September 1940

 

September 1940

1940 Hillman Minx staff car (automotorpad.com)

Unit: 703 G. C.[i] Coy RE

Commanding Officer: D.T. Edwards, Major RE

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
Kenley	1	14.00   15.30 18.20   21.00	Air raid warning. Attack by 4 enemy bombers some bombs dropped no serious damage caused. Attack obviously directed by enemy at houses within 100 yds of aerodrome. 2 casualties caused not serious. All clear Phone message from O.i/c C No.1 section reporting death of sapper due to enemy air raid action Cpl from Detling reporting bombing of aerodrome. 1 sapper injured.
“	2	08.00 08.30 10.00 16.20 17.00	Air raid alarm       Weather sunny All clear 21 men of 28 men posted in error by DBRE Chatham. Reposted to 706 G.C.Coy RE Air raid alarm All clear. No bombs dropped.
“	3		Weather fine. Various air raid warnings during day. No bombs dropped.
“	4	10.00 10.30 11.00 16.00 17.10	All kit now issued to sections. Air raid alarm. All clear       Weather fine and clear. Air raid alarm All clear
“	5	9.00 11.00	Instruction by CSM[ii]. To firing party for burial. Arrangements being made for assembling whole company at Kenley
“	6	10.00 11.10 12.30	Pay parades Air raid alarm No bombs dropped.
“	7	12.00 14.00 16.00 17.30	Firing party left for St. Mary Cray for burial of sapper killed in action[iii] Outlying detachments brought to Kenley. Air raid alarm. Much activity. Some bombs dropped in outlying districts. All clear. Aircraft (enemy) passed over district en route for London[iv].
“	8		Weather cool. Various air raid alarms. No bombs dropped otherwise nothing of importance occurred.
“	9	09.00	All leave cancelled presumably due to the bombing of London. Weather cool.
“	10	09.00 10.30	5 men arrived from Chatham. Reinforcements. Visit of O/C Section 4 and PaySgt to London to purchase kit for Sergeants Mess. Delivery of “Hillman” Minx Utility Car by Ordnance Officer Chilwell.
“	11	10.00   15.15 16.20 20.30	Court of Enquiry held to investigate absence of deserter. Decision of court. Declared deserter w.e.f. 18.8.40. Struck off the strength of this unit w.e.f. 18.8.40 Air raid alarm All clear Civilian Air Raid Warning. Great aerial activity around this district. A.A.[v] barrage extending for miles. No bombs (HE) dropped. Several incendiary bombs dropped on or around aerodrome no damage done.
“	12	08.30 09.15	Air raid alarm           Weather cloudy & dull All clear. Various other alarms during the day. No bombs dropped.
“	13	09.00   10.00 12.15	Company pay parades. 7[?] men posted to this company from Chatham. 4 of them unfit and returned to depot. Air raid alarm No bombs dropped. All clear. Great A.A. at dusk & continuing during night.
“	14		Weather dull and cloudy. Quiet day. One or two air raid alarms.
“	15	11.15   12.45 15.15 14.6[?]	Air Raid Alarms. Great numbers of Enemy Planes passed overhead. Engaged by our fighters. AA guns in action no bombs dropped in immediate vicinity. All Clear. Air Raid Alarm. Attack Alarm. All Clear. No bombs dropped.
“	16	10.00 11.0 15.00 16.00	Word received from LdnArea re move to port of embarkation. 5 men reposted to DBRE[vi] nonfits[?]. Preliminary Air Raid Warning. All Clear no bombs dropped. A.A. fire resumed at dusk. Lone enemy planes in vicinity.
“	17	11.00	Orders received from London Area Headquarters re move. Due to leave Whyteleafe[vii] at 05.20 hours on 19.9 40[viii].

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[i] General Construction

[ii] Company Sergeant Major

[iii] Sapper John Ketteridge 1989416

[iv] The start of the Blitz

[v] Anti-aircraft

[vi] Depot Battalion Royal Engineers

[vii] Village near Kenley Aerodrome

[viii] Sailed for Gibraltar