April 1944

Colonel Bounder from 1^st Army Headquarters paid the Battalion a visit at about 1400.

Today was the first official scheduled day of training for the radio school being conducted by this Battalion for its own benefit and also the operators of the 204^th Engrs.

Company C, getting all the Battalion fatigue details.

Company B moved out to join Company A at about 1330

Company C moved out today to join the rest of the Battalion at Mapledurham at about 1330

Hq and Serv Co is catching all the Fatigue Details of the Camp.

Company A is on 25 Ton Ponton Bridge at Site No. 1.

Company B had a tactical road march and a lecture on supply discipline during the morning and Bridge Traffic Control and orientation, and mass athletics during the afternoon.

Company C spent the day on Construction and dismantling of the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge and covered the same subject in a night problem.

H&S Co all staff and service functions also furnishing the necessary guard for the base camp.

Today was a tactical day for the Bn But with only H&S Co in the area the gas masks were not worn for the half hour as usually is the case.

Company A completed their training on the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge in the morning and spent the afternoon with a lecture on Supply Discipline and Army Talks, returned to the Bn Area at about 1730.

Company B used all day in training on the construction of Infantry Support rafts and then had a night problem on the same subject.

Company C had the entire day on the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge.

Company B was the entire day on the construction of the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge at Site No. 1, Pangbourne.

Company C spent the entire day on the M-3 Pneumatic Bridge ant Site No 3, Mapledurham.

Company B went to Pangbourne for training on the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge, followed by a night problem on the same subject.

Company C all day in training with the M-3 Pneumatic Ponton Bridge at Site No 3, Mapledurham.

Company A spent the entire day at Area 611 training on Mine fields.

Company B The entire company in training on the 25 Ton Ponton Bridge at Site No 1, Pangbourne.

Company C Training in Construction of the Infantry Support Raft at Site No 4, Mapledurham.

Company B, The morning was reserved for the C.O. to facilitate the moving of the Company back to the Bn area. The afternoon was spent in supervised athletics.

Company C, The morning was reserved for the C.O. to facilitate their move back to the Bn Area. The afternoon was used in instruction and practical work in the care and cleaning of the equipment.

Hq & Serv Co as usual, Staff and Service functions. The organization finally has drawn the last of its rolling stock, consisting of 27 new Dump, 2 ½ Ton trucks, the maintenance section goes on a two shift schedule to get the trucks serviced.

Company had quite a variation in their training program with periods 0800 to 0830 lecture in supply discipline, 0830 to 1200 rigging, 1300 to 1400 Army Talks, 1400 to 1700 Camouflage.

Company C spent the entire day in Area 440 training with the construction of wood trestle bridges.

Today was Friday which meant tactical day for everyone in the Bn Area, with a pre-arranged gas attack at about 1715 in the evening.

Company B spent from 0800 to 0900 in Identification of Aircraft and from 0900 to 1700 on training with minefields.

Company C had a varied day of training starting with Calisthenics from 0800 to 0830, 0830 to 0930 was spent on Army Talks, 0930 to 1030 preparation for inspection in ranks and from 1030 to 1200 inspection in ranks. The entire afternoon was spent in supervised athletics.

Hq and Serv Co had Staff and Service functions until 1600 when they stood and inspection in ranks.

Company B spent Sunday afternoon in moving the entire company to Mapledurham.

Company B is still at Mapledurham training on fixed and floating bridges, Bailey type.

Company C in Bn area training with roads supply discipline, and military courtesy for the morning and the afternoon is reserved for the C.O. to move the company to Mapledurham.

Hq and Serv Co just staff and service functions, with the Maintenance section working over time to service the new trucks.

Company B at Mapledurham training on fixed and Floating Bailey Bridges.

Company C moved from Mapledurham to Area 36 for training in demolition's and roads.

Hq and Serv Co still staff and service functions, the Message Center of Bn Hq has established an advanced CP at the Mapledurham site.

The entire Battalion was alerted for movement, destination and occasion unknown.

Company B moved from Mapledurham to Area 36 for training on Demolition's and Roads.

Company C completed training on demolition's and roads and used the afternoon to move the company back to the Bn Area.

Lt Col Williams a Bn CO of an Armored Bn paid this Bn a visit.

Company B training on Demolition's and roads at Area 36 in the morning and spent the afternoon moving to the Bn Area.

Company C entire day on Engineer Reconnaissance and Care and Cleaning of equipment.

Hq and Serv Co advanced CP moved back in Bn area.

The entire Bn had a practice review at 1600 in preparation for the decoration and awarding of the soldiers metals. The last of the new trucks was serviced and issued to the line companies.

Company A training in Chemical Warfare, Orientation, Supply Discipline and a Tactical March.

Company B spent the entire day training with minefields and roads.

Company C training with Camouflage,

Aircraft recognition, Army Talks and Rigging.

The entire Bn had another practice review at 1530.

Lt Col Latham, Ex Officer of 1103^rd Engr (C) Gp visited the Bn.

This afternoon all companies had a showdown inspection of the supply rooms for all organizational equipment.

Company B Spent the morning training in supply discipline, Aircraft Identification and Army Talks. The afternoon The Company had a tactical march, load classification of Bridges and Driver's School.

Company C, British and Foreign explosives and Foreign Mapain the morning and Practice loading in the afternoon with from 1500 reserved for the CO to facilitate movement of the Company to Area 611.

Company B had training on British and Foreign Explosives and Foreign Maps. Part of the afternoon was spent on practice loading, from 1500 the time was reserved for CO to facilitate movement to Area 611.

Company B, entire Company training with minefields at area 611.

Company C, the entire day spent on Booby Traps at Area 611.

Company B at Area 611 entire day spent training with Booby Traps and A.P. mines.

Company C, 0800 to 1000 reserved for the CO for movement back to Bn Area, the rest of the morning spent on camouflage. The afternoon training was Army Talks, Map Reading, and Supply Discipline.

Company B, 0800 to 1000 reserved for CO to move the Company back to the Bn Area, with the rest of the morning on care and cleaning of equipment. The afternoon spent in training on Camouflage, Chemical Warfare and Radio Communication.

Company C, British and Foreign mines and Booby Traps in the morning with a Tactical March in the afternoon.

Today is Friday being set as a tactical day for the Bn, everyone has to wear their gas masks for 30 minutes of the day.

Company B spent the morning in Training on British and Foreign Mines and Booby Traps. The afternoon training was on inspection and Bn Tests.

Company C, the morning on Infantry Tactics and the afternoon preparation for inspection by Platoon Leaders and CO.

Entire BN. departed from Clifton Heath Oxfordshire at 2010 hrs. by motor convoy arrived Neddlebed (area 611) at 2145 hours. Morale excellent. Bn. Hqs. set up advance CP.

The weather today was clear and warm.