Royal Engineers in Antwerp

Yesterday I received an email from the son of George Hunter, a veteran of the British Army's 186 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Company. Hunter's section operated and maintained all the bulldozers, excavators, etc. for the units who did port construction and repair. In Antwerp they were attached to the 930 Port Construction and Repair Company, which had responsibility for the British section of the Port of Antwerp.

The No 2 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Units landed on D-Day. As part of the Royal Engineers they built the Mulberry Harbors on Gold Beach and then moved on to Antwerp to clear out the port. They worked on port, railway, and canal construction and repair throughout the theater. The unit structure was as follows:

No 2 Mechanical Equipment Units:
186 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Company
41 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
42 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
43 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section

869 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Company
53 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
54 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
55 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section

876 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Company
44 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
67 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section
74 Mechanical Equipment (Transportation) Section

Rory has done an impressive amount of research into the history of his dad's company. He has identified several of the men in the above group photo. Here is a list of names in the section:

Officers

Captain Francis H. Smith

Lieutenant A. F. Goff

Lance Sergeant

Gerald G. O'Hare • Bert Larbey

Corporal

George B. Hunter • R. W. Liddell • A. E. Halewood

G. W. Hickson • W. J. Smith

Lance Corporal

Don H. Munro • R. W. Walker • Alfred A. Forsythe

K. Nuttall

Sapper

K. G. Bushell • A. S. Carlslaw • H. Carney • J. Carney

W. Carney • Charley B. Chainey • W. Chambers

W. S. Clayton • W. W. Y. Dennis • M. J. Donnelly

J. A. Earwicker • H. Eastwood • Randy W. Gandy

H. Gunton • Fred Hankison • R. T. Harris • R. Heyes

D. Horsfall • R. F. Howes • F. Johnston • Alfred A. Jones

G. P. Jones • E. Kaveney • J. Lalley • Ginger Lloyd

J. McKay • R. H. Mogg • H. Murgatroyd • C. Newrick

T. Nowland • F. N. Palmer • J. Pemberton • N. A. Pitcher

J. Reay • Saunders • J. Taylor • J. Thompson

F. C. Timms • D. Tobin • Jack Walker • J. Wallace

D. G. Wallaker • A. A. Wareham • G. Watson

D. O. Williams • J. R. Winn • C. Wrights • D. W. Wight

If you see your name or that of a family member, please email me and I will put you in touch with Rory.