大象传媒

On the 1st November 1938, I joined the Suffolk Fortress Royal Engineers (TA) as a Sapper; trade, Clerk.

The Drill hall was in Portman Road, Ipswich. Initial training in drill and musketry was given by two permanent Staff Instructors; one being the CSM, the other the CQMS.

The units鈥� responsibility being the operation of searchlights at Languard Fort Felixstowe, and Beacon Hill, Dovercourt. Weekend training being carried out at these sites. This covered operation of searchlights, engine room (used to produce electricity for the searchlights) or in the control room, which was high above the forts. In all of which I received training.

O the 24th August 1938, the unit was mobilised. I reported to the Drill Hall and transported to Languard Fort Felixstowe. It was now evening and we were allocated duties; I ended up in the Control Room.

After a few weeks a detachment of Engineers, including myself, and Gunners were posted to what became the Links Battery, Gorleston; holiday bungalows on the cliffs having been taken over.

The searchlights etc were at the nearest Railway Station. They had been despatched from Woolwich. I was interested to see that these had been despatched some weeks before war had been declared. Our responsibility was to install the lights, and I helped the electrician in this work. The Regular CQMS was also sent. His duties were to include operating the RE Orderly office; I was allocated his clerk.

In addition to routine office duties, the CQMS allocated to me the amending of King鈥檚 Regulations, Ordnance Regulations and Allowance Regulations. The knowledge I obtained in carrying out this duty came in very useful later in my service.

In about May 1940 the War Office decided that the Gunners would take over the duties of the Sappers. We were given the option of transferring to the Gunners. Two of our detachment took this option.

The War Office decided to allocate the surplus Sappers to form RE Field Companies. Thee were posted to the Milton Barracks, Gravesend and were supplemented by Reservists and new recruits. The unit was named the 584 (Suffolk) Army Field Coy, RE.

On the 9th June 1940 the Acting CO sent an urgent message to Felixstowe pointing out that he required a trained clerk. In consequence, I was posted and became L/Cpl and a few months later, was promoted to Cpl.

In the Autumn of 1940 it was feared that the Germans might invade Ireland, and so an Army Corps was formed and sent to Northern Ireland. This included the 15 (Kent) Corps RE, which itself included the 584 (Suffolk) Army Field Coy RE and the 297 Army Field Park Coy RE.
About this time, in early 1941, the Company Quartermaster Sergeant was posted to another company, and I was promoted to CQMS in his place.

Training continued in Ulster. We were being trained for a raid on Italy, and also on North Africa, but both were cancelled. So, apart from my Quartermaster duties, there was nothing special to report.

In the spring of 1943, all RE Companies in the 15 (Kent) Corps were moved to the UK to train for the invasion. The Corps had been given the main responsibility for constructing Bailey floating bridges over the large rivers, and the training was concentrated accordingly.

Some months later the Corps moved to the Southampton area and constructed NL Pontoons which were American equipment. These were to be moved by sea to the invasion beaches to construct floating piers.

As CQMS I was in charge of the transport, and wasn鈥檛 involved in the initial invasion. I didn鈥檛 get over to France until the middle of July.

There is nothing really special to report. The Corps built the large floating bridges we had been trained for. The longest of these was the 鈥淪parrow鈥� Bridge, so called after the Sapper Sparrow who had been drowned during its construction. It was over the Rhine at Xanten and measured 1700 ft.

In the last weeks of the war, the SS destroyed railway bridges over the Emms Canal. It was essential to open this so that food and materials could be moved to the centre of Germany. The 584 (Suffolk) Army Field Co RE were moved from Bremen to Munster to remove the broken bridges. These were like a 鈥榁鈥� in the canal.

One morning a Sergeant who was working on the bridge clearance, old me that our Sappers were receiving a daily milk ration because of the plant they were using. However, the elderly civilian Germans we were employing were practically starving. 鈥淨, can you help?鈥� By chance I had some 24 cases of 鈥淏uckshee鈥�, a tinned meat.

I thought this action by the Sergeant was a Christian act, especially as the war had only just ended.

I received a certificate for outstanding good service from Field Marshall B.L. Montgomery dated 31st January 1945.

I was released from the Army on the 15th March 1946.

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