Sapper Platoon

[John Sliz]

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?

[Rob van Meel]

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

[Rob van Meel]

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