706 Artisan Works Company

 (Aberdeenshire Volunteers 1940 -1946 )

by

Jim Cheyne

This history has been included here with the kind permission of

Jim Cheyne,

3 Craigendinnie Crescent,
Aboyne, AB34 5HJ
Email: jim.cheyne@btinternet.com

INTRODUCTION

One reason for this short account of the activities of the 706 Artisan Works Company Royal Engineers is to acknowledge the service of the men from the Aberdeenshire Council Roads Department who volunteered for service, at short notice, early in 1940.

Many of the men who volunteered would not have been accepted for service under normal circumstances, owing to their age and possibly health reasons. Some of the men were advised there would not be any work with a war going on and that they might as well join the army. The Council had agreed that the men’s army pay would be made up to the level of their wages, and this may have been an added incentive to volunteer.

Whatever the reason, the men were not conscripted. They were volunteers and they served their country well. Wherever they went, they were well thought of and whatever task they had to carry out, they did so to the satisfaction of their commanders. They were a credit to Aberdeenshire and to Aberdeenshire Council Roads Department.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my gratitude to Dick White, Stodday, Lancaster, for his help and advice and most importantly for giving permission to use his material in his research of the loss of the SS Mohamed Ali el-Kebir.

My thanks also go to thank Ernest Anderson of Aberdeen, Duncan Anderson of Corrie, Midlothian, John Cummine of Inverurie, Mrs Jean Davidson of Aboyne, Charlie Forbes of Aboyne, Mrs J Grant of Inverurie, Arthur McGillivray of Inverurie, Mrs Nora Murray of Peterhead and very special thanks to Bill Ingram of Evanton for his major contribution. I would also like to thank the numerous other people who gave me titbits of information during the course of my research.

I would also like to thank Ros de Sousa for proof reading my work and for the translation of the German leaflet.

SOURCES

Personal recollections of surviving members and the War Diaries of the 706 that are held at the Public Record Office.

'THE LADS OF THE 706'

A number of photographs have survived from the period and these can be viewed by clicking here.

KNOWN MEMBERS

A list of the known members of the 706 Artisan Works Company can be found by clicking here.

BACKGROUND

At a meeting of the Aberdeen County Council Finance Sub-Committee of 5 January 1940 they heard that the Divisional Road Engineer, Ministry of Transport, had asked the County Council for co-operation in the recruitment of General Construction Companies, Royal Engineers, for service overseas. The minute indicates that the Sub-Committee agreed to the release of six of the fourteen Officials who had volunteered for recruitment:

• Mr G I Heddle

Divisional Road Surveyor, Maud

• Mr G B Cram

Divisional Road Surveyor, Aboyne

• Mr A F Michie

Head Office Staff

• Mr D J Mackenzie

Head Office Staff

• Mr J T Mitchell

Head Office Staff.

• Mr D D Murray or Mr S R Smith

Head Office Staff.

The Sub-Committee also authorised the County Road Surveyor and Engineer to select the men for release from amongst the road employees who had also volunteered. The list of applications for release was not made up until after 10 January 1940 and unfortunately there is no record of the men who volunteered and there is no further mention of the subject in the minutes.

The men were all volunteers from the Aberdeenshire County Council and in a very short period they had undergone a medical examination at Woolmanhill Hospital, Aberdeen. Their enlistment date would have been about 25 January 1940.

The men, under the command of Major Heddle, Maud and Captain Cram, Aboyne, left Aberdeen by special train for Gillingham, Kent. The men from the Maud area managed to get an extra night at home with their families because the council lorries took them to the station on the day of leaving.

At Gillingham they were billeted in private accommodation and spent the next three weeks undergoing training at Chatham, the regimental home of the Royal Engineers. Bill Ingram and John Meldrum were given a list of houses in Chatham and Gillingham to which they took the recruits to be billeted. It was at Chatham on 8 February 1940 that the men from Aberdeenshire were formed into the 706 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers. On one particular occasion, when Eddie Wallace was a corporal, he was drilling the men from section 1 and as they marched towards a wood he shouted about turn, they took no notice and continued towards the wood. Eddie shouted after them, ‘you buggers, you can just go to hell’ and left them to it.

FRANCE 1940

A further period of training followed and then on 2 March 1940 the 706 embarked for France where they were attached to the RAF working on airfields and on gun sites.

Some of the men were detached to French farms to help the farmers. The weather was so fine that some of the men slept in the cornfields where they had been working.

The full company strength was 251 men divided into headquarters section and four other sections of 50 men to a section. Throughout their period of service the sections of the Company were seldom together, the five sections could be working in entirely different areas and on different types of work. Not only was the Company an independent Company, the sections were independent to a degree in that they had their own cooks and were quite self contained when they were on their own.

On 17 May 1940 the company headquarters was situated at Moyencourt. The headquarters section along with sections 1 and 3 were accommodated in Nissen huts in a wood adjoining the aerodrome. Sections 2 and 4 were in a tented camp near Agnieres village about 10 kilometres west of Moyencourt. The sections were engaged in quarrying materials for various aerodrome sites in the area. The Royal Army Service Corps had fifteen lorries driving materials from the quarry to the airfields.

Things began to hot up at Moyencourt on Friday 17 May 1940. At 0700 hours a message was received from the RAF No. 52 Wing that two squadrons of aircraft were expected at Moyencourt airfield that morning and that the RE camp would be required by the RAF. Preparations were made for evacuating the huts and in erecting tents for the West Yorks Regiment and for the RAF personnel.

At 1330 hours orders received by telephone from Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) that the unit be ready to move on half-hours notice. The full message from GHQ troops, issue at 0130 hours, 17 May 1940 was that the, "23^rd Division has been ordered to deny enemy crossings of ------- between inclusive blocks --------- and --------- with HQ at ---------. Engineer in Chief is organising all available RE units. Necessary transport to make all units mobile to be requisitioned from French civilian authorities. All units will put defence schemes into operation forthwith. Units will prepare to move but not repeat, i.e. move, till ordered. When units move telephones will be disconnected and taken with unit. All available rations and petrol will be taken. All informed."

At 1500 hours sections 2 and 4 are withdrawn from Agnieres Quarry to headquarters, which meant that the whole Company was together. The situation had deteriorated so much that all ranks were instructed to sleep in their clothes.

That night at 2300 hours a Captain Cameron, from CRE HQ (South) arrived with orders for the 706 and for the 698, 695 and 684 Companies. These orders were that they were to move to new grass sites but to remain maintaining the airfields. If the enemy were to land on the runway the 684 Company was to block the runway and remove part tracks. The 684 and 695 companies were to receive four Bren guns each.

Sometime during this period the Germans dropped leaflets urging the men not to fight. The leaflets were in French so it is doubtful that they were meant for the British Army. L/Cpl Joseph Cummine from Inverurie picked one up and brought it home. A translation of this leaflet can be found by clicking here.

The orders went on to advise that all sections to remain mobile and if sections or company appear likely to be surrounded, to withdraw advising station Commander and CRE. Section and companies if forced to withdraw were to move in the general direction to line Abbeville – Ailly-Doullens and to inform CRE of location.

The day was occupied in transferring the company from Moyencourt Wood camp to a tented camp in Moyencourt Village. The move was completed at 1600 hours.

In anticipation of this move Major GI Heddle RE OC 706 Gen. Con. Company RE sent the following

message to CRE South. "RAF are taking over camp here. Company is moving today into tents on site at Moyencourt village. No telephone communication but messages can be sent through 52 Wing."

At 1800 hours a Captain Ormsby visited the camp and gave instructions that in the event of further withdrawal the company should proceed to Crecy.

At 1930 hours Major Heddle was called to attend a conference at 52 Wing HQ RAF. The instructions received from Wing Commander Cottel were for the company to move with 52 Wing to Crecy, leaving two detachments to destroy stores and material at Moyencourt and at Poix.

Twenty men from Section 1, under 2^nd Lieut. Stewart was detailed to carry out the demolitions at Poix and twenty men from Section 2 under 2^nd Lieut. Mackenzie to carry out the same at Moyencourt. At 2330 hours the two detachments left to proceed to the aerodromes to prepare for demolitions.

At 2400 hours or midnight the main body of the Company left camp at Moyencourt for Crecy. Six hours later, at 0600 on 19 May, they arrived at Crecy and met up with 70 Wing RAF. The Company, as some of the men recall, were now on the "run".

The main body of the Company that arrived at Crecy was made up as follows:

• Six 3 tonners company wagons
• One15 cwt. Company wagon
• Eleven RASC No. 4 MT Company wagons
• Five Motor cycles

Personnel

• 706 General Construction Company (Officers)

3

• 706 General Construction Company (Men)

202

• No. 4 Motor Transport Company RASC

37

• 693 CW Company

13

• 118 RC Company

4

256 men

One wagon and two motor cycles had to be abandoned en route on account of mechanical breakdown.

At Crecy they received instructions to continue on to Brailly Village which they did, and remained there concealed in a wood. Meanwhile Major Heddle had gone to try and find the CRE but failed to do so. Lieuts. Mackenzie and Stewart arrived in Crecy with their detachments and reported that the demolitions on the aerodromes had been completed.

At 1700 hours on 19 May the Company moved into camp and billets at Brailly.

Major Heddle and his second in command Captain Cram were still trying to find the CRE at 2030 hours but failed to do so. They then reported to 52 Wing RAF and were informed that the RAF were evacuating and proceeding to Boulogne at 2200 hours. Heddle and Cram were advised to take their company and follow the Wing. Not happy with this they proceeded to Ailly to try and contact the CRE. At Ailly they received information that the CRE and staff had left that morning for Boulogne. The two officers returned to Brailly and decided to move the Company without further delay.

This they did at 0200 hours on Monday 20 May, leaving Brailly in the direction of Boulogne. At about 0700 hours the convoy halted under trees at the roadside about 12 kilometres from Boulogne, Major Heddle proceeded to Wimereaux and reported to the Deputy Director of Works where he was told to report to Sub-Area Headquarters. The Headquarters could not be found but Major Heddle made contact with Area CRE who suggested that billets might be found at St. Cecile.

The Major continued on to St. Cecile and inspected a hotel there but found that there was not sufficient accommodation for all the men and that there was no cover for the transport. The Company went on to Carly and camped there, partly in a hut and partly in tents. During the night heavy bombing was heard in the direction of Boulogne.

At 0800 hours on Tuesday 21 May, Major Heddle and Captain Cram reported to the Deputy Director of Works and received information regarding the location of the Sub-Area Headquarters in Boulogne. Major Heddle and Captain Cram reported there and were instructed by Colonel French that the road south of Samer should be blocked and guarded.

Sections 1 and 2 under Captain Cram and 2nd Lts. Mackenzie and Mitchell were detailed to carry out this task. Great difficulty was experienced in stopping traffic owing to the large number of refugee vehicles passing. The working party was twice heavily attacked by nine enemy aircraft, dive-bombing and machine gunning but no casualties resulted among the party. The blocking of the road was finally accomplished at 1800 hours.

At 2200 hours that night, 21 May, the Company struck camp at Carly and proceeded in the direction of Boulogne, taking cover under trees about 4 Kilometres from Boulogne. Section 3 under 2^nd Lt. Stewart was instructed to relieve the guard at the roadblock south of Samer.

At 0600 hours on the 22^nd Section 3 was relieved from guarding the roadblock by Section 2 under 2^nd Lt Mackenzie.

At 0900 hours Captain Cram and 2^nd Lt. Stewart went to Boulogne to draw rations and to obtain information. Captain Cram went to Sub-Area Headquarters to report but found no one there.

By 1230 hours neither Captain Cram nor 2^nd Lt. Stewart had returned but 2^nd Lt. Mackenzie came in with Section 2, having given up the roadblock. He reported that the enemy was about 10 kilometres from Samer on the Montreuil road. It was decided to wait until 1400 hours for return of Captain Cram and 2^nd Lt. Stewart.

It was no time for waiting around. At 1330 hours a despatch rider was sent to Samer to make enquiries. On his return he reported the enemy were about 4 miles from Samer. Major Heddle ordered the Company to proceed in convoy towards Wimereaux. The convoy was overtaken by 2^nd Lt. Stewart who reported that General Construction companies were being evacuated from Boulogne at 1430 hours. Company ordered to proceed to Boulogne.

Company arrived on Boulogne Quay at 1400 hours. Wagons were handed over to the RASC along with petrol, stores, Lewis guns and ammunition. The Company boarded a steamer at 1530 hours and arrived at Dover at about 1800 hours on the 22nd. Entrained at Dover for Tidworth at 2300 hours arriving at Tidworth and billeted in Perham Downs’s camp at 0630 hours on the 23 May 1940.

After leave, from 29 May 1940 to 4 August 1940, sections of the 706 were stationed at the following RAF stations, Digby, Finningley, Hemswell, Kirton in Lindsey and Scampton. Section 3 was at Scampton, Lincolnshire.

TORPEDOED

In the month of July 1940 orders were received that the Company was being sent abroad and the men went on embarkation leave. Their destination was to be Gibraltar, which was not known at the time.

The War Diary tells it all.

1.8.1940

at RAF Station Hemswell.

4.8.1940

to Lincoln LMS Station at 22.00 hrs. Left by special train for Avonmouth.

5.8.1940

Arrived at Avonmouth at 5.30 hrs. Embarked on troopship SS Mohamed Ali el-Kebir. Sailed at19.00 hrs. Total strength 6 officers and 243 other ranks.

7.8.1940

Considerable swell, several men seasick.

20.30 hrs. The ship was struck by a torpedo. Men went to boat stations. Several men injured by explosion which occurred under aft troop deck, and difficulty was experienced in getting them to the boats. Two lifeboats overturned in launching and one capsized in water owing to the heavy seas, some of the boats could not be launched owing to the davits being twisted by the explosion. Boats and rafts were picked up by HMS Griffin, the destroyer escort, until 0400 hrs the following morning.

8.8.1940

HMS Griffin searched for survivors until 08.00 hrs when the search was taken up by other ships. Destroyer then proceeded to Greenock. Food and comforts were supplied by the ship’s company and special mention should be made of the ship’s doctor who was untiring in his efforts to attend the wounded.

9.8.1940

Greenock. HMS Griffin docked at Greenock at 04.00 hrs. Wounded were removed to Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride. Remainder of company were taken to Joiners Shop Camp where tea, food and bedding were provided. Roll call was held and there were present 6 officers and 179 other ranks. It was ascertained that 36 other ranks had been admitted to hospital and that 28 were missing. Authority was obtained from Glasgow Area HQ for 7 days leave for all ranks and arrangements were made for departure the following morning.

10.8.1940

Company went on leave.

19.8.1940

Returned to Joiners Shop camp and awaited instructions.

23.8.1940

Reported to Whyteleaf. Worked on aerodromes round Croydon, Biggin Hill and Detling

The recollections of Bill Ingram, a survivor, aged 90, in a letter to me September 2001.

He remembers that on the night of the sinking he and Adam Scott had decided to go to their hammocks and read, this was before 2100 hours. About 2100 hours there was a big thump and he thought they had run into something and there was a mad rush to the stairs. Bill could see there was no hurry so he put on all his clothes When he got to the lifeboat he was supposed to go to, it moved off as it was over-loaded. Bill was halfway down the ladder when the boat moved off, he shouted to Chris Fullerton who was behind him on the ladder, to get back up or they would get struck on the head with rafts that were being thrown into the water from above them. The Lascars were even throwing in basket chairs but the baskets just gave a gurgle and disappeared. There were a few of the lifeboats jammed which had lads on them and one of the guys took an axe and cut the rope at one end then the other, those who were tipped into the water got the boat on top of them. I saw our English Sergeant Major give his last shout for help.

Bill, with a few others, did their best to free the jammed boats, the first one they managed to free fell on to the next deck and smashed in its side. On his way to help with another boat a lad called him over and asked if he would help him and another person who was hurt. Bill did not know the lad that had asked for help, he was covered in blood and was holding onto L/Cpl MacRobbie from the company office. Bill advised the lad to look after Mack and if he found a way off he would be back. Bill helped with the freeing of another boat and by this time they were not far from the water. There were a lot of officers ready to jump into the boat when Bill asked about the two boys, who were hurt, "Do you intend leaving them?" The ship’s mate, who happened to be there, told Bill to fetch the two hurt men. Bill was able to get the two hurt men into the lifeboat and was told to sit between them. They were just clear of the ship when it went down, there was a great cheer got up and they all started singing.

In a comparatively short time HMS Griffin came along side and they were picked up. Major Heddle was on deck and told Bill to go somewhere and lie down. Bill hadn’t gone very far along the deck when he came upon a number of lads being sick in pails, "he bored in about" and joined them. Further on he met a sailor who showed him his hammock and told him to go and lie down. When he woke up rescued men were lying all over the deck. Bill found the men of his own section in another part of the ship, including Andrew Profeit from Alford who was in great pain.

All the time Bill was in the lifeboat and on the Griffin it never crossed his mind that he would not be saved. It was when he was on survivor’s leave that the full impact of the sinking hit him.

Charlie Davidson told Bill Ingram, in 1955, that he was in the crow’s-nest with the captain and they both jumped as it went down, Charlie, being a good swimmer managed to surface and was lucky enough to get a plank or something to hold onto until saved. The captain was never seen again.

Recollections of Survivors, Family and Friends as told to Dick White

Corporal Duncan Anderson, who came from New Pitsligo but now lives in the Edinburgh area, said he had been seasick for two days. He had been at the stern of the boat being very sick over the side. Feeling better he had made his way to the canteen, which was on his deck near the bow, he had only walked 25 yards when there was a big bang and the back of the boat was blown away. He managed to get into a lifeboat but this tipped and landed in the sea upside down. Duncan was straddled on the keel of the upturned lifeboat, nearby, on a life raft was Harry Bruce from Dunecht and George Hutcheon from Monquhitter who shouted for Duncan to get over to them. They stuck out an oar and Duncan ran along the keel of the upturned lifeboat and jumped for the oar and just managed to get hold of it and was pulled onto the raft.

They then started picking up survivors and after some time they tried to get picked up by HMS Griffin but she could not stop as she might have been torpedoed. It was about lunchtime the next day before the Griffin finally was able to get them aboard. The sailors on board the Griffin were brilliant. HMS Griffin landed them at Greenock in the middle of the night where they were billeted in an empty Tate and Lyle factory.

There was nobody there to meet them and they had no food. The people living in the streets around the area invited them into their houses where they were able to get cleaned up and to get fed. This was the Greenock people at their very best.

Mr Bill Alexander now of Watford, lost his father John Graham McLaren Alexander who is buried in Sligo Cemetery. His family have visited the grave. Mr Alexander has been amused by his son who in his younger days talked his way into local Irish clubs by declaring he had a grandfather in Sligo.

Mr C.M. Forbes of Aboyne is another survivor, and recalls that if he had been that night where he was the night before, he might not have survived. He was on guard duty in Number 1 hold right at the bottom of the ship, but came off duty at 18.00 hours. On the night the ship was torpedoed. He had just got into his hammock and settled down when there was an explosion. The ‘abandon ship’ began, and there were lifeboats all around, and the lads were loading into them. Mr Forbes was standing at the side of the ship, and he saw one of the boats loaded with men being lowered down. The lifeboat went down on one end, and they all landed in the water. Rafts that were being thrown from above hit the men and there was blood on the water. Mr Forbes escaped by going down a rope over the side and into a raft. There were about twenty of them on the raft, and they waited about four hours before being picked by the destroyer. The Griffin had nets over the side to which they clung before scrambling up as fast as they could. The sailors grabbed them and bundled them over the rail, since the destroyer could not wait long as they would have been a sitting target for the U-boat. Mr Forbes will never forget the sight of the ship going down. Sadly his friend Peter Sim and another man from Logie Coldstone were not so lucky and their bodies were washed ashore in Ireland.

Mrs Mary Neilson of Rosehearty is the daughter of John Fraser Garvock, who is commemorated on the Dunkirk Nord Memorial. Her mother was 24 when widowed and Mrs Neilson only four and not yet at school.

Mr George G. Ironside of Bucksburn is a grandson, and Mr George Murray of Auchterdarder a great nephew of George Ironside who was lost and is buried on Achill Island, County Mayo. Mr Ironside was a blacksmith and had served in the Royal Engineers in the first war. He could have been exempt from the second war, because of his age. However, he felt a duty and volunteered, again serving in the Engineers. Survivors from the sinking told the family that Mr Ironside managed to get off into the sea and as a fit man and good swimmer he stood a good chance of survival. A witness said he saw him hit by a lifeboat or raft which killed him.

Miss Millie Simpson of Aberdeen tells of her friend John Brown Johnston (known as Jack). He had felt unwell aboard ship and had gone below deck to his bunk. When the torpedo struck, he was trapped on the leg by a two-ton girder. He was released and was with companions on a raft for eight hours before being picked up and taken to East Kilbride and Hairmyers hospital. As the sea was stormy, oil was spread on the water with disastrous results for his injury. It was thought the most seriously injured was Mr Alexander McRobbie of Torry, his surveyor, who had a back injury and was stretchered off. Happily this was not the case, and he survived until 1996. To save Jack’s leg, the medical staff decided to retain his foot but ultimately had to amputate, had penicillin been applied he should have survived, he died of septicaemia on Sunday 25^th August 1940, and is buried at Springbank Cemetery, Aberdeen.

Charles Laing, a farmer from Hill Of Corskie, Dunecht, survived but left the army in 1942 and returned to farming. He died in 1964.

Mr Arthur McGillivray of Inverurie is a survivor, who was picked up at 0200 hrs. by Griffin and taken to Greenock. Mr George Robertson of Alloa, and brother in law of Mr McGillivray is another survivor. He escaped in a lifeboat, along with about eighty others, and was picked up after 6 hours by Griffin. His friend Mr R. Rothnie of Ellon was lost and is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial.

Mr Ronald Murdoch is the brother of Francis George Rennie Murdoch who survived, but is now deceased, He also mentions William Duncan who also survived, but is also now dead. Mr Murdoch recalls his brother telling him that he and William Duncan were on deck when the torpedo struck. Another soldier was standing between Frank and Willie, a metal object, possibly a spanner or such like, struck the solder, and he was killed outright. His brother’s experience encouraged Mr Murdoch to join the navy in 1942 when he was seventeen and a half to try to avenge what had happened.

Mr Alexander Reid of Longside was in his bunk when the torpedo struck and his leg was trapped by a beam until miraculously some movement in the ship caused the beam to move and he was freed. He had some damage to his head caused by bits of metal and was told he had a detached retina in one eye and would never see from it again. He was in Hairmyers Hospital for several months. He was subsequently blind in one eye for over 50 years until a specialist in Aberdeen saw him and said he could see nothing apart from a cataract. The specialist removed it and Mr Reid can now see perfectly well. Mrs Ursula Simpson, his daughter who sent this information, believes there were also two Innes brothers from the village who lost a brother in the sinking.

(There is a Sapper James William Innes of 706 GCC, RE buried at Finner in Donnegal).

Mrs Jean Davidson of Aboyne is the youngest daughter of L/Cpl W.A.G. Rose who was lost and is buried at Ahamplish, County Sligo. His widow was able to go to Ireland and see the grave and met the Garda who found the body, and the minister who performed the burial.

Douglas Sangster, a survivor from New Pitsligo, died in 1993.

William Scott of Bucksburn, and his brother survived and keep in touch with John Murray. Mr Scott knows that William Morris, another of the survivors has now died.

Mr Peter Sim Robertson of Alford is the nephew of Peter Sim who was lost and is buried at Kilcar, Donegal. Mr Robertson visited the grave of his uncle and tells that he met a local man who had attended his Uncle’s funeral, and was able to show him the exact place the body was found. Mr Robertson knows the widow of one of the survivors, Andrew Profeit who died in 1984 aged 84.

Mrs Lorna Glennie of Maud is the daughter of William Thain from Fetterangus who was a survivor, but who died in 1987.

 William Tough

William Tough, from Aberdeen is one of the survivors. He had just come off duty in the galley. He slung his hammock and was making his way to the stern of the ship for a smoke prior to turning in. Fortunately his way was blocked by someone who had made his bed across the doorway. He had to make a detour via the toilet, where Sergeant Bert Rennie was busy with brush and bucket cleaning up the mess of vomit on the floor. The Sergeant asked if he was coming to be sick, "no", he said, seasickness did not bother him. The Sergeant then asked him to grab a brush and give a hand. Just at that moment there was a terrific bang, and the engines stopped dead. They agreed it must be either a mine or a torpedo. Then came the call to boat stations, Sergeant Rennie had served in the navy prior to joining the army, and seeing that there was going to be a mad rush for the gangway leading to boat stations, he and Mr Tough stood at the foot of the gangway and made them go up two at a time. They started singing Roll Out the Barrel, and everybody joined in, preventing any further panic. Mr Tough well remembers William Ollie, the Canteen Officer, standing by the canteen shouting ‘come and help yourselves, everything is free, take the money as well its no use to Davy Jones’. Mr Tough then got on a raft, with a few others, and was rescued six and a half hours later by the destroyer.

Mrs Shirley Dickie of Stuartfield is the granddaughter of John George Wallace from Maud, who was lost. Also on board were his brothers Edward Burnett Wallace who survived and Frederick Wallace who was also lost. Neither of the Wallace brothers has a known grave and they are commemorated on the Brookwood memorial in Surrey.

Mr William F Warrender of Longside survived and remembers the torpedo striking as they were settling in their hammocks. There was little panic, but the sight of kitbags floating in the water resembled bodies. Mr Warrender also mentions his brother-in-law, John Stephen of Bridge of Don, who is still golfing at 88, and Charlie Bruce of Winding Brae who is aged 90.

Mr Ronald Reid of Bucksburn recalls that three of them had a mate who was very seasick. They took dry bread and barley sugar to him. He was just behind the funnel where about 20 motorcycles were stacked. He was still very sick, but quite comfortable, as the heat from the funnel was a help. They left him at about 20.30 hours, and had a chat with the navy gunner on the 4-inch gun, on their way back to their sleeping quarters amidships. They had just time to take off their tunics and get into hammocks when the torpedo struck. Everything went black, and some were in a pretty nervous state. They did their best to calm their companions, and get them to the deck, and boat stations, but things were a bit chaotic. The ropes on the davits had been painted too often and would not run in the blocks. Some of the crew hacked at the ropes with axes to get the boats down, with the result that some were dropping bow first and other by the stern, tipping the occupants into the water. There was very little panic considering the circumstances, it was amazing how calm the majority were. A number of injured had to be helped into the boats. Mr Reid also praises the marvellous job done by HMS Griffin. Throughout the night she circled the open boats and rafts, so that her wash kept them all together, The swell was fairly heavy being some 20 to 30 feet. The U-boat was still in the vicinity and Griffin could not stop for any length of time in case she became victim as well. The survivors only got aboard if their boat happened to be alongside, and they could scramble up the nets as quickly as possible to get onto the ship. Mr Reid was in an open boat which had seats for 50, and there were 71 of them on it. Keeping the bow into the swell was the main priority. They were picked up at 05.30 hrs, and right up to that time only the Griffin was in the area.

THE SHIP

The SS Mohamed Ali el-Kebir

The Mohamed Ali el-Kebir was a ship of 7290 tons, built in 1922 at Greenock. In July 1940 the ship had been requisitioned by HM Government and was used as a troop transport. She is variously described as being OHMS, or as HMT. For this ill-fated trip she was loaded with 732 naval military details, supplies, and equipment. The instructions by the Admiralty were to rendezvous with HMS Griffin and then to continue to Gibraltar. The ship left Avonmouth at 20.00 BST on 5 August 1940 bound for Gibraltar. Lloyds War Losses (2^nd World War Vol 1) states she carried a crew of 162, 1 gunner, and about 697 troops. From various records the composition of the troops seems to have included the following:

• 706 General Construction Company, Royal Engineers – 6 officers and 243 men.
• 15 Company, Royal Pioneer Corps – 6 officers and 289 men.
• Miscellaneous Royal Artillery, Intelligence Corps, and Royal Navy personnel – about 188.

The numbers above are contradicted by other reports.

DETAILS OF THE SINKING OF THE EL-KEBIR FROM AN ARTICLE BY DICK WHITE

The Sinking

At dusk on the 7 August the ship was torpedoed by U-38 in a position 55 North 15 West about 250 miles west of Malin Head, and sank. Gladiolus and Mallow who were in the neighbourhood were ordered to assist and four of the destroyers which had escorted convoy WS2 to a position about 150 further west were also despatched. Griffin saved about 600 men, including 35 wounded and others may also have been saved. Examination of aerial photographs detected a U-boat at L’Orient. (Admiralty War Diary).

The Casualties

Casualties from the Mohamed Ali el-Kebir can be found all along the Mayo, Sligo and Donegal seaboard. Using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission registers, and printouts of 7 August 1940 deaths, it is possible to conclude that some 30 casualties from the ship are buried there in 17 different cemeteries. Others who must have died from injuries sustained while abandoning ship are buried elsewhere.

Casualties from the ship with no known grave are commemorated on appropriate memorials elsewhere. Eleven members of 706 General Artisan Works Company are on the Dunkirk Memorial – Nord, because they had been part of the BEF and have no known grave.

It can be seen from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission registers that thirteen of the casualties from the 706 had homes in Aberdeenshire.

SERVICE IN ENGLAND

The drivers of the Company were not on the el-Kebir; they had been sent to Craigellachie where some of them were teaching others troops to drive. Sometime later they rejoined the Company.

Following their survivors’ leave the Company was re-quipped and reinforced with men from the English regions. They were then sent to the fighter airfields in the South of England. Headquarters and Section 2 were stationed at RAF Henley, Section 1 at RAF Croydon, Section 3 at RAF Detling and Section 4 at RAF Biggin Hill. At 1414 on 1 September 1940 an air raid took place at Henley. Several bombs fell in the vicinity of the men’s billets. Two houses in which men were billeted were demolished. Sapper Wullie J Scott, from Turriff, was struck on the head by splinters and was removed to hospital where he later died.

At RAF Detling, where Section 3 was to be stationed, 74 people had been killed the week before they went there. The private lorries that were being used on the airfield had been left as their drivers had refused to carry on the dangerous work. They had taken the switch keys of the lorries with them, which meant that the 706 drivers had to by-pass the switch to be able to use the lorries. Not long after they had settled in at Detling, German bombers flattened their billets, dining hall and canteen. Luckily there were no causalities. The job of Section 3 was to fill in the bomb craters on the runways before the fighters came back.

From 1 September to 6 September the Company strength rose from 217 to 270. On 6 September the 706 took over the responsibility for the maintenance of the aerodromes from 703 General Construction Company. The work at Biggin Hill consisted of cleaning up after the previous day’s air attack. A new Battle Station was being constructed at the southern edge of the aerodrome, the old one having been destroyed in an air raid. Repairing and maintenance of the barbed wire surrounding the station, digging slit trenches for the RAF and for the Dorset Regiment and repairing bomb craters in the runways. The men also manned the road barrier in the RAF station and three defence posts.

On 10 September 1940 Major Heddle visited Sapper G Johnson who was a patient in Farnborough hospital. It is not known why Johnson was in hospital.

The airfields were continually under attack from the Germans and the 706 were doing the same kind of work up until November 1940. At the height of the enemy activity the Womens’ RAF quarters received a hit and the Company had to take the belongings of the survivors to another camp.

By 15 November 1940 Section 1 was erecting Nissen Huts and concertina wiring at Gravesend RAF Station. Section 2 was widening the main road into Henley RAF Station and constructing concrete pillboxes. Section 3 was digging gun pits and repairing bomb craters on landing ground at Eastchurch. On the 15^th a Messerschmidt 109 made a forced landing on the dispersal area and L/Cpl Fullerton and Sapper

Bowry took the pilot in charge. Section 4 was filling craters on landing ground, erecting Bofors gun magazine and concertina wiring at Biggin Hill. The Company strength at this time was 6 officers and 281 other ranks. By April 1941 the 706 had worked at Kenley, Eastchurch, Gravesend, Biggin Hill, Beckenham and Waltham Abbey

In May 1941 HQ and Sections 1 and 2 were at Bekenham and Sections 3 and 4 were at Cheshunt. The 706 carried out work all over the London area working on command posts, gun emplacements, erecting of Nissan huts and many other construction tasks. At the same time they underwent military training in shooting, erecting of Bailey bridges, mine detecting, demolition, training in the setting and detection of booby-traps. During this period of service some of the wives and children joined their men in England.

The Company was highly thought of and did some excellent work and they could enjoy themselves at the same time. Section 3 was at Barking working on a Royal Artillery camp and was coming back in late at night. The Sergeant Major complained about this as it was disturbing his men. This complaint was brought to the notice of the RE officer in charge. He went away to see into the matter and came back and told the section to carry on as they were, that they were entitled to enjoy their time off for the hard work that they did.

On 16 July 194 2 the 706 General Construction Company Royal Engineers was ordered to convert to the 706 Artisan Works Company Royal Engineers. This was in recognition of the skilled work force serving in the 706. The Company was well thought of by the CRE in the London area.

NORTH AFRICA

At the beginning of February 1943, while still serving at Beckenham, the 706 was ordered overseas. The Company travelled to Glasgow and embarked on the troopship Nea Hellas on 5 February. The first three days of the voyage were fairly rough and a number of the troops suffered from seasickness. The weather improved on the third day and remained good thereafter. The convoy consisted of five ships with destroyer escort. The quarters were rather crowded but the accommodation was reasonably good. The voyage was entirely uneventful.

The convoy arrived at Oran, Algiers at 1630 on 15 February. Three ships of the convoy docked there and the Nea Hellas and one others left during the night and arrived at Algiers at 1200 hours on the 16^th. The transport was in an other ship and it arrived in Algiers on the 21^st and was all unloaded by the 23^rd. Orders were received on the 27^th to proceed by Bone (Annaba) and the 706 embarked on the Royal Ulsterman at Algiers on the 28^th, leaving at 6 o’clock in the evening. The convoy consisted of the Royal Ulsterman, the Royal Scotsman and two destroyers. Enemy aircraft made an unsuccessful attack at 7 o’clock that same evening. On arrival at Bone (Annaba) the men disembarked from HMS Ulsterman and Marched to No. 4 Transit camp and then on to Philippeville were they were accommodated in the casino Jeanne d’ Arc and at No.100 General Hospital. Some of the men remember that they travelled by train to Philippeville but there is ‘no record of this’, it is possible that they were the advance party.

The officers at Philippeville (Skikda) on 1 April 1943 were, Major G I Heddle, Captain I L Maccabe, Lieutenants B A Thurgood, K S O’Connor, J K McKay and 2^nd Lieutenant J G Le Jenne.

The work carried out at Philippeville was at the 100 General Hospital in the construction of Nissan Huts, operating theatre, cookhouses, wards and the construction of a 30,000 gallon reinforced concrete water storage tank. At an RASC Camp at Cork Forest it was in the construction of cookhouses, latrines and ablutions. At Stora Road it was improvement of the hill road above Stora to enable passage of 3.7 Anti Aircraft guns to the top of the cliff. At a Commando Camp it was the provision of a water supply, erection of cookhouses, ablutions, latrines and a boathouse. In March 1943 there was an air raid on Phillippeville Docks and some of the men were sent to repair the damage and fill in the bomb craters. Other work undertaken in Algeria during 1943 was the construction of Petrol Storage Tanks, a POW camp and two POW hospitals.

While all this work was going on the men underwent military training in bridging, mine warfare, and weapon training. If that was not all a large number of men became ill with sickness and diarrhoea apparently due to the Atebrin tablets they had been given for malaria, eighteen men were admitted to 67^th General Hospital. A second issue of the tablets saw 25% of the personnel sick in about three hours with four men admitted to 67^th General Hospital.

ITALY

In November 1943 the 706 embarked on HMT Lactika for St Augusta, Sicily where they stayed only a few days and then to Bari in Eastern Italy. There they immediately started on camp construction and wood felling. From then until June 1944 the unit was at work at a number of different places, Minervino, Spingalle, Foggia, Andria and Barletta. Most of the work was in building staging camps, building reconstruction and at Barletta they worked on the reconstruction of bomb damaged buildings at Windsor Barracks.

While at Bari the ENSA Garrison Theatre-Bari put on a production of Madame Butterfly which would have given the men a sample of Italian culture.

June 1944 saw the 706 in the Rome area but only for a short period as they moved on to Porto San Giorgio where their duties became somewhat dangerous as they were on anti-booby trap duties, searching military installations for enemy mines and booby-traps. By the 31^st of the month they were in Ancona and employed in filling in bomb craters, clearing debris from the principal public streets and clearing the bomb damaged main outfall sewer. It was somewhere in the Ancona region that L/Cpl Joseph Cummine from Inverurie attended a performance put on by the Polish Welfare; he brought back a programme for the Polish Parade 1944 and for a show in Bari.

The 706 camp at Ancona was very good, the officers lived in part of a hotel and the men had billets along the seafront, some of the billets were chalets. The swimming was excellent and there was even a swimming pool that they were able to use after they had cleared it out.

From July 1944 the Commanding Officer was Major F W Saunders.

By the end of July the unit was operating carpenter, blacksmith, electrician, plumber and painters workshops in a building that were very suitable for the purpose. All types of articles were produced for the various formations in their locality. The kind of work they carried out knew no bounds, from road widening, rehabilitation of buildings to be used as unit accommodation, repairs to Army Post Office and Garrison Church and to the roof of Ancona reservoir. In November they constructed an Allied Military Cemetery and began the opening of graves. Other sections were deployed in the maintenance of 40 miles of Route 76, incorporating miscellaneous road works and the maintenance of 14 Bailey bridges. The opening of graves went on into the month of January 1945 and thereafter the unit supervised the operating of the Military Cemetery. Local civilian labour was employed at the Cemetery and was supervised by the 706.

On 10 February 1945 the 706 recovered the body of US airman Patrick P Lynch. I know nothing further about this incident.

By June 1945 some sections of the 706 were up into Austria at a place called Villach and working at Kellerberg Camp and erecting a Displaced Persons’ camp. This must have been approximately 200 miles from Ancona. The complete Company would have been in Austria by July 1945. On 10 August Villach suffered their worst floods in 10 years. That same month alleged thieving of stores by Displaced Persons at Kellerberg gave cause for concern.

From August 1945 the Commanding Officer was Major B A Thurgood.

On 17 August 1945 personnel of release Group 13 were despatched from the unit en route for the UK. The following day was a Theatre holiday to celebrate the end of the war against Japan. Saturday, Sunday and Monday were the days off. The Displaced Persons were not given time off and had to work.

A further release of men in Release Group 14 took place on 23 August with eight vacancies allotted to the unit for leave to the UK. On the 28^th August Lt. D.T. Vaulkhard took over the duties of second in command from Captain WT Oliver who left for other duties.

By 6 October 1945 the unit was down to 91 men, 43 men having proceeded on UK leave on 5 October. Efficient supervision of the three Displaced Persons’ camps under construction became impossible but it was hoped that the situation would improve in two weeks time when men would be returning from leave. It would appear that very few men, if any, returned from leave as it was too near their release date. Work on Displaced Persons’ camps continued at Villach through November into January.

On 9 February 1946 what remained of the Company marched out of their billets and on 23 February the unit was disbanded. Most of the men took up their employment with Aberdeenshire Council where they had left off.

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