Royal Engineers Divisional Headquarters

Rich Payne · 29-07-2006, 10:48 PM

I am trying to find out what the establishment would have been for HQ Div. RE within a BEF period Infantry Division.

Does anyone have this sort of information on manpower and vehicles or can point me in the right direction?

I would also be interested to know what sort of duties were carried out at this level. Would it have been restricted to planning and liaison between Div HQ and the Field Park and three Field Coys ?

Rich.

Rich Payne · 30-07-2007, 11:14 PM

Just thought I'd bump this one up, particularly as Sapper is active on the forum again.

I realise that there were organisational and operational changes between 1940 and 1944 but I am still interested in clarifying what the functions of Headquarters Royal Engineers were at Divisional level.

Would this have been a small establishment primarily dealing with planning or was it a large organisation closely involved with the actions of individual Field Companies ?

Any small bits of information appreciated.

Noel Burgess · 11-08-2007, 06:32 PM

Rich
Try here - this only has the 1944 establishments at present but includes Infantry & Armoured Div. Royal Engineers. Mike, who produces the site says he hopes to add BEF establishments at a later date. Why not e-mail him, he's very helpfull
Noel

Rich Payne · 11-08-2007, 10:14 PM

Noel, thanks for posting that link. Do you post on MLU by the way ? Precisely the sort of information that I was looking for. I have bookmarked the site and shall contact Mike when I have formulated some specific queries.

I 've just purchased this booklet and hope that it will give me some detailed BEF period information. I haven't actually seen it yet.

Noel Burgess · 24-02-2008, 12:54 AM

Rich
Mike Simpson has just started adding BEF establishments to the Trux Website - including Inf. Div HQ R.E.
and yes, it is me on MLU (bit late in answering that part)
Cheers
Noel

Rich Payne · 25-02-2008, 10:31 PM

Noel, Thanks for the additional pointer there. I have to confess to rather having let my focus wander !

It would seem that the HQ Div RE was quite a small establishment in manpower and equipment. Just four motorcycles. That my survivor was one of those four in 2nd Infantry Division is all the more fascinating to me. Next step will have to be a visit to the National Archive hoping that there is a surviving War Diary.

sapper · 25-02-2008, 11:04 PM

RE HQ A small unit that controlled the three Field Companies RE and the Field Park Company (Stores) Ours was 17.. 253... and 246. The CO was known as the CRE.

Colonel of the Royal Engineers The CRE a [powerful man with a great deal of influence, his word is law in many ways on the battlefield

246 being the leading Company attached to the Eighth brigade. Again the leading Brigade
Three platoons to each company.
All are quite small in size.
I have in my possession a bundle of A4 papers with the casualty lists. Quite a lot.
Some of the units did not have a single man that had not been killed or wounded. Though woundings to killed is a high ratio. A lot more wounded. The nature of the Royal Engineers in war I guess.
Sapper

29-07-2006, 10:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 737	Royal Engineers Divisional Headquarters I am trying to find out what the establishment would have been for HQ Div. RE within a BEF period Infantry Division. Does anyone have this sort of information on manpower and vehicles or can point me in the right direction? I would also be interested to know what sort of duties were carried out at this level. Would it have been restricted to planning and liaison between Div HQ and the Field Park and three Field Coys ? Rich.

30-07-2007, 11:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 737	Perhaps one for Sapper ? Just thought I'd bump this one up, particularly as Sapper is active on the forum again. I realise that there were organisational and operational changes between 1940 and 1944 but I am still interested in clarifying what the functions of Headquarters Royal Engineers were at Divisional level. Would this have been a small establishment primarily dealing with planning or was it a large organisation closely involved with the actions of individual Field Companies ? Any small bits of information appreciated.

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11-08-2007, 06:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
Noel Burgess Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 9	Rich Try here - this only has the 1944 establishments at present but includes Infantry & Armoured Div. Royal Engineers. Mike, who produces the site says he hopes to add BEF establishments at a later date. Why not e-mail him, he's very helpfull Noel

11-08-2007, 10:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 737	Noel, thanks for posting that link. Do you post on MLU by the way ? Precisely the sort of information that I was looking for. I have bookmarked the site and shall contact Mike when I have formulated some specific queries. I 've just purchased this booklet and hope that it will give me some detailed BEF period information. I haven't actually seen it yet.

24-02-2008, 12:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
Noel Burgess Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 9	Rich Mike Simpson has just started adding BEF establishments to the Trux Website - including Inf. Div HQ R.E. and yes, it is me on MLU (bit late in answering that part) Cheers Noel

25-02-2008, 10:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rich Payne Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 737	Noel, Thanks for the additional pointer there. I have to confess to rather having let my focus wander ! It would seem that the HQ Div RE was quite a small establishment in manpower and equipment. Just four motorcycles. That my survivor was one of those four in 2nd Infantry Division is all the more fascinating to me. Next step will have to be a visit to the National Archive hoping that there is a surviving War Diary.

25-02-2008, 11:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
sapper WW2 Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,516	RE HQ A small unit that controlled the three Field Companies RE and the Field Park Company (Stores) Ours was 17.. 253... and 246. The CO was known as the CRE. Colonel of the Royal Engineers The CRE a [powerful man with a great deal of influence, his word is law in many ways on the battlefield 246 being the leading Company attached to the Eighth brigade. Again the leading Brigade Three platoons to each company. All are quite small in size. I have in my possession a bundle of A4 papers with the casualty lists. Quite a lot. Some of the units did not have a single man that had not been killed or wounded. Though woundings to killed is a high ratio. A lot more wounded. The nature of the Royal Engineers in war I guess. Sapper

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