Forest of Dean FHT Forum - R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers

R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers (reply)

anderb — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:23:16 +0000

Here is the war diary of 220 Coy

Oct 40 Formed at ILFRACOMBE
Maj M J Holdsworth MC, Capt W I McKeand MC, Lts G V Hobson & G A
Tate and 2Lt H G White
22 Dec 40 Moved to LYDBROOK, Gloucestershire for forestry work
22 Feb 41 Turned into an Austrian Coy. 40 ORs of other nationalities transferred to
ILFRACOMBE and 40 of Austrian extraction received in exchange
May 41 Capt W I McKeand MC – sos
30 Jun 41 Officers:- Maj M J Holdsworth MC, Capt D F Alexander, Lts G A Tate, W
W Jones & J L Cohen
14 Dec 41 Capt H R Howard – tos
1 Jan 42 Coy still of forestry work in the Forest of DEAN with a HQ at LYDBROOK
Officers:- Maj M J Holdsworth MC, Capt H R Howard, Lts W W Jones & G
A Verrall
29 Apr 42 HQ and ½ coy move to SIDDINGTON, ½ coy at PETERSFIELD
Still on forestry with the New Zealand Engineers
30 Jun 42 Officers:- Maj M J Holdsworth MC, Capt H R Howard, Lts W W Jones & J
H Hannaford-Hill and 2Lt J T Rhodes
28 Dec 42 Maj H R Howard – assumes command vice Holdsworth
31 Dec 42 Officers:- Maj H R Howard, Lts W W Jones, T W Charlton & J H HannafordHill and 2Lts J T Rhodes, N T Coveney & J T Evans
Jan 43 Capt W W Jones – appointed 2IC
6 Aug 43 Moved to TEWKESBURY – training
26 Sep 43 Moved to GLOUCESTER – work not stated
26 Oct 43 Capt W W Jones – sos to 177 Coy
2 Nov 43 Capt D W P Gibbs – tos
31 Dec 43 Officers:- Maj H R Howard, Capt D W P Gibbs, Lts T W Charlton, R J
Knight, L J Clarke & J Wtharp and 2Lts A K Davies & E F Bradford
22 May 44 Moved to BOURTON ON THE WATER
Jun 44 Coy training
20 Jun 44 Moved to RADWINTER – training
30 Jun 44 Officers:- Maj H R Howard, Capt D W P Gibbs, Lts T W Charlton, A K
Davies, J Dyamond & E F Bradford
31 Jul 44 Moved to GLYNDE Marshalling Area
4 Aug 44 Landed in Normandy (ARROMANCHES) and moved to RYES
7 Aug 44 MONTFIQUET on camp construction
13 Aug 44 Working with the Canadian Forestry Coy
17 Oct 44 Lt T W Charlton – to hospital
21 Oct 44 Moved to HAL, Belgium – camp construction
1 Nov 44 3 sections training rest at DIDs in detachments
13 Nov 44 Coy all training
Lt T W Charlton – rejoins
30 Nov 44 Part on forestry, part training
2 Dec 44 HQ moved to LAROCHE – forestry
19 Dec 44 HQ moved to LEMBECQ
220 (Alien) Coy - 2
220 (Alien) Coy - 2
11/01/16
24 Dec 44 Whole Coy at LEMBECQ
31 Dec 44 Working at HAL Station
14 Jan 45 Moved to SCHILDE – coy on forestry in detachments
31 Jan 45 1 OR killed, 1 OR missing believed killed by long range projectile.
26 Feb 45 Lt E F Bradford – sos
Coy still supporting Canadians on forestry
15 Mar 45 Lt H Colefax – tos
21 Mar 45 Lt H G Retford – tos
31 Mar 45 HQ at SCHILDE. 4 sections at EXEL, 3 sections at HALLE, 2 sections at
FOSSES – all on forestry
6 Apr 45 Lt H G Retford – sos
26 Apr 45 Moved to NAMUR – forestry
11 May 45 25 ORs posted to the Interpreters Pool
24 May 45 43 ORs posted to the Interpreters Pool
21 Jun 45 Maj H R Howard and Lt T W Charlton – sos release
24 Jun 45 Maj D G H Hood MC – tos
9 Aug 45 Forestry work for 21st Army Group Forestry Commission finished and now
training
3 Sep 45 Moved to REICHWALD, Germany – forestry
4 Sep 45 Capt D W P Gibbs – sos to 307 Coy
Capt A K Davies – appointed 2IC
15 Oct 45 Maj D G H Hood MC – sos
26 Nov 45 Maj C F Jacobs – tos OC
Dec 45 Disbanding at GRIETHAUSEN
16 Jan 46 Maj C F Jacobs – sos to 189 Coy
1 Feb 46 Moved to KELLEN
11 Feb 46 Disbanded at KELLEN, Germany

R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers (reply)

anderb — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:09:53 +0000

Hi Vurrister
A very delayed response here, but found your page while trying to research 220 Coy.
My grandfather Geoff, was a member of 220 Coy. He married locally- to my grandmother in Lydbrook, so I'm assuming he was part of the coy billeted there. I've a couple of pioneer photos around.
When he married my grandmother, Nesta, she had to present herself to the local police station daily, as her status changed to 'enemy alien'. I believe the local policeman tired of this, as gran had grown up in the village, both her parents were Foresters and lived in the village, and so he thought it unlikely gran would engage in sabotage on behalf of the enemy!
My grandfather enjoyed the pioneers, as the physicality of the work appealed to him. I believe this was in contrast to many of his pioneer comrades, many of who were more intellectually inclined! As you say, they were mostly involved in forestry.
One colourful memory was related by my grans neighbour. He told how the first time he saw Geoff was in the Jovial Colliers. A miner punched my grandad in the face, to which he didn't flinch. Geoff had been a good boxer as a youth in Austria, and so I suppose this didn't particularly phase him.
If can work out how to do it, I'll post some links to Pioneer photos.
-Ander

R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers (reply)

maurice — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:30:08 +0000

At the outbreak of WW2 I was living in Heywood Cinderford,one house from the wood.I remember the engineers starting to cut down the oak trees about 30yds from my home.A local representation was made to request leaving a belt of trees for a recreational area for the local people,this was done and felling carried on about 200yds into the wood.The trees felled were predominately oak and as you say there was a sawmills set up at Bowson.Most of the area was denuded of trees except for Teringham hein and a patch of chestnut trees between Fairplay and Walls cottage,these were too young for felling.
When the Americans came into the war,they took over the tree felling and more latterly the Italian POWs were put to work there.The POWs were a friendly bunch and many who were working on local farms in the Westbury on Severn remained here after the war and still live here.
The belt of oak trees I referred to are still in Heywood and I spent many hours playing there as a boy.When asked by my children and grandchildren where were your play areas,I always replied "anywhere between Heywood and Fairplay" quite a large area.We did not need material objects when we had such a place to play.
This brought back many pleasant memories.
Maurice

R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers

unknown — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:01:34 +0000

RE Forestry Coy’s Deployed in Forest of Dean in 2nd WW

I'm currently trying to shed some light the Dean's Forestry Wartime efforts and am looking for information of any description:

I've had no difficulty finding production statistics etc.; but so far have only established the following: - Two R. Eng. Forestry Coy’s operated in Dean. - The 129th deployed here from France following evacuation through St-Malo in June 1940 and were reinforced by a newly formed 131st Coy in summer of same year. They were supported by Sections of 220 Coy Auxiliary Pioneer Corps and later by Italian POWs. Both RE Coy personnel were mostly recruited ready trained from Private Estates - Aux. P 220 Coy was made up of mostly Jewish Austrian and German Alien Volunteers who had previously been interned around the country in makeshift camps after Hitler overran France and Churchill famously said 'round the lot up' (perhaps the Forests best kept 2nd WW secret) Sawmills were established at Bowsen Green, Brierly and Cockshot, there may have been more - Bowsen was continued after the war by James Joiner.

The local social angle is the most intriguing and the one I'm most stuck on. The RE’s had a successful football club called the Woodpeckers topping both divisions of the LYDNEY AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL LEAGUE 1943-4 www.sungreen.co.uk/Broadwell - Aux.P 220 Coy had a dance band that played frequently at Broadwell Memorial Hall (anyone got the name please?) and might have had a darts team as well - may have played at the Bird in Hand; Broadwell. - The name 'Grasshoppers' has cropped up? Any ideas?

129 Coy transferred to Cirencester during Autumn 1943; and 131st Coy embarked for France in summer of 1944 probably explaining absence of Woodpeckers FC after 1943/4 success. - 220 Coy subsequently joined combat units in France and Germany. I can vaguely recall the Italian POWs being marched through Berry Hill; any connection there? At least one Section of P 220 Coy were billeted at Lydbrook - Where? etc etc..

Collectively (about 7000 altogether)the wartime Alien Auxiliary Pioneers have been described as the most intellectual Coy’s ever to have served in the British Military.
and subsequently became known as 'The King's Most Loyal Alien Enemies' There's at least two books written about them but very little info about their involvement here.

Interesting how many football clubs carry the name 'Woodpeckers' today; particularly around Kent area (Chatham is RE HQ).

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Vurrister