4 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers war diary

Hi Frank,
That's very interesting and useful information. I had assumed that they were 'attached' at the Division level; 4 Fld Sqn being attahed to 7th Armoured Division. I don't suppose anyone knows which Brigade(s) they were attached to during 1942 (El Alamein and N Africa) through to 1944 (Sicily and Italian mainland)?

The deeper I dig the more I found out and the more interesting it gets
Cheers
Graham

 

Ha ha Graham I know what you mean once you start you cant stop

regards
Clive

 

Graham.

I know that 4 Armd Bde had a Troop from 21 Fd Sqn supporting them so it is pretty safe to say that 4 Fd Sqn RE supported 22 Armd Bde. The way to confirm this is to check the War Diaries for 22 Armd Bde.

Regards

Frank

 

4th Field Squadron is mentioned quite a few times in Delaforce*, which confirms that they were attached to 22nd Armoured Brigade in North Africa and Italy.

*Delaforce, Patrick, "Churchill's Desert Rats 2 - 7th Armoured Division in North Africa, Burma, Sicily and Italy", 2002, Sutton Publishing Limited, Stroud.

 

4 Field Squadron RE were still under command 22nd Armoured Brigade on VE Day 8 May 45 stationed in Hanerau-Hademarschen north-west of Hamburg

7th Armoured Division

21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)

 

I'd always assumed that they were dispatched here there and everywhere until very recently, so it's interesting that they remained attached to 22AB right the way through. My late father was injured at the time of (and presumably during) the Salerno landings and returned to the UK where he was transferred to 226 Fld Coy and appears from his records to have been stationed at 200 POW Camp (Llanover, Abergavenny), which also fits with stories he told us about making friends with German prisoners he was 'looking after'.

 

Graham
Did you find a war diary for 4 fd sqn? I have been unable to find one. They were attached to the 22nd Armoured brigade within the 7th Armoured Division (as far as I can work out). As you can see they were one of two field sqns out in the field doing the operational stuff and 143 fd pk sqn was the base unit supplying materials and servicing vehicles etc. The book "the history of the 7th Armourd Brigade" by Major General G L Verney will give you a some idea of the general movements and operations that they were involved with and the War Dairy for 143 fd pk sqn makes very rare references to them.
Hope this helps
Jill

 

When did they show up in the Middle East?

All the best

Andreas

 

What is the national archive reference for 4 fd sqn War diary? I am interested in information about Scissors bridges being under their command. For example on the 2nd April 1945 the war diary of 143 fd pk Sqn says "two scissors bridges sent to 4 fd pk sqn " I have the diaries of 621 fd sqn so can see what they are doing when issued out to them. Any help gratefully received.
Thanks
Jill

 

Hi,
The reference is WO 171/5746, 4 Fd. Sqn., 1945 Jan.- Dec.
4 Fd. Sqn. | The National Archives

Regards

Danny

 

Thanks very much Danny
Jill