7th Field Company - Engineers

	Egypt, 1916. 7TH Field Company - Engineers camp, showing workshops and piles of timber and equipment. AWM P00998.029
	Ismailia 1916 7th Field Company Engineers constructing a jetty at Ferry Post. AWM P00998.008
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Brief History

The 7th Field Company - Engineers was a part of the 2nd Division. Other Engineer units in the 2nd Division were the 5th and 6th Field Companies. During WW 1 the Engineers undertook a raft of tasks broadly divided into mobility, counter mobility and construction as well as survey and mapping, and specialised tunnelling and mining operations. The Field Companies' scope of works concentrated on the former rather than the latter.

They undertook a broad range of tasks including preparation and supervision of the construction of defensive and gun positions, excavation of trenches and dugouts, erection of wire and other obstacles, preparation of command posts, signalling and water supply, field engineering, road and bridge construction and route maintenance. They also undertook obstacle breaching and crossing. For example in the lead up to the attack at Mont St Quentin the Engineers were required to carry out two river crossing / bridging operations.

Battle / Campaign/ Involvement

ANZAC - Gallipoli (/explore/campaigns/1) 25 April 1915 to 19 December 1915
Pozieres (/explore/campaigns/5) 23 July 1916 to 4 September 1916
Mouquet Farm (/explore/campaigns/103) 8 August 1916 to 5 September 1916
Second Bullecourt (/explore/campaigns/6) 3 May 1917 to 17 May 1917
Menin Road (/explore/campaigns/26) 20 September 1917 to 25 September 1917
Broodseinde (/explore/campaigns/18) 4 October 1917 to 5 October 1917
Poelcappelle (/explore/campaigns/27) 9 October 1917 to 9 October 1917
Amiens (/explore/campaigns/14) 8 August 1918 to 11 August 1918
Mont St Quentin/Peronne (/explore/campaigns/15) 31 August 1918 to 3 September 1918
St Quentin Canal/Hindenburg Line (/explore/campaigns/81) 28 September 1918 to 5 October 1918

Seventy seven men died while posted to this unit.

Unit Personnel

Charles Bird 14 Aug - 26 Dec 1917

Individual Honours

7 x Military Cross
1 x Bar to Military Cross
4 x Distinguished Conduct Medal
26 x Military medal
2 x Bar to Military Medal
1 x Meritorious Service Medal
10 x Mentioned in Despatches
1 x Belgium Croix de Guerre

Notes

Unit history - Chatto, R.H. (1936). The Seventh Company (Field Engineers), A.I.F., 1915-1918. Kogarah

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