#1
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Sapper Platoon
I know that a WWII Engineer Platoon was led by a Lieutenant and had 68 men in it. I think that it had a HQ section and 3 sections, each led by a corporal with 2 L/Cpls helping. Now, I 've heard that each section had anywhere between 9 and 18 sappers each? What is the official organization? Apparently, it was the same as the British. Unfortunately, I don't know that one either.
Anybody have any clue how a platoon in the RCE was set up and ran during WWII? |
#2
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Hi John,
What you are looking for is a so-called war establishment. There are hundreds of these at the Public Records Office in Kew, London. There are only three problems: a: I live in the Netherlands, b: There are millions of files by the time you get there, and c: they are not cheap to photocopy. Now for some good news: on British Airborne Royal Engineers units I have the following: WO 24/946 I/187/1 HQ A/B divisional RE WO 24/946 I/189/1 field park company, RE (A/B) WO 24/952 I/205/3 postal unit, RE (A/B) ? 8/751/1 special (A/B) workshop company RE ? 8/1019/1 (A/B) squadron RE (N W Europe) ? 8/1020/1 (A/B) park squadron RE (N W Europe) ? 8/1018/1 HQ A/B divisional RE (N W Europe) The first number is KEW's file number and the second is the actual war establishment number. Possibly you can find somebody to go and look for you at Kew. If the 8/1019/1 (A/B) squadron RE (N W Europe) is anything to go by, here is the composition: HQ three troops(each) total major 1 - 1 captains 1 14 subalterns 2 2 8 squadron serjeant-major 1 - 1 squadron quarter-master-serjeant 1 - 1 transport NCO 1 - 1 serjeants 1 1 4 sapper class: lance-serjeants - 2 6 corporals 3 3 12 lance-corporals 3 10 33 sappers 14 44 146 driver class: lance-serjeants 1 - 1 corporals - 1 3 lance-corporals 1 1 4 drivers 9 7 30 attached: ACC cooks 3 2 9 total 42 74 264 good luck, Rob van Meel |
#3
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oops, second attempt
Oops, the thing with tabs from MS word into a email into an answer has not come up too well sorry.
war establishment 8/1019/1 1945: (A/B) squadron RE (N W Europe): HQ three troops(each) total major 1 - 1 captains 1 1 4 subalterns 2 2 8 squadron serjeant-major 1 - 1 squadron quarter-master serjeant 1 - 1 transport NCO 1 - 1 serjeants 1 1 4 sapper class: lance-serjeants - 2 6 corporals 3 3 12 lance-corporals 3 10 33 sappers 14 44 146 driver class: lance-serjeants 1 - 1 corporals - 1 3 lance-corporals 1 1 4 drivers 9 7 30 attached: ACC cooks 3 2 9 total 42 74 264 good luck, Rob van Meel |
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