less O.C. & 3 Tp. to area MILHEEZE 6424 at 0730 hrs. 26th Sept.
	26	0730	- 0850 Sqn. less O.C. & 3 Tp. moved to MILHEEZE 648246 O.C. & Lt. Sec. 3 Tp. with Tac. H.Q. 29 Armd. Bde. 667302. Rest of 3 Tp. 6527.
MILHEEZE	26		Div. still in flank protection role. Weather:- Continues to be very unsettled with frequent heavy shower. Generally cold. Work:- 1 Tp. repaired pot-hole on rd. MILHEEZE - BAKEL
MILHEEZE	27		More rain. No R.E. work. Warned to move tomorrow to area DE MORTEL 5928 as Inf. Bn. from 3 Div. taking over Sqn. area, Bailey Pl. left. Sqn. during day.
	28	0930	All detachments of Sqn. concentrated at DE MORTEL 596290. Large numbers in barns etc. Work:- 1 Tp. rd. maint. 574313 - 583335.
	29		1 Tp. continued rd. maint. Lts. Casswell, Preedy & Wright made extensive rd. recce covering some 50 sq. miles. Casswell Preedy, Richard Francis Wright
	30		Film show in GEMERT.

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Source: 11th Armoured Division.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. Locations are calculated, so might not be in the correct place. For historical research, always check the originals.

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