RCE 4th Field Company

[robkotchon]

My father served in the 4th field company RCE from 1942-1945 and I only received his military service record recently since he passed away in 1988. I am looking for some history on where his unit served and if there are any survivors left or anyone that may have pictures of the unit. My father never kept any pictures of himself in uniform.

 

[mariomike]

I am looking for some history on where his unit served <snip>

"4 Field Company Canadian Engineers:
At the outbreak of World War Two, it was once more off to Europe, this time as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. The company served in Italy for most of the war, returning to Northwest Europe near the end."
http://army.ca/wiki/index.php/34_Combat_Engineer_Regiment_(34_CER)#4_Field_Company_Canadian_Engineers

 

[dapaterson]

4 Fd Coy RCE is perpetuated by the 34 Combat Engineer Regiment, in Montreal, Quebec (former 3 Field Engineer Regiment).

There is an official history of the RCE in print; many university libraries have copies; there are some images there.  The unit may also have some photos.

A Google search for 34 CER, 34 RGC or 3 FER may provide additional information, and possibly contact information for the unit.

 

[The Bread Guy]

robkotchon - welcome to Milnet.ca!

Posting the same question in more than one thread =/= a faster response
Posting the same question in more than one thread = spamming

Patience, and you'll get information (in fact, you already have).

A friendly warning this time.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[Tem]

First, here is some of the locations that this Unit was in (all info from War Diaries):

4th Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers

Major HQ
Locations (also includes Map Grid Reference if I new it)
Remarks
Dates

ITALY
1st Canadian Infantry Division
Agone, MR 548933
Move from Agone to area near Vasto
1 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Casto Di Sangro Stn MR 475015
Construction and maintenance work of two mile diversion on Sangro
2 - 5 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Casto Di Sangro Stn MR 475025
Move to Rocca
6 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Rocca MR 366048
Maintain road between Rocca and S. Vito
7 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Rocca MR 366048
Rock cut on far side of S. Vito. Maintain road and bank seats for new Bailey Bridge, Maintain diversion over River Moro crossing
8 - 10 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Move to new location. Germans shelling area. Road maintenance and bridge build
11 - 21 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Construction of 170' T/S Bailey S. Leonardo MR 339151
22-24 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Construction of 80' D/S Bailey Bridge and Construction of 60' D/S Bailey Bridge
24 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Christmas, minor road work, construction of a Bailey Water point, mine sweeping near Ortona
25 - 30 Dec 43

1st Canadian Infantry Division
S. Leonardo MR 324133
Move to S. Leonardo
31 Dec - 1 Jan 44

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Due to heavy rains and flooding, Company moves back to former location. Bridge maintenance, road maintenance, mine clearing
2 - 13 Jan 44

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Unit Training
13 - 31 Jan 44

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Appolinario MR 335098
Road maintenance, mine clearing, bridge maintenance, culvert construction and unit training
1 - 29 Feb 44

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Bridging Forme d’Aquino
18 May 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Hitler Line
18-24 may 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Lifting mines on route into Pontecorvo
23 May 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Melfa Crossing - 50 ft single bailey
25 May 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Orvieto and Ficulle, repair railroad lines
5 Jul 1944

1st Canadian Corp
Valmontone on Training and Orvieto working on railroad lines
13 Jul - 27 Aug 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Gothic Line
25 Aug - 22 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Borgo Santa Maria & Monte Luro and mine clearance
1 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Rimini Line
14 - 21 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
wheeled crossing of the Marno River on the Corinio-Rimini Road
16 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
San Fortunato
18-20 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Monte Luro
1 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Riccione and Rimini
26 Sep 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Cesena
20 Oct 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Pisciatello
16 - 19 Oct 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Operations on the River Savio bridgehead
29 - 23 Oct 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Lamone Crossing
2 - 13 Dec 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Naviglio Canal
12 - 15 Dec 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Fosso Vecchio
16 - 18 Dec 1944

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Granarolo
3 - 5 Jan 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Fermo for departure from Italy
27 Feb 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Move for Embarkation - Fermo, Foligno, Pontassieve to Livorno
5-13 Mar 1945

FRANCE - BELGUIM - HOLLAND

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Embarkation - Italy
14 Mar 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Disembarkation - France
16 Mar 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Move thru France to Belguim by Marseilles, Lyon, Macon, Chagny, Dion, Les Laumes, Melon, Cambria
16 - 23 Mar 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Santhoven
23 Mar 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
Bridging Ijssel River ½ between Zutphen and Deventer
Note: Named the bridge “Can of Worms Bridge”
11 Apr 1945

1st Canadian Infantry Division
six miles south of Apeldoorn, bridged canal
17 Apr 1945

 

[dchipman]

My father served in the 4th field company RCE from 1942-1945 and I only received his military service record recently since he passed away in 1988. I am looking for some history on where his unit served and if there are any survivors left or anyone that may have pictures of the unit. My father never kept any pictures of himself in uniform.

The Canadian Military Engineers Association has published a number of tributes to sappers killed during the Second World War. On 5 July 1945, the MV Devis, carrying support elements of the initial assault force to Sicily (Op HUSKY) was torpedoed. Each tribute to the four members of the 4th Field Company who died in that attack includes an overview of the unit's history from 1 Sep 39 until that day. There are other entries on the site that pay tribute to the valour of individuals in the company and tributes to others who fell as they continued the war in Italy and then to the Netherlands. See Spr Leslie Wilfred Gaston, 4th Fd Coy | Canadian Military Engineers who went down with the ship as a start.