This Day in History

On this day in 1945, Lt J.A. York of the 12^th Field Company RCE saved a section of floating bridge from enemy action and the forces of nature during an assault crossing of the River Ijssel. He was awarded the Military Cross for his superhuman efforts.

On this date in 1945, a platoon of 2nd Drilling Company was employed at Ostend to help destroy the reinforced-concrete submarine pens.

On this date in 1945, 3rd Battalion and No. 2 Drilling Company completed a 42 mile section of "DUMBO" - a petrol pipeline to supply 48,000 gallons per hour.

On this date in 1945, Maj D.W. Cunnington was an observer at the invasion of Okinawa, Japan.

On this date in 1945, all Royal Canadian Engineer elements attached to 1 Canadian Corps completed the transfer from Italy to the Northwest Europe theatre.

On this date in 1945, 2^nd Canadian Corps Troops Engineers constructed "Blackfriars" Bridge, a Load Class 40 floating Bailey bridge that, at 1814 feet long, was the longest in the world at the time.

On this date in 1945, 3rd Field (Reproduction) Survey Company had produced 304,000 maps, involving1,045,000 impressions, over the previous one-week period.

On this date in 1945, 11 Field Company suffered casualties while destroying mines they had lifted near Cleve to clear an area for the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders.

On this date in 1945, General Crerar opened the Walsh Bridge that had been constructed by RCE Corps Troops over the Maas river. This Bailey Bridge had 421 feet of Double-Single spans and 865 feet of Triple-Single spans.

On this date in 1945, No 9 Canadian Forestry Company was employed cutting timber in Germany in the Reichwald to provide material for corduroy roads.

On this date in 1945, 7th Field Company, involved in road maintenance, observed that the roads existed in name only and needed endless quantities of rubble dumped into the bottomless mass of mud.

On this date in 1945, 50 Field Companies of Engineers, three Road Construction Companies and two Pioneer Companies were employed on road maintenance on the Supply Lines in the British/Canadian sector due to bad weather.

On this date in 1945, 16 Field Company blew breeches in the dykes to alleviate flooding in the area of Kranenburg in support of operation VERITABLE.

On this date in 1945, the 1st Field Company was the first engineer unit to leave Italy for the Northwest Europe theatre. The last unit left on 14 April.

On this day in 1945, L/Sgt Robert Henry Dunkeld, 9th Fd Sqn, RCE, on the last day of the Battle of Kapelsche Veer completed an important reconnaissance under German observation and fire. This action culminated a series of dangerous reconnaissance tasks carried out by L/Sgt Dunkeld and won him a Military Medal.

On this day in 1945, Cpl Maurice Duruisseau, 9^th Fd Sqn, volunteered to go forward under German observation and fire to carry out a reconnaissance a more senior NCO had not been able to complete. His did so under arduous conditions and great danger and was awarded a Military Medal for his actions.

On this date in 1945, in preparation for the advance into Germany, 11 Field Company practised ferrying a battalion with support weapons including Bren Gun carriers and anti-tank artillery.

On this day in 1945, Lt Arthur Beaven, 9^th Fd Sqn, RCE,  completed a series of dangerous reconnaissances during the time leading up to and during the Battle of Kapelsche Veer. He often went alone through intense mortar and semi-automatic fire, lying up often whilst enemy patrols scoured the area in search of him, and returned with detailed and accurate information. For his bravery, he was awarded the Military Cross.

On this date in 1945, 5 Field Company, assisted by 23 Field Company and 2 Road Construction Company removed debris from the Maas River in preparation for erecting the Walsh Bridge.

On this day in 1945, Sgt Mervin Durham, 9^th Fd Sqn, RCE completed the bridge dubbed 'The Mad Whore's Dream' in support of the 4^th Armd Div's attack on the village of Kapelsche Veer after four desperate days of working under German observation and fire.  Sgt Durham was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and leadership.

On this date in 1945, 4th Equipment and Maintenance Platoon RCE demonstrated a 30-foot span Bailey lift bridge for use over canals.

On this date in 1945, Engineer units of 6 Division were disbanded and most members transferred to the Infantry reinforcement stream.

On this date in 1945, Lt Dean and party from 1 Field Squadron faced the difficult task of laying mines and wire in an area in France that was largely under water.

On this day in 1945, nine sappers of the 11^th (Lampton) Fd Coy were killed near Cleve, Germany when a dump of enemy mines they had cleared a day earlier accidentally exploded.

On this date in 1944, the Directorate of Engineer Development designed and tested a light alloy assault bridge for infantry use with a 100-foot span.

On this date in 1944, after a day of rest to celebrate Christmas, 12 Field Company upgraded a Class 12 Bailey bridge that had been erected on 24 Dec over the Lamone River to Load Class 40

On this date in 1944, 4 Field Company was employed in preparing Bailey bridges for demolition in Italy in case the enemy staged an attack as in Northwest Europe.

On this date in 1944, the Field Companies were directed to post General Purpose sappers to the reinforcement stream for transfer to the Infantry.

On this day in 1944, Spr Frank Collins was operating an armoured bulldozer with B Sqn, 1 Aslt Regt supporting 11^th Canadian Infantry Brigade crossing the Fosson Munio in Northern Italy. He was awarded a Distinguish Conduct Medal for working under intense fire in building the crossing. Three tanks were lost in the smoke and fire, but Collins kept working until the assault was successful and the enemy defeated.

On this date in 1944, Engineer troops on the flanks engaged in "sonic warfare" by creating battle noises to cover a silent attack by 11 Brigade.

On this date in 1944, Lt A.H. Nicholson won the Military Cross and Sgt S.M. Armstong the Military Medal for their construction of a 160-foot Triple-Single Load Class 12 Bailey bridge under enemy fire.

On this date in 1944, 10 Field Squadron conducted bridging operations with Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE), ARKs (bridges on tank chassis) and the use of barrels and a bulldozer.

On this date in 1944, the "Olafson" footbridge (developed by Capt E.A. Olafson) was accepted as a footbridge that could take jeep traffic.

On this date in 1944, L/Sgt D.W. Conner of No. 2 Drilling Company was awarded the British Empire Medal for rescuing injured airmen from a minefield.

On this date in 1944, Cpl R.I. Gold, British Empire Medal recipient for his rescue work in Ortona, was awarded the Military Medal for clearing a heavily mined road for an armoured patrol.

On this date in 1944, the 2nd Battalion built two 140-foot Triple-Triple Bailey bridges over the Albert Canal named "Ottawa" and "Washington" for use by the US Army.

On this date in 1944, Lt Frederick Weight Philpot, 12^th Field Company RCE, was awarded a Military Cross for supporting the British Army's 27^th Lancers thrust towards Ravenna as part of the hastily organised Porterforce.

On this day in 1944, in support of Porterforce operations to capture Ravenna, Lieutenant Frederick Weight Philpot, 12^th Field Company, RCE was awarded the Military Medal leading a mine clearing party while under constant enemy observation and mortar fire.

On this date in 1944, No 1 Railway Operating Group had dispatched 165,104 net tons forward in 11,715 wagons made up in 699 trains during the month of October.

On this day in 1944, in support of Porterforce operations to capture Ravenna, Sergeant Archibald Everitt Critchley, 12^th Field Company, RCE was awarded the Military Medal leading a mine clearing party while under constant enemy observation and mortar fire.

On this day in 1944. Sgt John Lockhart Hickman, RCE, was killed by mortar fire helping to erect a Bailey bridge which bears his name over a canal at Retranchement, Belgium during the Battle of the Scheldt.

On this date in 1944, L/Sgt A. E. Yeats won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for silencing two enemy pillboxes and capturing 12 enemy while engaged in road clearing operations.

On this date in 1944, 31^st Field Company built a Class 40 Bailey raft that carried a D-7 and supplies on a seven-mile sea voyage over the Scheldt to South Beveland Island in support of Op VITALITY.

On this date in 1944, Canadian Engineers suffered casualties while clearing extensive mines and booby traps during operations near Bergen-Op-Zoom.

On this date in 1944, 8 Field Squadron encountered a heavily mined railway crossing (that included 50kg bombs) north of Calmpthout.

On this date in 1944, No 1and 2 Cemetery Construction Units were formed at Ghent.

On this day in 1944, A/Cpl George Wilson and L/Cpl Carl Overby were awarded the Military Medal for repairing a kapok footbridge across the Leopold Canal under fire thus helping the Canadian Scottish Regiment maintain their hold tenuous bridgehead they had seized and fought for since the opening of Op SWITCHBACK to clear the Breskens Pocket on 6 October. 

On this day in 1944, during the opening blows of the Battle of the Scheldt, the 7^th Infantry Brigade assaulted across the Leopold Canal in Belgium on kapok bridges assembled in the dark pre-dawn hours. The constant repair and maintenance of these bridges under enemy fire over the next three days was vital to the success of the operation and brought Military Medals to A/Cpl George Wilson and L/Cpl Carl Overby of the 18^th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers.

On this day in 1944, the Battle of the Scheldt began a few days earlier with divisional engineers of the 2^nd Canadian Division clearing mines and building bridges over the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal to prepare the approaches for Operation VITALITY and the clearing of South Beveland in Holland. L/Sgt Robert Cecil Burn of the 11^th Fd Coy was awarded to Military Medal for gallantry under fire.