Work of the Royal Engineers

Friday 19th January 1917

Your correspondent has heard today from 1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers, attached to 2nd Division, who are north-west of Albert on the Somme. They have taken over work from 2/2nd Highland Field Company Royal Engineers of 51st Division.

This is the work detailed for the rear Field Company of royal engineer unites of the division and consists of supplying labour for the divisional sawmill and Royal Engineer dumps, repairs to hutments, cutting pit props and making brushwood mats. Most of this activity takes place in Aveluy Wood. Second Lieutenant Haward has been detailed Divisional Hutting Officer and has left the company to assume these duties.

Since Monday 25 other ranks each from 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment and 13th Battalion Essex Regiment and one officer and 25 other ranks each from 1st Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment and 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment have been attached to company as “Sappers’ Mates”, doing simple manual labour under the expert eye of the engineers.

Source: WW1/WD3