August 1940 (Section One diary)

 

August 1940

The Hardest Day: Dornier shot down near Biggin Hill 1940-08-18 (wikipedia)

Unit: No.1 Section, 703 G. C.[i] Coy RE

F. M. Little, 2/Lt. RE i/c detachment for Major O.C. Company

Place	Date	Hour	Summary
Biggin Hill	31 (July)	08.15-17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- Road Barriers, Emplacements, Post’s(A).(H).(LI.) 2 Transport. Last of Section on Route March (6 Miles)
“	1	08.15-17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- 8 Road Barriers, 6 Dannert Wiring[ii] Round Telephone Ex. Biggin Hill. 14, Concrete Emplacements, Post’s (Q)(L.I.) Rest of Section at El. Shed etc.
“	2	08.15-17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- 7 Telephone Ex. 8, Road Barriers, 13, Concrete Emplacements, Post’s (Q)(L.I.) Rest of Section, Painting, Markers, Repairs to “Watch Hut” etc.
“	3	08.15 to 17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- 14 Concrete Emplacements, Posts (Q.)(L.I.). 8, Road Barriers Leaves Green[iii]. 2 Dannert Inspection, 2 Erection of “Nissen Hut” East Site. Rest of Section at Elephant Shed and Repairs to “Watch Hut” etc. 7, Wiring Tel. Exchange Biggin Hill.
“	4 Sunday	08.15 to 12.30	43 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- 7, Road Barriers, 9, Concrete Emplacements, 7, Wiring Tel Exchange, 3, Field Obstacles Biggin Hill, Rest of Section, on Markers, El. Shed etc.
“	5	08.15 to 17.00	44 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 2 Leave. Working Parties:- 15, Concrete Emplacements, 6, Road Barriers, , 7, Field Obstacles, 2 Transport, 2 Erection of “Nissen Hut”, 5 Tel Exchange Biggin Hill, Rest of Section at El. Shed etc.
“	6	07.15 to 17.00	43 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 2 Dental Treatment (Woolwich). ½ of section on Route March in Morning 8 Miles Working Parties:- 5 Field Obstacles, 3 Tel Exchange Wiring, 6 Road Barriers, 14 Concrete Emplacements, 2 Runway Markings, Rest of Section on Transport, Elephant Shed etc.
“	7	07.15 to 17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 10 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 1 Leave. Working Parties:- 13 Concrete Emplacements, 9 Road Barriers, 4 Painting and Making Pyramid and Runway Markers, 5 Field Obstacles,  6 Tel Exchange Wiring, Rest of Section El. Shed, transport etc.
“	8	07.15 to 17.00	45 Men on Working Parties, 10 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 1 Leave. Working Parties:- 7 Road Barriers, 8 Concrete Emplacements, 5 Wiring Tel Exchange, Re-painting and Making Runway Markers, 2 Transport, 5 Field Obstacles, Rest of Section at El. Shed etc.
“	9	07.15 to 17.00	44 Men on Working Parties, 10 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 1 Leave, 1 Hospital. Working Parties:- 10 Road Barriers, 3 Wiring Tel Exchange, 6 Field Obstacles, 14 Concrete Emplacements, 4 Re-painting and Making Runway Markers. Rest of Section on Transport and El. Shed. Strength of Section as from today 55, Sapper Webster admitted to Royal Herbert Hospital Woolwich (Operation on toe).
“	10	07.15 to 17.00	44 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 1 leave. Working Parties:- 14 Concrete Emplacements, 8 Dannert Wiring Crown Ash Lane, 2 Transport, 10 Road Barriers, 4 Repainting and Making Run-way Markers, 6 El. Shed.
“	11 Sunday	07.15 to 12.30	44 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. 2nd half of Section on Route March in Morning 8 Miles. Working Parties:- 14 Concrete Emplacements, 4 Transport, 8 Road Barriers, Rest of Section at Elephant Shed (Sandbagging) etc.
“	12	07.15 to 17.00	44 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training. Working Parties:- 18 Concrete Emplacements, 8 Revetting Slit Trenches P.A.D. 6 Making and Re-painting Runway Markers, 6 El. Shed. Others on Transport etc.
“	13	07.15 to 17.00	43 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training 1 leave (7 Day) 7 Day Leave commenced. Working Parties:- 12 Men Concrete Emplacements, 4 Field Obstacles, 7 Revetting Slit Trenches, 4 Block House Leaves Green, 4 Markers, Rest at El Shed and on Transport.
“	14	07.15 to 17.00	42 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 2 leave. Working Parties:- 12 Concrete Emplacements, 6 Trenches, 4 Block House, 6 Markers, 8 El Shed, Rest of Section Transport etc.
“	15	07.15 to 17.00	41 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 3 leave. Working Parties:- 14 Concrete Emplacements, 4 Block House, 11 Operations Block, 8 Trenches, Rest of Section Transport and Elephant Shed.
“	16	-	41 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 3 leave. Working Parties:- 5 Concrete Emplacements, 17 Operations Block, 4 Block House, 6 Markers, 2 Transport, 6 El. Shed.
“	17	07.15 to 17.00	41 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 3 leave. Working Parties:- 6 Concrete Emplacements, 14 Operations Block, 8 Markers, 3 Sandbagging, $ Block House, 4 El. Shed, 2 Transport.
“	18[iv] Sunday	07.15 to 20.30	Morning 41 Men on Working Parties, 11 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 3 leave. Working Parties:- 13 Dannert Wiring, 18 Operations Block, 8 Markers, 2 Transport. Afternoon Drome attacked by Enemy Planes, Bombs Dropped, time approx. 13.30 hrs. All Local Leave Cancelled: All Section except 2 Orderly, 1 Office, Crater Filling.
“	19	06.15 to 20.30	45 Men on Working Parties, 7 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 3 leave. Working Parties:- 36 Men Crater Filling, 6 Operations Block, 3 El. Shed.
“	20	06.30 to 20.30	42 Men on Working Parties, 9 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 4 leave. Working Parties:- 37 Crater Filling, 5 Operations Block, All 7 Day Leave Cancelled.
“	21	06.30 to 17.20	Strength of Section 54, Spr, Smith James H. Admitted to R.A.F. Hospital. (Lumbago) Working Parties:- 36 Crater Filling, 5 Operations Block, 4 El. Shed. Section to have Embarkation Leave in two Squads. First Squad (24) Depart at 07.00 hrs 22/8/40. Report back 23.59 hrs 25/8/40.
“	22	06.30 to 20.30	25 Men on Working Parties, 5 Orderly, Fatigues, Training, 24 Embarkation Leave. Working Parties:- 12 Crater Filling, 10 Operations Block, 3 Transport.
“	23	07.15 to 20.30	24 Men on Working Parties, 6 Orderly, Fatigues, Training, 24 E. Leave. Working Parties:- 12 Crater Filling, 2 Transport, 7 Operations Block, 3 El. Shed. Local Leave Resumed.
“	24	07.15 to 17.00	25 Men on Working Parties, 5 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 24 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 10 Operations Block, 9 Crater Filling, 4 El. Shed, 2 Transport.
“	25 Sunday	07.15 to 12.15	25 Men on Working Parties, 5 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 24 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 10 Operations Block, 9 Crater Filling, 4 El. Shed, 2 Transport. 2 Men Failed to Report from Em. Leave at 11.59 hrs. Strength of Section 55.
“	26	07.15 to 17.00	Rest of Section (31 Men) depart on Embarkation Leave 07.00 hrs 28/8/40 – 23.59 hrs 29/8/40. 22 Men in Working Parties, 6 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 33 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 2 Dannert Wiring Inspection, 2 Transport, 4 El. Shed, 4 Markers, 4 Operations Block.
“	27	07.15 to 17.00	24 Men in Working Parties, 7 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 31 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 5 Elephant Shed, 4 Operations Block, 4 Markers, 2 Transport, 2 Road Barriers.
“	28	07.15 to 17.00	24 Men in Working Parties, 7 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 31 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 3 Elephant Shed, 6 Operations Block, 2 Markers, 2 Transport, 4 Road Barriers.
	29	07.15 to 17.00	25 Men in Working Parties, 6 Orderly, Fatigue, Training, 31 Em. Leave. Working Parties:- 6 El. Shed, 4 Operations Block, 5 Markers, 3 Transport, 6 Road Barriers.

 

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[i] General Construction

[ii] Concertina (barbed) wire

[iii] Western edge of aerodrome

[iv] The “Hardest Day”