240 Field Company RE, Albert Jefferies

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Ben Blackwell, Feb 16, 2011.

  1. Ben Blackwell

    Ben Blackwell Member

    Hello,
    I am trying to find out some more information about my Grandad during the war. He never talked about his experiences very much and passed on a few years ago. I know he was in the 240th field Company, Royal Engineers, as we have sent off for his service records and have some pictures of the company and Bailey bridges being constructed, but we don't know where. I know he was discharged in Varel, Germany in 1946 and I believe he may have been at D-Day on 6th June, but his records contain some conflicting dates about this so I'm not sure.
    If anyone has information about the route his unit took into Germany and what actions they were involved with or links to useful resources for finding this information, I would be very grateful for the help.
    Ben
     
  2. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Ben
    Welcome on board the Forum
    You need to look at the 52nd (Lowland) Division they formed part of the Engineers support and was disbanded in 1945
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hello,

    Do you know when he joined up and was all of his military career with 240?
     
  4. Ben Blackwell

    Ben Blackwell Member

    Hi,
    52nd (Lowland) Division fits in with my mum telling me that he spent most of his time in Scotland before going over to Europe. Were units moved around and attached to separate divisions at all or did they stay in the same division throughout?
    He was enlisted 12/12/40 and posted to 240 Field Company 1/5/41, so I imagine that would be after finishing his basic training? He disembarked in the UK 4/6/46 and his testimonial document from his O.C. was signed in Varel Germany 23/5/46 and he was still with 240 Field Company.
    Thanks very much for the information.
    Ben
     
  5. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Welcome to The Forum.
    Some 240th casualties here, looks like the first was in the Sword Beach area.

    Interesting there is one from May '40. A small cemetery with 3 burials.


    001 ANDREWS JWJ 5512569 240 FIELD COY 09/10/1946 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    002 BENNETT J 2013885 240 FIELD COY 04/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    003 CLOUSTON JW 2013449 240 FIELD COY 17/06/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    004 HORTON HA 1983586 240 FIELD COY 12/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    005 HOUGHTON FS 2146504 240 FIELD COY 21/10/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    006 HUTCHESON G 2076953 240 FIELD COY 23/05/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    007 HUTTON GC 1896072 240 FIELD COY 13/03/1941 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    008 LAIDLER DK 2125322 240 FIELD COY 11/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    009 LIDDELL F 2036417 240 FIELD COY 16/07/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    010 POTTS W 1950408 240 FIELD COY 03/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    011 RICHARDS JL 134597 240 FIELD COY 02/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    012 SALISBURY E 5837706 240 FIELD COY 14/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    013 SMITH E 1923069 240 FIELD COY 11/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
    014 THACKRAY PL 14440927 240 FIELD COY 03/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS
     
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  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Geoff 240 were with II Corps HQ in France in 1940. That chap is buried just NW of Lille.
     
  7. Ben Blackwell

    Ben Blackwell Member

    Hello again,
    I found a site (http://orbat.com/site/uk_orbats/files/6/RE%20World%20War%20II.pdf), which contained the following information about the 240th:

    240th (Lowland) Field Coy RE 1st line TA; 3 Sep 1939: Coatbridge; embodied with 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division; relieved 20 Sep 1939. As 240th (Lowland) Army Field Coy RE assigned II Corps 1940. (II Corps RE disbanded Jul 1943.) Later 240th (Lowland) Field Coy RE. Assigned I Corps ca. Jul 1943. Disbanded Sep 1945+.

    So, I guess I will look into the history of I Corps next. I have also tried looking for the War Diaries for the 240th to see if I can get more detail, but I haven't found anything yet. Does anybody know where I should be looking?
    Thanks again.
    Ben
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    What about II Corps and his time in France when the proper fighting took place?
     
  9. Ben Blackwell

    Ben Blackwell Member

    Hi,
    He wasn't enlisted until the fighting in France during 1940 had finished and only got posted to his first and only Company in May 1941. He wasn't involved in action until he is reported as being embarked on a ship on 3rd June 1944 and then went over to France.
    Would the 240th have a War Diary for themselves or would I have to search for the Corps Diary?
    Thanks
    Ben
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Ah, Sorry I missed that-I thought he joined up a lot earlier.

    240 will have various diaries, I suspect one for the UK and one for France. I would start with those first and then work you way up to the bigger formations. The bigger the unit ie Div or Corps the bigger the picture you get. 240's diaries will give you the details of what was happening locally to that unit.
     
  11. Ben Blackwell

    Ben Blackwell Member

    How do I get hold of the War Diaries for the 240th? I've been searching around on the National Archives website, but i'm not having much luck at the minute. I could do with a push in the right direction.
    Thanks
    Ben
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Their SE isn't the easiest to Navigate/Search. You would need to either go in person to Kew once you have the file ref numbers to view them or pay someone to copy them for you.
     
  13. Barrie Stevens

    Barrie Stevens Junior Member

    I have some stories as my Dad was in 240 contact me...
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Here's all the units war diaries covering WW2. Click the red link below if you are interested in getting copies.

    WO 167/991 240 Company RE 1939 Aug.-1940 June

    WO 166/3709 240 Company RE 1940 July - 1941 Dec.

    WO 166/8151 240 Company RE 1942 Jan.-Dec.

    WO 166/12108 240 Company RE 1943 Jan.-Nov.

    WO 171/1600 240 Company RE 1944 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 171/5517 240 Company RE 1945 Jan.- Dec.

    WO 171/9398 240 Company RE 1946 Jan.- June
     
  15. Perry Wick

    Perry Wick Member

    Hello Ben, I have just discovered this forum and your query about your grandfather. I believe that my father may have served with him. My father was a lance corporal in the 240th from 1943 to 1945. I have quite a few photographs from his time in the army. Maybe your grandfather is amongst them. I have a company photograph I believe was taken in Camberley, Surrey not long before they went overseas to France.
     
  16. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I have a list of REs that landed on Sword. 240 Fld Co RE was not one of them. So look elsewhere perhaps?
     
  17. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    Hello,
    I am trying to find out some more information about my Grandad during the war. He never talked about his experiences very much and passed on a few years ago. I know he was in the 240th field Company, Royal Engineers, as we have sent off for his service records and have some pictures of the company and Bailey bridges being constructed, but we don't know where. I know he was discharged in Varel, Germany in 1946 and I believe he may have been at D-Day on 6th June, but his records contain some conflicting dates about this so I'm not sure.
    If anyone has information about the route his unit took into Germany and what actions they were involved with or links to useful resources for finding this information, I would be very grateful for the help.
    Ben

    Hi Ben, myself and Bluebell Minor are researching the British Army of Occupation post May 45, according to orbat.com 240 Field Company left 52nd (Lowland) Division 20 Sep 1939 and the unit turned up as 1 Corps Troops in July 1943 who ceased to be operational Apr 45...have no records post May 45...according to "Mountain and Flood" the history of 52nd (Lowland) Division the HQRE on disbandement consisted of

    CRE: Lieutenant Colonel FW Houghton DSO MC
    On divisional disbandment all units remained as 52 Army Troops RE command HQ BAOR...differs to orbat.com

    202 Field Company RE
    OC: Major R Carmichael MC
    241 Field Company RE
    OC: Major SD Williams MC
    554 Field Company RE
    OC: Major J Bell DSO
    243 Field Park Company RE
    OC: Major RR Crooks

    Varel is the correct location as 52nd (Lowland) Division took over the area north of Germany replacing 3rd Canadian Infantry Division CAOF in May the Div HQ was in Crerar Barracks Oldenburg then to Bad Zwischenahn Jun 46 disbanded Aug 46...so looks like your Grandad moved at some point to another company...best of luck with your research...
     
  18. johneowens

    johneowens Active Member

    I wonder whether this helps.

    Looking at my father's military record, I see that wef from 27 May 1943 he was posted from the 280th Fd Coy to the 240 Fld Coy stationed at Maidstone. Three days before D-Day on 3 June 1944 he "embarked UK for BLA (British Liberation Army)" and then "disembarked NWE (North West Europe)" 6 June. My father told me disembarcation in France occurred at 4pm and that they landed with the 3rd Canadian Infantry on Juno.

    Ergo, it seems your grandpa would also have disembarked NWE (North West Europe) 6 June.

    Best

    John
     
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  19. johneowens

    johneowens Active Member

    Geoff

    Thanks for this. I have reorganised your casualty list chronomogically with details of where these men are buried to give some sense of the 240th Field Company's roue through France, Belgium etc. - so long as the formatting behaves itself.

    I am also working on the War Diaries to document their route.

    Best

    John


    240th Field Company of Royal Engineers – Casualties, 1940-46

    1940

    006 Sapper HUTCHESON George 2076953 240 FIELD COY 23/05/1940 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried CROIX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Croix (west of Roubaix, 10 km NE of Lille), Nord, France

    1941

    007 Sapper HUTTON Gordon Campbell 1896072 240 FIELD COY 13/03/1941 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried GLASGOW CREMATORIUM, Glasgow, UK

    1944

    003 Corporal CLOUSTON John William 2013449 240 FIELD COY 17/06/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried HERMANVILLE WAR CEMETERY, Hermanville-sur-Mer (13 kilometres north of Caen), Calvados, France

    009 Sapper LIDDELL Frank 2036417 240 FIELD COY 16/07/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried LA DELIVRANDE WAR CEMETERY, Douvres-la-Delivrande (14 km N of Caen), Calvados, France

    010 Driver POTTS William 1950408 240 FIELD COY 03/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY, Bayeux, (30 km NW of Caen), Calvados, France

    008 Sapper LAIDLER David King 2125322 240 FIELD COY 11/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried STE. MARIE CEMETERY, Graville-St. Honorine, LE HAVRE, Seine-Maritime, France

    013 Sapper SMITH E 1923069 240 FIELD COY 11/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried STE. MARIE CEMETERY, Graville-St. Honorine, LE HAVRE, Seine-Maritime, France

    004 Lance Serjeant HORTON Herbert Arthur 1983586 240 FIELD COY 12/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried Ste. Marie Cemetery, Graville-St. Honorine, LE HAVRE, Seine-Maritime, France

    012 Sapper SALISBURY Edward 5837706 240 FIELD COY 14/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried STE. MARIE CEMETERY, Graville-St. Honorine, LE HAVRE, Seine-Maritime, France

    005 Driver HOUGHTON Frederick Sidney 2146504 240 FIELD COY 21/10/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried LEOPOLDSBURG WAR CEMETERY, Leopoldsburg, Limburg, Belgium. (JEO-I think this man was killed at Sint-Lenaarts, NW of Antwerp, Belgium)

    011 Lieutenant RICHARDS John Lawson 134597 240 FIELD COY 02/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY, Nijmegen, Gelderland, Holland

    014 Sapper THACKRAY Peter Ledgard 14440927 240 FIELD COY 03/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY, Bergen-op-Zoom (40 km NW of Antwerp), Noord-Brabant, Holland

    002 Sapper BENNETT Joseph 2013885 240 FIELD COY 04/11/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS buried BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY, Bergen-op-Zoom (40 km NW of Antwerp), Noord-Brabant, Holland

    1946

    001 Sapper ANDREWS John William James 5512569 240 FIELD COY 09/10/1946 ROYAL ENGINEERS – buried MUNSTER HEATH WAR CEMETERY, Telgte (nr. Munster 70km N of Dortmund), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
     
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  20. johneowens

    johneowens Active Member

    Geoff

    I am reading the 1944 War Diaries for the 240th Fd Coy RE and have come across an entry on Christmas Day that at 04.30 a "Sgt Stow (or Shaw) was killed". This man is not in your list above, nor could I find him through your search engine. The Diary continues: "Stow? had difficulty in removing safety pin from Mk V mine & it exploded in his face." Poor man. Could you help, please?

    Many thanks

    Best

    John
     

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