17th Field Company Royal Engineers

17th Field Regiment formed part of 3rd Infantry Division. In May 1940 they were involved in the withdrawal across Belgium from their initial positions on the River Dyle to the east of Brussels (Aaigem East Flanders is the other side of Brussels). The fact that he is buried in a local cemetery and not in a large concentrated CWGC plot suggests that he died close to there and that the grave was cared for by the local community. It will almost certainly be possible to find out more, starting with the unit war diary and possibly local research.

 

Thanks Rich for your quick reply - where exactly can I obtain the pages of the unit war diary please ...
My mother and father - when they were alive - in 2000 - visited my uncles grave and it was noted then that there were just a few war graves in this cemetery - the locals have indeed cared for these graves and were in a well kept condition.

 

I've messaged someone who may be able to help with the war diary. Do the family know that he died of wounds ?

 

Hi Jan, I believe I can help with some information. I have some detail on the circumstances of his wounding and later death while involved with the demo of bridges over the Dendre at Liedkerke on May 18. I have sent you a private message.

Cheers Steve

 

Hi Rich
Leslie Gerald Parsonage was my uncle. So I am the closest living relative now since my Dad (Raymond Parsonage - Les's youngest brother) passed away in 2007. I have found these images online - and they are the only documents I have found. They tell me he "died of wounds".... Steve has also contacted me too. Thanks for your help Jan

 

I have the diary but no telephone line at home so internet connections are as stable as the Royal Corps of Signals. Bear with me and I'll have a look this week at the diary.

 

Hello,

I would very much like to see war diaries from June 10th 1944 until April 1945 I am trying to discover more about my grandfather, major-general Logan Scott-Bowden (then a captain i believe) who took command of the 17th Coy on the 10th June when their commander was seriously injured and led them for the next 10 months until he was injured.

Please do get in touch if you know anything.

Many thanks

 

Hi was Lt Crush the 2 Platoon officer? I've got the diaries for 1944 and although the Pl Officers are named in the Officer Returns, it doesn't state which officer was in charge of which platoon. Many thanks, Paul

 

Hi all, I'm Charlotte, I'm a BBC journo. I'm working with the son of Joseph G Neades who died in Normandy on July 6th 1944.
He was in 17th Field Company landed on D-Day 06/06/1944. We have very little info about what happened to him. There are stories of a mission he was completed with the RE but can't track down what it was. It's thought he was clearing mine or even that an RAF plan wrongly target a field he was in..

Does anyone have diaries for this time? Alan his son and I would be so grateful! Best, Charlotte

 

Hi,
Attached is a page of the War Diary covering 1st - 9th July.

Regards

Danny

 

Thank you very much Danny. Really appreciate it

 

Yes my Dad (Edmund "Ted" Crush) was o/c 2 platoon 17 FC RE. 2 platoon was attached to 185 brigade for their advance on Cean. The other platoons 1 and 3 were under the command of the CRE and built bridges over the River Orne and Cean canal. I have quite a lot of information and would be happy to share. A picture of my Dad being decorated by FM BL Montgomery (with the MC which he won in Operation Charnwood) hangs on my wall. It is signed by BLM. He was decorated in Belgium after the breakout from Normandy. I have 17 FC War Diary and 3rd Div's operational order for d-day and Operation Charnwood.

 

I have an original of that photo

 

And an original of that photo

 

The picture is deffo 17 FC training in Scotland circa late 1943, my Dad joined-up when the war started (not before - I have his original service records). He was initially posted to Porton Down (Chemical Weapons) then went to officer training at Sandhurst. He was then transferred to 17 FC RE where he took command of 2 Pl, 17 FC in the run up to d-day.

 

Para 26(a) of 3 Div’s Operation Order No 1 dated May 1944 states that one platoon (No 2) of 17 FC was under command 185 Brigade. Later in the order ......


(c) states 17 FC (less 2 Pl) were to open a 2-way route to BENOUVILLE, then


(d) (augmented with information from the “Divisional Engineer Plan”) states 17 FC (less 2 Pl) will construct and operate vehicle and stores (class 5) ferries and bridges (class 40) over the R ORNE and CAEN Canal at BENOUVILLE and RANVILLE whether or not existing bridges (Pegasus) are capture intact.


Sgt Frank Faulkner (Recce Sergeant of 2 Pl) states in Monty’s Ironsides that Major D Williston o/c 17 FC and two other officers were wounded on d-day and evacuated and Capt. Watson 2i/c 17FC killed whilst undertaking these latter tasks.


3 Pl 17 FC was under command of 8 Brigade (Assault brigade) for movement but when it landed it reverted under command of CRE 3 Div. Their task involved reccing canal and the R ORNE at BENOUVILLE. It was elements of this platoon that were the first drops to reach Pegasus bridge (ahead of Lovat’s commandos) I have an attributed eye-witness statement from a named paratrooper somewhere in my collection.


1 Pl landed after 3 Pl but was, with the 71 FC RE and detachments of 106 Bridging Company RASC which we’re under the command of 17 FC RE, allocate to the same 26(c) and 25(d) tasks.


After landing at LE BRECHE, 2 Pl 17 FC rendezvoused at HERMANVILLE with other elements of 185 Brigade (intermediate brigade) and supporting units for the advance on CAEN along the HERMANVILLE, BEUVILLE, CAEN axis. They were stopped by elements of the 21st Panzer Division at LE LEBISEY and withdrew to Chateau de BEAUVILLE where they stayed (dug-in) at that location for about a month. Reasonably certain that my Dad (and thus members of 2 Pl that we’re on foot) landed from this LSI .....

Stanley Galik - LCI 35 - Ships Cook 2/c US Navy WWII - LCI 35 1944 - North Africa


As far as I can gather there was an “O” group at ST AUBIN D’ARQUENAY on the evening of 6th June which Dad attended leaving Sgt Graham (mentioned elsewhere in the chat) in command of 2 Platoon.

 

Hi Peter. I've sent you a message with regards to perhaps getting better copies of these photos if possible.

 

Dad joined-up 18th May 1940 as a private. Till 1st Jan 1942 he served in 93 CW Coy RE at Porton Down.


1st Jan 1942 to 7th May 1942 he was posted to RAC (pre OTCU).


7th May 1942 to 3rd October 1942 he was at Sandhurst (161 OTC).


As 2nd Lieutenant he was posted to the Royal West Kent Regiment on 3rd October 1942.


On 12th December 1942 he was posted, on promotion, to CRE 3rd Div.


On 15th December 1942 his record shows he was attached to 17 FC RE. There followed a number of “schools” e.g. Airfield recce and construction and a spell attached to 246 FC RE.


So that dates the photos discussed earlier to sometime between December 1942 and June 1944. Sapper Paterson’s (Dad’s driver) states that Christmas 43 and New Year 43/44 were spent at Keeshopefoot camp. In January 44 17 FC RE along with the rest of 3rd Div moved to Elgin in Morayshire, before moving south (to Hassocks in Sussex) in April 44. Hence why I think those photos (discussed earlier and including Sgt Frank Faulkner) were taken late 43/early 44 not pre-war.


His record shows Dad as “embarked” and in the “field” from 3/6/1944. He was wounded during Operation Charnwood (8/7/1944). Sgt Frank Faulkner and Sapper Pat Patterson we’re also wounded. Sappers Hargreaves and Christian were killed. There’s a picture of Sgt Frank Faulkner (centre with cigarette in right hand), Sapper Patterson (in hood of truck) and the half track that was blow-up but repaired on page 112 of Minty’s Ironsides.


17/7/1944 Dad finally consented to go to hospital. He spent some time in various hospitals (in NWE). Returning to 17 FC RE on or about 7/8/1944. He was decorated (MC) on 15/11/1944 (in Holland not Belgium - sorry) along with Cpl Cushing (MM) - I have a picture of all those decorated on this date seated with BLM. The photo is signed by BLM. I don’t recognise the others (18) in the photo.


After Market Garden Dad was invalided home and spent late 44/45/early 46 either in hospital or at Sandhurst. I have a picture of the RE Staff at Sandhurst around this time (including Percy Hobart and Dad).


PS sorry about the typos and the mid-spelling of Caen in earlier posts.

 

Marc will check my e-mails - happy to share - I’ll get them rephotographed and sent - these great men need to be remembered! Best Peter

 

Hi, I think you grandad is in the middle of this photo.

The war diary of 17 FC RE (The Diary) has an entry on 15th August (FLERS) so after the breakout that states "Sjt GRAHAM, Pl Sjt of No 2 Pl was later awarded the Croix-de-Guerre for his fine performance in NORMANDY. So the award looks to have been for sustained acts over the period June, July and August 1944. Hope that helps.

My Dad was o/c 2 Pl. I am trying to piece together the events of the night of 6th June / morning of 7th June (when you Grandad was i/c 2 Pl). Dad was in St Aubin D'Arquenay at that time with a detachment of 2 Pl. The Diary stats that your Grandad went to Chateau de Beauville (CdeB) and blew up the inside of a Church tower that had been used by snipers. Other sources refer to the "extremely brave RE" who undertook this task (I will dig them out). It seems your Grandad managed to sort the snipers out without blowing-up the Church! Remarkable. I think this was was preparatory to 185 Brigade HQ moving to CdeB (where they stayed for about a month dug-inalong with 2 Pl 17 FC RE). The Diary gives a good indication what these guys did and put-up with whilst at CdeB ....... Worth a read!

Dad wasn't killed. He survived the war. He was injured whilst winning the MC during Operation Goodwood. He was (as I have said elsewhere) eventually invalided back to the UK on 24th November 1944.