In
1914, the General Headquarters of the BEF in France and
Flanders incorporated a GHQ Signals Company, two Corps
Signals Companies (one each for I and II Corps), and
specialist units for railways and printing. GHQ always
maintained certain engineering units, including the Special
Companies RE whose job was gas warfare, Meteorological,
Special Works Park (camouflage) and other specialists.
As
the Army grew in size, the number
of Corps increased, and were organised into Armies. At
Army level, several different types of Engineers units
developed, and Corps were left with only one Company-sized
unit, in motor and cable sections. Each of the 5 Armies
on the Western Front contained the
following, with the establishment varying between Armies
and over time.
- Advanced
RE Parks (responsible for stores and dumps of goods
and equipment)
- Pontoon
Parks (looking after bridging equipment)
- Tunnelling
Companies (for offensive or defensive mining, as
well as building saps and other earthworks)
- Electrical
and Mechanical Companies (responsible for machinery,
including underground boring)
- Army
Workshop (for repairs and maintenance of equipment)
- Field
Survey Battalion (for cartography, observation, sound
ranging and flash spotting of enemy artillery)
- Anti-Aircraft
Sections (searchlight operations)
- Army
Troops Companies (established similar to Field
Companies, but for behind-the-lines bridging
and water work)
- Tranportation
Works Companies (maintaining vehicles)
- Forestry
Companies
