Hiya all I’ve just received my grandads service records. He served with the Royal Engineers and it states he left the uk for Europe on 4/4/1944. There are lots of different companies mentioned but think he was 44 mechanical engineering company when he left uk. Trying to research what he did in Europe but not sure where to start. Any help would be gratefully received. Thanks
Anne, Welcome aboard. I note he left the UK before D-day on the 6th June 1944. That would suggest he was heading to the Mediterranean, where the main fighting was in Italy. Some research tips to come via PM.
Thank you - records say that he was in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany and ended up in 50 RHU until July 1946.
Anne, Service Records are rarely easy to read, plus not my focus or speciality. I offer the following for the 1st image: 187 TCC 1?/8/41 Passed Trade Test 186 Coy (Company) 5/5/42 Reclassified TT Board Leamington 1/8/43 876 Posted this Coy from 186 4/6/46 44 M.G. Coy Embarked to UK 28/4/46 Proceeding UK for release For the second image: RHU is likely to be Regimental Holding Unit, a transit posting for demobilization process Update to Post 2. Returning to his unit on 4/4/1944 possibly after leave before D-Day two months later. One of the snags with researching those who served behind the front line and further away is they are rarely the focus of online resources, rarely were awarded medals. You may be in for a long haul. The more you can supply the expertise here can be deployed.
Can help post VE Day 8 May 45: 44 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Platoon under command 2 Railway Construction and Repair Maintenance Group to 876 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Company on 16 Jan 46 28 May 45 – Enschede Holland 16 Jan 46 – Rheine west of Osnabrück 16 Jun 46 – Todtenhausen north-east of Minden 15 Jul 46 – Bad Oeynhausen 50 Reinforcement Holding Unit was located in Ripon Barracks Bielefeld in 1946 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
Thanks for your help. I’ve read a document which I think places the 44 mechanical equipment company near Juno beach but not sure where they went after.
Anna My take on the entries bearing in mind that the top of first image is cut off - a. before 13/8/41 - probably at one of the RE Training Battalion for basic soldier training and initial grading before transfer to an RE training company for further specialist Trade Training. b. 13/8/41 - posted to 187 Transport Construction Company (187 T.C.C.). War Diary available at National Archives (see 1 below). c. 5/8/41 - passed his Trade Test, regraded (in military terms - "remustered") as Pioneer, Grade EIII. Note - this is before he joins 187 T.C.C so appears to be a belated entry. d. 9/2/42 - regraded to Op. Ex (Operator Excavator), BIII. e. between 9/2/42 and 5/5/43 - he is transferred to 186 Company, possibly to undertake further specialist training, as per next entry. 2 x War Diaries available from National Archives (see 2 below). f. 5/5/43 - further trade training leading to being regraded from Op. Ex, BIII to BII. (Authorised by Transportation Training (T.T.) Branch) g. 7/11/43 - posted to 876 M.E. (Mechanical Equipment) Company, R.E. (Authorised by RE Records). War Diary available from National Archives (see 3 below). h. between 7/11/43 and 4/6/44 - he is transferred to 44 M.E. (Mechanical Equipment) Tn (Transportation) Section, R.E. i. June 1945 - 44 M.E. Section redesignated as 44 M.E. (Tn) Platoon, R.E. 2 x War Diaries available from National Archives (see 4 below). War Diaries available - 1. 187 T.C.C. - WO 166/3660 - ROYAL ENGINEERS: COMPANIES: 187 Transportation Construction Company. Period: June 1940 - Dec 1941. 2. 186 Company - WO 166/811 - Description: ROYAL ENGINEERS: FIELD COMPANIES: 186 Company. Period: Jan - Dec 1942. WO 166/12086 - Description: 186 Coy. Period: Jan - Dec 1943. 3. 876 Company - WO 171/1725 - Description: 876 Coy. Period: Jan - Dec 1944. 4. 44 Platoon - WO 171/1869 - Description: 44 Unit. Period: June- Dec 1944. WO 171/5802 - Description: 44 Pl. Period: Jan - Dec 1945. Hope this helps.
