View source for VIII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers

{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= VIII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers<br>29th Army Troops, Royal Engineers
|image= Badge,_regimental_(AM_790954-1).jpg
|caption= Royal Engineers' Cap badge
|dates= 1940–1948
|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|allegiance=
|branch=[[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
|type=
|role=Corps/Army engineers
|size=4–7 Companies
|command_structure= [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps]]<br>[[British Army of the Rhine]]
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= [[Operation Epsom]]<br>[[Operation Goodwood]]<br>[[Operation Bluecoat]]<br>Operation Constellation<br>[[Operation Plunder]]<br>Operation Enterprise
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
}}
'''VIII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers''' (VIII CTRE) was a [[Battalion|battalion-sized]] unit of [[Royal Engineers]] (RE) attached to the [[British Army]]'s [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps Headquarters]] in [[World War II]]. It served with [[21st Army Group]] during the [[Western_Front_(World_War_II)#1944–1945:_The_Second_Front|campaign in North West Europe 1944–45]]. It built the first British bridges across the [[Rhine]] and the [[Elbe]] after the assault crossings in March and April 1945 and continued in [[British Army of the Rhine]] after the end of the war.
==Organisation==
When [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps Headquarters]] (HQ) was re-established{{efn|A previous VIII Corps HQ was formed in the [[Gallipoli Campaign]] in May 1915 and a Commander Engineers (CE) was appointed. It was broken up in January 1916 and reformed on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in March that year. VIII Corps was broken up again in June 1918 and [[XVIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVIII Corps]] was redesignated as VIII Corps. In September 1918 VIII Corps RE comprised 282nd, [[North_Midland_Divisional_Engineers#290th_Army_Field_Company|290th (Staffordshire)]] and 560th Army Troops Companies, 1st Siege Company, [[Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers]], and [[185th Tunnelling Company]]. VIII Corps CE's HQ was closed down in January 1919.<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 22.</ref>}} in [[Southern Command (United Kingdom)|Southern Command]] in June 1940, its Corps Troops Royal Engineers (CTRE) were provided by companies drawn from the [[1st_Devonshire_Engineers#World_War_II|Devon & Cornwall Fortress Engineers]]:<ref name = W&R132>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 132.</ref><ref name = W&R171>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 171.</ref><ref>Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 4: Royal Engineers, 1940, [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives (TNA), Kew]], file WO 212/16.</ref>
* 570 Corps Field Park Company
* 571 Army Field Company
* 572 Army Field Company
* 573 Army Field Company
[[File:VIII corps (2).svg|thumb|200px|VIII Corps' formation sign.]]
By January 1941 several other companies were attached to VIII CTRE:<ref>Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 4: Royal Engineers, 1 January 1941, TNA file WO 212/17.</ref>
* [[264th (Sussex) Field Company, Royal Engineers|264 Field Company]] – ''joined from [[1st Sussex Engineers|XII CTRE]]; part of the [[War Office]] Reserve''<ref name = W&R166>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 166.</ref>
* [[508th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers|508 Field Park Company]] – ''joined from London defences''<ref name = W&R168>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 168.</ref>
* [[579th Army Field Company, Royal Engineers|579 Army Field Company]] – ''joined from [[Hampshire Corps Troops Royal Engineers|Hampshire CTRE]]''<ref name = W&R171/>
However, in February 1941, the Devon & Cornwall companies left VIII Corps and were sent to [[Egypt#British_protectorate_.281882.E2.80.931952.29|Egypt]], where they became [[X Corps Troops, Royal Engineers|X CTRE]] in [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]].<ref name = W&R171/> Over the next two years VIII CTRE reorganised as follows:<ref name = W&R132/><ref>Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 4: Royal Engineers, 1 March 1941, TNA file WO 212/18.</ref>
* [[Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers|100 (Monmouthshire) Field Company]] – ''joined from [[77th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|77th Division]] ''ca'' January 1943''<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 156.</ref>
*  [[Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers|101 (Monmouthshire) Field Company]] – ''joined from 77th Division ''ca'' January 1943''<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 157.</ref>
* 224 (South Midland) Field Company – ''joined from [[48th (South Midland) Division]] March 1943''<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 163.</ref>
* 264 Field Company – ''transferred to 2nd GHQTRE July 1942''<ref name = W&R166/>
* 508 Field Park Company – ''left September 1942; returned February 1943;<ref name = W&R168/> included a Light Aid Detachment of the [[Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]]''
* 579 Field Company – ''transferred to [[First Army (United Kingdom)|1st Army]] TRE July 1942''<ref name = W&R171/>
* 752 Army Field Company – ''joined ''ca'' February 1941; left 13 December 1941''<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 177.</ref>
In February 1943 VIII Corps moved from Southern Command to [[Northern Command (United Kingdom)|Northern Command]], and by July that year it formed part of [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|Second Army]] in [[21st Army Group]], training for the planned Allied invasion of Normandy ([[Operation Overlord]]) in 1944.<ref name = W&R132/><ref>Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 2: 21 Army Group, 24 July 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/238.</ref>
==Normandy==
VIII Corps was a follow-up formation after [[D Day]], completing its concentration in Normandy on 26 June 1944. It then mounted a three-division attack west of [[Caen]] ([[Operation Epsom]]) to seize a bridgehead over the [[Odon (river)|River Odon]]. The divisional and corps engineers were employed largely on clearing [[Land mine|minefields]] and rubble-blocked village roads. [[15th (Scottish) Division]] succeeded in advancing a few thousand yards, and then defended the resulting [[Salient (military)|salient]] ('Scottish Corridor') against counter-attacks. After the battle ended on 1 July the [[Sapper|sappers]] were involved in burying dead cattle strewn across the fields that constituted a health hazard.<ref>Buckley, pp. 74–87.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol I, pp. 275–86.</ref><ref>Martin, pp. 34–54.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 363–4.</ref> VIII Corps HQ was then shifted east of Caen to undertake an armoured assault ([[Operation Goodwood]]). All available engineers were employed in clearing passages through minefields and developing routes so that the armour could move up and deploy. The attack was launched on 18 July and advanced some {{convert|7|mi|km}}, but was halted by resolute German defence.<ref>Buckley, pp. 95–111.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol I, pp. 333–47.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 365–7.</ref>
[[File:The_British_Army_in_Normandy_1944_B8302.jpg|thumb|right|Troops use mine detectors during the breakout to Caumont in late July 1944.]]
In late July VIII Corps HQ was again sent west of Caen to command part of the southward thrust from Caumont through [[Bocage]] country during the breakout from the Normandy bridgehead ([[Operation Bluecoat]]). The main initial problem was German (and US) minefields.<ref>Buckley, pp. 153–6.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol I, pp. 387–95, 402.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, p. 376.</ref> As 21st Army Group advanced rapidly over Northern France after the breakout, a large number of bridges were hastily erected. Operating on the right flank of [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]]' thrust towards [[Arnhem]] in [[Operation Market Garden]], VIII Corps had to cross innumerable canals and rivers, which meant a heavy workload for all the engineer units. Later the bridges on the major [[Line of communications|lines of communication]] had to be replaced or strengthened, and new ones built. VIII Corps TRE built a noteworthy Class 70 bridge (the heaviest class of [[Bailey bridge]]) over the [[Seine]] at [[Mantes-Gassicourt]].<ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 408, 424.</ref>
==Low Countries==
After the failure of Market Garden, VIII Corps was given the task of clearing German forces from the west bank of the [[River Maas]] (Operation Constellation). This operation proceeded through November, with numerous waterways to cross, and the sappers laying miles of [[Sommerfeld Tracking]] and brushwood across the [[Peel, Netherlands|Peel marshes]] to enable vehicles to move forward. VIII Corps broke through the German second defence line covering [[Venlo]] on 22 November and on 3 December 15th (Scottish) Division captured [[Blerick]], the last German bridgehead on the Maas.<ref>Buckley, pp. 235–7.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol II, p. 160.</ref><ref>Martin, pp. 208–20.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 434–5, 441–2.</ref>
==Rhine crossing==
[[File:The_British_Army_in_North-west_Europe_1944-45_BU216.jpg|thumb|right|A class 9 FBE bridge.]]
VIII Corps was not directly involved in the operations to clear the [[Klever Reichswald|Reichswald]] ([[Operation Veritable]]) in early 1945, nor was it scheduled to take part in the assault crossing of the [[Rhine]] ([[Operation Plunder]]), but the most direct route to the assault position crossed the Maas in VIII Corps' sector, so it was given responsibility for developing the necessary roads in the weeks beforehand. The corps was assigned a large number of RE units for these tasks, of which its own VIII CTRE was given the job of building a {{convert|400|ft|m}} Class 9 [[Folding Boat Equipment]] (FBE) bridge at Venlo.<ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 474–5.</ref>
For the Rhine crossing, VIII CTRE (except 508 Field Park Co) was assigned to [[XII Corps (United Kingdom)|XII Corps]]. Under the command of [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] J.E. Marsh, the three field companies of VIII CTRE (100, 101, 224) had the job of building a Class 9 FBE bridge codenamed 'Twist'{{efn|The three brigade sub-operations in Torchlight were named after card games: '[[Poker]]', '[[Whist]]' and '[[Napoleon (card game)|Nap]]'; 'Twist' (from [[Pontoon (card game)|Pontoon]]) completed the sequence.<ref>Saunders, pp. 147–73.</ref>}} opposite Wolfskath. The assault crossing on XII Corps' front (Operation Torchlight) by 15th (Scottish) Division began at 02.00 on 24 March, and by 09.00 10th Battalion [[Highland Light Infantry]] had cleared Wolfskath after bitter fighting. Lieutenant-Col Marsh called forward his first bridging vehicles at 06.00, but because of enemy fire they did not begin to arrive on site until 13.00. 'Twist' with its {{convert|1000|yd|m}} of approaches was opened for traffic 10 hours later – the first British-built bridge across the river. During the night of 24/25 March a traffic jam built up and broke the bridge, 22 bays being half-sunk and displaced downstream; however, it was repaired and reopened 13 hours later.<ref>Buckley, pp. 283–4.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol II, pp. 286–92.</ref><ref>Martin, pp. 281–90.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 483–5, 500, Map 21.</ref><ref>Saunders, pp. 159–66.</ref>
==Germany==
As VIII Corps advanced into Germany, VIII CTRE built three Class 40 Bailey bridges over the [[Lippe (river)|River Lippe]] to enable the troops of [[Ninth United States Army|Ninth US Army]] to debouch from [[Wesel]], and by 30 March VIII CTRE and 16th Airfield Construction Group RE had provided three more bridges on the main axes of advance. By 5 April the corps had advanced {{convert|150|mi|km}} from the Rhine and [[6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|6th Airborne Division]] had secured two small bridgeheads over the [[River Weser]]. The divisional RE built a {{convert|200|ft|m}} Class 9 FBE bridge during the morning of 6 April, and a company of VIII CTRE, assisted in the later stages by 3rd Parachute Squadron, RE, completed a {{convert|320|ft|m}} Class 40 Bailey pontoon bridge shortly after midnight on 6/7 April. These bridges were of vital importance, because [[11th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|11th Armoured Division]]'s bridging efforts further north were abandoned after accurate bombing raids and shellfire. Eventually 15th (Scottish) Division's RE widened the bridgehead to the south by building another bridge with the help of VIII CTRE.<ref>Ellis, Vol II, pp. 305–10.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 507–12, Map 23.</ref>
[[File:The_British_Army_in_North-west_Europe_1944-45_BU2480.jpg|thumb|right|A Class 40 pontoon Bailey bridge.]]
On 21 April the leading troops of VIII Corps reached the [[River Elbe]]: during the advance from the Weser the RE under this corps had to build over 30 major bridges and strengthen another dozen, while the dumps of bridging supplies were still {{convert|200|mi|km}} back on the other side of the Rhine. Crossing the Elbe, however, was a bigger proposition, requiring planning and the collection of engineering stores. [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery]] decided that VIII Corps would again provide the crossing for XII Corps, with 15th (Scottish) Division making the assault crossing (Operation Enterprise). VIII CTRE would support the operation by building a Class 9 FBE bridge across to [[Lauenburg]], as well as maintaining a [[DUKW]] ferry and providing [[Boom (navigational barrier)|booms]] to protect the bridges. H Hour for the assault was 02.00 on 29 April, but there was considerable congestion in the streets of [[Artlenburg]], and it was not until 08.30–10.00 that the RE parties were able to begin work. From 11.00 enemy shelling of the bridging sites became accurate and intense, and there were frequent attacks by enemy aircraft. VIII CTRE suffered badly during one attack by low-flying jet aircraft at 13.15, losing eight killed and 22 wounded. Bomb craters in the bridge approaches caused further delay, but the FBE bridge was opened at 20.15, only a quarter of an hour later than scheduled. The following day the ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' continued its attempts to destroy the bridges, but [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] jet fighters were now providing air cover. The Germans also sent [[Frogman|frogmen]] in an unsuccessful attempt to sabotage the bridges, one of whom was captured by VIII CTRE.<ref>Buckley, pp. 292–3.</ref><ref>Ellis, Vol II, pp. 311, 316, 337.</ref><ref>Martin, pp. 323–30, 335–6.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 515–8.</ref>
XII Corps passed through the bridgehead provided by VIII Corps and continued the advance against collapsing opposition, but on 4 May came the [[German surrender at Lüneburg Heath]]. This did not end the work for the sappers: for many months they were engaged in repair and restoration of essential services behind the armies and in the occupied zone of Germany.<ref>Ellis, Vol II, pp. 337–42.</ref><ref>Pakenham-Walsh, Vol IX, pp. 519–21.</ref>
==Postwar==
In August 1946, VIII CTRE was merged with [[43rd (Wessex) Divisional Engineers]] to form '''29th Army Troops Royal Engineers''' (ATRE)  in [[British Army of the Rhine]], with the following organisation:<ref name = W&R132/><ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 139.</ref>
* 562 Field Company – ''from 100 (Monmouth) Field Company''
* 563 Field Park Company – ''from 207 (Wessex) Field Park Company''
* 564 Field Company – ''from 101 (Monmouth) Field Company''
* 565 Field Company – ''from 204 (Wessex) Field Company''
(The numbers 562–565 were taken from recently disbanded units<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, p. 170.</ref>)
29th ATRE returned to the UK in 1948 and on 1 April was converted into [[35 Engineer Regiment (United Kingdom)|35 Army Engineer Regiment]] for service with [[Middle East Land Forces]].<ref>Watson & Rinaldi, pp. 212, 229.</ref>
==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}
==Notes==
{{reflist|3}}
==References==
* John Buckley, ''Monty's Men: The British Army and the Liberation of Europe'', London: Yale University Press, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-300-13449-0}}.
* Major L.F. Ellis, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West'', Vol I: ''The Battle of Normandy'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1962/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-58-0}}.
* Major L.F. Ellis, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West'', Vol II: ''The Defeat of Germany'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-59-9}}.
* Lt-Gen H.G. Martin, ''The History of the Fifteenth Scottish Division 1939–1945'', Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1948/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2014, {{ISBN|978-1-78331-085-2}}.
* Maj-Gen R.P. Pakenham-Walsh, ''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers'', Vol IX, ''1938–1948'', Chatham: Institution of Royal Engineers, 1958.
* Tim Saunders, ''Operation Plunder: The British and Canadian Rhine Crossing'', Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books, 2006, {{ISBN|1-84415-221-9}}.
* Graham E. Watson & Richard A. Rinaldi, ''The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889–2018'', Tiger Lily Books, 2018, {{ISBN|978-171790180-4}}.
[[Category:Corps troops of the Royal Engineers|8]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1946]]