This Day in History

On this day in 1944, Sappers of the 1^st Cdn Division received four MCs and four MMs for actions during the breaching of the Adolf Hitler Line.

On this day in 1944, three RCE field companies supported the 1^st Canadian Division assault on the Hitler Line during the Liri Valley campaign. Four Military Crosses and five Military Medals were awarded to RCE officers and men for gallantry during the Hitler Line battle.

On this day in 1944, Sappers of the 1^st Cdn Division started moving into position to breach the Adolf Hitler Line, the biggest battle of the Italian Campaign.

On this date in 1944, 1 Field Company constructed Quebec Bridge in Italy that required 800 yards of Summerfield track to reinforce the boggy approaches.

On this date in 1944, a 100-foot Load Class 30 tank-mounted Bailey bridge was launched over the Gari River. This was the first of this type constructed.

On this date in 1944, 16 Field Company successfully participated in Exercise FABIOUS, a rehearsal for the D-Day landings.

On this day in 1944, Sgt Joseph Abel Boudreau, 4^th Fd Coy, Spr George Edgar Parker, 1st Fd Coy, and Sgt Hugh Winslow Shiers, 1st Fd Coy, were each awarded the Military Medal in separate instances for courage under fire while completing route preparation tasks leading to the assault on the Hitler Line.

On this date in 1944, the 10^th Field Squadron experimented by building an under-water Bailey bridge, effectively creating a ford hidden from the enemy.

On this date in 1944, 4th Drilling Section was attached to the 5th US Army for employment in the Anzio beachhead.

On this date in 1944, Lt-Gen E.L.M. Burns (former RCE) assumed command of the 1 Canadian Corps to replace Lt-Gen Crerar.

On this date in 1944, under operational conditions, a Field Survey Company RCE was able to produce a three-color map from air photographs in 29 hours.

On this date in 1944, there were 161 Officers and 2908 Other Ranks on strength of RCE Reserve units.

On this date in 1944, 18 Field Company was undergoing loading drills for assault landings. Bicycles were a problem because of a lack of spare parts.

On this date in 1944, the Canadian Railway Operating Companies posted some 230 members with British Railways to relieve their shortages of skilled staff.

On this date in 1944, the Engineer Tunneling Companies were redesignated as "Drilling Companies" with revised establishments.

On this date in 1944, in Italy 10 Field Company found that road maintenance in Italy was a never-ending task due to weather, heavy traffic and enemy shelling.

On this date in 1944, in Italy 1st Field Company learned they were able to repair damaged Bailey Bridges due to the basic design of the equipment.

On this date in 1944, Lt Doug Graham of the 10^th Field Squadron conducted a mine clearing operating in Italy in preparation for an attack. The unit suffered six men wounded in this operation.

On this date in 1944, Lt J.J. Denovan demonstrated a prototype model of what became the Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE).

On this date in 1944, the RCE personnel in the mechanical trades were transferred to the newly established corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

On this date in 1943, all available engineer personnel were employed clearing debris from the streets and roads around Ortona after the German Parachutists retreated.

On this date in 1943, 4th Field Company completed a 170-foot Triple-Single Bailey Bridge just south of Ortona.

On this date in 1939, the 1^st and 3^rd Field Companies along with the 2^nd Field Park Company, left Halifax in a seven-ship convoy under naval escort bound for Scotland, less than four months after being mobilized.

On this date in 1943, two instructors from 10 Field Squadron were killed during a mine clearing training exercise near the Sango River.

On this date in 1943, 12 Brigade made effective use of carrier mounted flame-throwers that were developed by the Petroleum Warfare Battalion, RCE.

On this date in 1943, Spr McNaughton, a bulldozer operator, was awarded the Military Medal for his work in constructing a bridge over the Moro River.

On this date in 1944, the CO and two soldiers of the 3^rd Field Company, RCE won awards for their gallantry in forcing a crossing of the Moro River prior to the Battle of Ortona.

On this date in 1943, Lt-Gen Dempsey congratulated the Canadian Engineers on their work having advanced 608 miles in Italy since 3 Sep over very difficult roads.

On this date in 1943, Engineers improvised two steel cribs in Italy to enable them to launch a 140-foot Bailey bridge over a 180-foot gap.

On this date in 1943, Bandmaster WO1 Hardy and 24 bandsmen from the Rifle Brigade were taken on strength as the first RCE band. On 14 Aug 1943, the band went to Italy.

On this date in 1943, a Tunneling Company Detachment was employed cutting a section of road in the rock cliff north of Carpinone, Italy.

On this date in 1943, an enemy patrol infiltrated behind a party of Sappers maintaining a river crossing near Colle d'Anchise in Italy. The section commander, A/Cpl M.H. Patriquin was awarded the Military Medal for putting their machine gun out of action and maintaining the crossing.

On this date in 1943, Capt A. Taylor, RCE was assigned to the Royal Navy to carry out survey work in Antarctica. For his service, he was awarded the Silver Polar Medal.

On this date in 1943, Maj-Gen C.S.L. Hertzberg left for India to advise South-East Asia Command on the rapid construction of airfields using Prefabricated Bituminous Surfacing (PBS).

On this date in 1943, a senior staff officer commenting on the role of the engineers said: "What this division needs is three brigades of Sappers and three companies of Infantry.

On this date in 1943, Italy announced its surrender.

On this date in 1943, after days of craters, blown bridges, and more craters 1st Division was very Sapper-conscious and Engineers basked in the glory.

On this date in 1943, 1^st Division Engineers crossed from Sicily and landed on the Italian mainland near Reggio. The 1^st Field Company built the first Bailey Bridge in the Italian Theatre later that evening.

On this date in 1943, B Company of the 3rd Battalion began trials on the newly designed Bailey suspension bridge.

On this date in 1943, No 6 Construction Company completed an RCAF Wing for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at East Grinstead.

On this date in 1943, No 2 Road Construction Company demonstrated the use of Prefabricated Bituminous Surfacing (PBS) as a method of constructing operational airfields in the Theatre of Operations.

On this date in 1943, 1^st Canadian Infantry Division was placed in reserve after more than 30 days of constant fighting in Sicily. RCE units had won ten decorations for valour at the cost of 14 killed, 67 wounded and eight taken prisoner.

On this date in 1943, Lt-Col J.D. Christian assumed the appointment of Commander Royal (Canadian) Engineers, 5th Canadian Armoured Division.

On this date in 1943, 24th Field Company landed on Adak Island as part of a force to repel a Japanese invasion. They landed on Kiska on 16 Aug where they remained until 4 Jan 1944.

On this date in 1943, a detachment of No. 1 Tunnelling Company landed in Sicily where it was employed drilling wells and quarrying.

On this day in 1943, Engineers of the 1st Canadian Division landed at Pachino and set out to win more gallantry awards than any other Corps or Regiment of the Canadian Army during the Silician Campaign.

On this date in 1943, RCE field companies landed in Sicily with assault troops of the 1^st and 2^nd Canadian Infantry Brigades. The six-week campaign was costly with 15 RCE officers and men killed and many more wounded. On a man for man basis, the RCE received more awards for bravery than any other arm.

On this date in 1943, 3rd Canadian Division, upon being selected for the assault phase of the invasion of Europe, began an intensive period of assault landing training.

On this date in 1943, 2 Field Company successfully completed a large bridging exercise in England that included the command and control of platoons from 7th Field Company.

On this date in 1943, due to the heavy Engineer commitment, training of Artillery personnel to construct Bailey Bridges was started.