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Organisation > Royal
Engineers > Inland Waterways and Docks
Background
This specialist section of the Royal Engineers
was formed in December 1914 to provide services to develop and operate
transport on the canals and waterways of France and Flanders. It was
at first placed under the Director or Railways but as the requirement
was so different and extensive, a special Directorate was formed in October
1915. The Inland Waterways and Docks operations also extended to the
Mesopotamia theatre, where RE companies became responsible for non-transport
operations on the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates and the many linking channels
and waterways there. IW&D units also operated in Salonika, Egypt
and elsewhere.
Manpower
Up to December 1917 some 1100 officers and almost 30000 men were transferred
to or enlisted directly into the IW&D. At the Armistice, the current
manpower totalled 1666 officers and 28436 other ranks.
Organisation
Depots
At home: The IW&D had Depots HQs at Richborough, Southampton and Poplar.
Nos 1 to 6 Depot Companies were based at Richborough, where there was
also a Personnel HQ and a Tugmasters HQ.
France: HQ of the Officer Commanding IW&D in France and Flanders was based at Aire. Units were Sections 1 to 16 and 24 to 27. These units were aligned to the five Army areas and the Lines of Communication.
Workshop and Shipyard Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. Companies 11-17, 19-27, 37-40 and 43-48 all at Richborough.
France: No 1 Dock Company at Boulogne; No 2 at Le Havre; No 3 at Calais; No 5 at Dunkirk and No 6 at Dieppe.
Construction Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. 96, 97, 117, 118, 132, 136, 141 and 142 Construction
Companies at Richborough. 98, 104, 116 and 122 at Poole; 99 at Southampton; 100-103
at Manston; 105 at Hawkings; 106-108 and 121 at Amesbury; 109 at Lulworth; 119
at Slough; 120 at Farlington.
France: No 1 Port Construction Company HQ at Dunkirk; No 2 HQ at Rang-de-Fliers; No 3 HQ at Oissel-Rouen. No 1 Port Construction Company at Lery; No 2 at Quevilly-Rouen; No 4 at Rang-de-Fliers; No 5 at Les Forts-Bergues; No 6 at Dunkirk; No 7 at Ostend; No 8 at Boulogne; No 11 at Le Havre.
Marine Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. 70-75 Marine Companies at Richborough and 76 at Poplar.
Traffic Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. 56-61 Traffic Companies at Richborough.
Train Ferry Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. 85 and 86 Train Ferry Companies at Richborough
and 87 and 88 at Southampton.
Territorial Force Shore Companies
At home: No 62 TF Shore Company at Southampton.
Stores Companies
At home: HQ at Richborough. 90 and 91 Stores Companies at Richborough.
Accounts Companies
At home: No 95 Accounts Company at Richborough.
Mesopotamia Reserve Companies
One, at Glasgow.
Marine Companies (Scottish
Canal)
At home: No 144 Company at Glasgow.
Craft Repair Companies
At home: No 77 Company at Poplar.
Richborough
It is a little known fact that a completely new and modern port was constructed
for military purposes during the war, at Richborough in Kent. It was highly
secret and was known as a "Q" Port (rather like the "Q" Ships that were
armed merchanmen, disguised to attrract and destroy U-Boats). The site
eventually contained over 500 buildings and also wharves, sidings, a
railway system, camps, workshops, warehouses, stores and shipyards where
the barges were constructed. A new wharf over 2000 feet long had been
built, having mobile cranes and gantries. The River Stour at this point
was widened from 120 feet to 300 feet and dredged to enable large boats
to manoeuvre.
Facilities included roll-on, roll-off ferries for taking entire railway
trucks to France. Tanks, for example, were moved in this very advanced way. The
new port fell into dereliction after the war, although some traces of
it still exist to this day. The modern works of the chemical company Pfizer
is built on ground that was previously part of the complex. In 2004,
as a mark of recognition about this tremendous feat, the Royal Engineers
was granted Freedom of the nearby town of Sandwich.
Tip for researching men of the IW&D
Men who served with the IW&D have RE numbers prefixed
by WR/, but this also applied to men of the Railway companies.
This page is dedicated to the memory of Arthur James Higginson, Company Sergeant Major at Number 1 Depot Company RE at Richborough in 1917.