September 1944

Chateau de Damigny, Nonant. www.chateaudamigny.fr

September 1944

Unit: 703 Art Wks Coy RE

Commanding Officer: C. I. Pennington Major RE

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
Nonant	1		Coy. engaged on works. Nos 1 & 2 Platoons at 5 ESBD Mech Equip Park. No 3 attached to 180 W.&Pk[i][?] Coy. at Bayeux. No 4 Platoon at 4 E.B.W.
“	2		Coy. on works. Army Forms W3008 & W.3009A attached.
“	3		Sunday. Coy. on works.
“	4		Coy. on works. No 4 Platoon complete Water Point & vehicle turning circle at 4 EBW.
“	5		Coy. on works. No 4 Platoon start extension of Carpenters shop. Semi[?]-Romney hutting at 4 E.B.W. Concreting of floor put in hand & arrangements made for construction of a one-way road. No 2 Platoon on construction of timber bins for spares.
“	6		Coy. on works.
“	7		Coy. on works.
“	8		Coy. on works. One concretor[?] reinforcement received from 45 R.H.V.
“	9		Coy. on works. No 3 Platoon returns to Coy from Bayeux on movement of 180 W&P.Coy.RE. Army Forms W3008 & W.3009A attached.
“	10		Sunday. No 3 Platoon Lt. Westerman i/c. start work at Spares Park 5ESBD on erection of Nissen Hut for Office accommodation. Wrok commenced on installation of electric lighting for offices & stores huts on Spares Park. Lt.Col. D.J.Edwards CRE 5 LofC Tps Engrs. Visited the camp.
“	11		Coy on Works. Four Lt Cpls appointed. Coy now complete to establishment for NCOs.
“	12		Coy on Works.
“	13		Coy on Works.
“	14		Coy on Works. Works inspected bt Lt. Col. Phipps RE. Coy to get its first issue of beer since arriving overseas.
“	15		Coy on Works. Major Pennington visits 21 A.gp.[ii] Rear HQ & informs Major Murray RE. for ADES. that work in hand should be finished in four days.
“	16		Coy on Works. Army forms AF.W.3008 & W.3009A(RE) attached.
“	17		Sunday. Coy on Works. Football match with 4 EBW. in evening.
“	18		Coy on Works.
“	19		Coy on Works. Visit by Lt. Col. D.J.Edwards & Major Gort[?] R.E.   Exhibition of Soft Ball given by R.C.E.M.E.[iii] in evening.
“	20		Coy on Works. Visit by Lt.Col.Winchester & Major Dunn RE. Football match with RCEME in evening.
“	21		Coy on Works.
“	22		Coy on Works. Lt. Ashton & 18 drivers report to 21 A.Gp. Rear HQ for operation of transport on move to Brussels[iv].
“	23		Coy on Works. Army forms W.3008 & W.3009A(RE) attached.
“	24		Sunday. Coy on Works.
“	25		Coy on Works. Major Pennington talks to Coy on “saluting”; visits Lt. Col Edwards CRE. 5LofC Tps Engrs. & Major Murray RE. No news of further works or policy re winterisation.
“	26		Coy on Works. Pontoon repairs taken over from 4E.B.W. Major Pennington contacts 176 Workshop & Pk Coy and arranges for transport of valuable stores from Bretteville[v] to 5ESBD to start tomorrow.
“	27		Coy on works. Clearing of RE dump at Bretteville started with help of four 3 ton trucks from 882 M.E.Pk. Coy.
“	28		Coy on works. Major Pennington makes reconnaissance at Argentan[vi] for 24 Seagull motors[vii] reported abandoned on road-side. Finds other R.E. stores including gapmarking[?] stores, three cougars[?] etc. Lt. Ashton & 18 drivers return from Brussels.
“	29		Coy on works. Clearing of dump at Argentan commenced. Lt.Col.Edwards visits site. No further information as to winter accommodation.
“	30		Coy on works. Coy. football match v. 882 M.E.Pk.Coy resulting in a win for 703, 13 goals to 1.  Army forms W.3008 & W.3009A(RE) attached.

 

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[i] Workshop and Park Company

[ii] 21^st Army Group

[iii] Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

[iv] Liberated on the September 2^nd.

[v] Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse (probably – many Brettevilles in Normandy)

[vi] South of Falaise

[vii] Outboard motors for light assault craft. https://www.britishseagull.com/history.php