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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: annie webster on Friday 11 November 11 22:36 GMT (UK)
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can anyone give me any info on this unit i think they were enginners not 100% they were in italy in 1943 maybe earlier sorry i know so little
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Try the Royal Engineers Museum, Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham, Kent ME4 4UG
Website: www.royalengineers.org.uk
Victor
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754th Field Company Royal Engineers were part of 1210 GHQ Troops, 16th Army Group RE. 170th Chief Engineer Works 8th Army
Dependant upon when he joined them, he mayy well have fought through North Africa, through Italy and up towards Austria and germany.
best bet is to apply for his records via the veterans Agency website, and try and marry them up with the unit war diary (if available) at Kew
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is kew the only place i would get these records i live in bootle so would have to visit london to get them
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can anyone give me any info on this unit i think they were enginners not 100% they were in italy in 1943 maybe earlier sorry i know so little
There is a book called Game of Soldiers by my father Cyril Eke who was in 754 Company Royal Engineers in North Africa, Sicily and Italy invasions and right through to Austria.
What info do you want to know ?
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Joined this site today because I saw your request on the web. My father is 92 and was a member of 754 Field Company Royal Engineers throughout the war. He has kept his diaries and has written a book. He would love to help as I think he believes he may be the sole remaining sapper from his platoon.
Not sure how to get in touch with you via this site.
Happy to exchange email addresses if you want ?
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hi zara
i am looking for info on my friends grandad james draper who died italy 17 nov 1943 he was from liverpool he is buried in moro river canadion cemetery i am sorry that is really all i know about him
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hi, just looked at my dads book and have also spoken to him.
My dad remembers Jimmy Draper well and he features in a story on D day.
He was in the same platoon as my father
Page 23 is almost all about him.
He was quite a character and left quite a mark on all who met him.
He described him as "A typical Liverpudlian "rebel" with no love for the Army and authority and whose sole aim was to get out and back home to his wife and family".
He surprised everyone with an incredible act of courage and heroism that first day.
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sorry i just reread your posts you have give me the name of the book thank you i will order it
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Hi Annie,
Well if your friend is amazed, so is my Dad. He couldn't believe it when i told him. He has more memories of him than is in his book of course as they worked together for months. Of course apart from the colleagues they saw killed or wounded, they rarely knew what happened to their mates when they were taken away. My Dad believed Jimmy died of malaria. He was buried in the Canadian cemetery because there had been a major battle nearby which featured a Canadian battalion and they suffered massive casualties. Jimmies body was interred at the same time they were all being buried which is why he is in with the Canadians I guess.
My dad wrote his book after he retired and the response he has had from it has been incredible. I only arranged to put his diaries into book form and print him a copy as a gift yet he has sold over 100 now, including ones to the late Spike Milligan and to Lord Dennis Healey, who ( and he did not know it at the time) he helped to dig out of the sand on the beach in Sicily after the Beach Command bunker had been hit by a bomb.
You may be able to buy a second hand version on Amazon, but if not he has 3 copies at home. He's been selling them for £15.00 over the last 10 years.
War is so sad and it is such a shame your friend never knew her grandad. You know, if she wants, my Dad would love to be able to help her. As I say, he has memories of Jimmy which are not in the book and he is quite happy to correspond with her if she wants to talk or find out more. I think he would love to know his memories might be important to someone. So many of them never made it back. Let me know if you want to buy a book from him.
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I'm not sure when these posts were written as the year is not given but I would love to buy a copy of your dads book. my grandad was in the 754 field company royal engineers and also wrote his memoirs of his time in Sicily. Sadly he has now passed away but I would love to see if he was mentioned in the book!
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my grandad henry john bailey was in the 754 field company royal engineers and I'm trying to find out more about him.....he told my dad he used to drive monty about.x