Hi, I posted this document as photos of bridges that my GDad kept in another thread but reading the short opening paragraph has left me with a couple of questions that I would like to open to anyone. I have typed the paragraph below but what I am not 100% clear on is:- 1. Who/what is "Blare" is it the magazine as I first assumed or is it a name that 90 RE gave themselves or the name of their own news letter? as you will see they talk about a record of "our exploits from the Ouse" 2. Once the above is answered does this make Ernie Johnson "our own cameraman" 90 Field Coy or the cameraman for the magazine? I ask as Ernie might give me another RE name to trace especially if he took photos? Thoughts? Malcolm Text of document:- " Attached is a Photographic Supplement to "Blare" 90th Field Coy R.E July 13th 1945. From the Ouse to the Rhine Looking back over the past twelve months or so, it has struck the staff of "Blare" that a good many of us would like to have some permanent record of our exploits from the Ouse to the Rhine which, among other things, took the form of erecting the now famous Bailey Bridge over the rivers and canals in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. Included in this copy is a supplement showing some of these bridges. We do not claim the entire responsibility for their building, but share equally with our brother companies of the Group. These pictures, we feel sure, will always be a permanent reminder of the part we played to final Victory in the war on Nazism. Most of these excellent photographs were taken by our own cameraman, Ernie Johnson. "
Malcolm "Blare" could mean British Liberation Army Royal Engineers, and did the Fld Coy do the Newark Bridging school? ps Welcome to the forum
Hi and thanks "Oldman" Pretty good acronym for me!! Will have to try and see if Ernie Johnson was a Sapper, I'm not sure about Newark Bridging how would I find this out and what would it mean? Cheers Malcolm
Malcolm Newark Bridging School/Camp was a Royal Engineer Bridging Training Camp/School, my farther and countless other Sappers learnt their "trade" on the river trent. I presumed that the use of 90 Field Coy RE and was our own cameraman meant it was Ernie's unit
Well to nearly complete the thread I can confirm that "Blare" was in fact a newspaper produced by 90 Field Coy RE. I attach the pages from the War Diary that states its (New Series edition) first publication May 30th 45, I also attach this edition that is with the War diary for anyone that might be interested in reading. Cheers Malcolm
For those interested Issue Number 2 of the new series dated June 6th 1945, I have found three others which I will post if they are of interest. Would be nice to find some earlier copies but the original circulation looks like around 1400 copies. So will be hard to find! If you have a copy then please do post in this thread. Cheers Malcolm
Blare Issue N05 June 27th 1945 by 90th Field Coy RE. This is the last copy I have found so please do post if you find one, I note from Issue N04 that there were plans to produce a book detailing the exploits of the Group. M
well well I've been looking for 90 field company for years on the web wonderful now I've found. joined the company 10 december 1944 a lad of 18 at a place called nijmegen holland . Or duties were to protect the bridge as the railway bridge had been blown up by German frogmen. We were stationed on the waal river and told to shoot at anything that was a lot of fun. I'm now 88 years old and living in monterey california i was born in hull yorkshire.
Hello great site and just seen ‘Blare’ again as my Grandad was Bernard Belchamber chief of staff! My mum had some paper copies but think she sent them to the Imperial War museum,will talk to her tomorrow for more info....Me and my mates had a beer to him and his mates yesterday remembering them all....Cheers Claire
Hi there I read your thread with great interest.. I have just obtained the MBE and service medals for Lt. William Stiles-Bryan of 90th Field Company, the MBE awarded for actions under fire at Nijmegen, is this a name familiar to you? Also where could I get a copy of the photos of the bridge? Thanks very much Tim
Hello, I am rather a few years behind seeing these messages sorry, I had a stroke, hole in the heart repaired and I was not even in the war ;-) I am thankfully fully recovered enough and will have to go through my information again to remind myself of what I have and the information gathered and will share additional info and images...
I’m my days Malcolm! Sounds like you’ve been through the mill, hope you’re recovering well. Ok great when you have a chance that would be fantastic, as I say acquiring the medals has been a hugely interesting journey so further details in the chap or the mission at Nijmegen (or elsewhere) for the 90th would be great to know about. I’m having them framed so if I could get a copy of one or two of the photos you posted that would be terrific. Look forward to hearing from you and get well.. Tim
On the off chance you still sometimes check this forum, I wanted to tell you how grateful I am for the information you have posted on 90Fd Coy. I discovered My Great-Granda was in 90Fd Coy during his time in North West Europe. Reading the War Diary, discovering Blare Magazine and all the additional information you have posted has been a pleasure to read, adding satisfying detail to his Service Records. You have accelerated my knowledge of his Service, quite literally by years. I am up in Scotland, who knows when I would have been able to visit the IWM and / or the RE Museum Archive to view these documents. I hope you are keeping well and my heartfelt thanks for sharing your, no doubt time consuming, research.
