34 Combat Engineer Regiment (34 CER)
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3 FER is the Combat Engineer unit supporting 34 Canadian Brigade Group (34 CBG) in Quebec. 3 FER was formed in 1948.
The Montreal Engineer Company
On December 21st, 1862, the Montreal Engineer Company was raised under the command of Captain Robert Forsyth. The following year a second company was raised under the command of Lieutenant William Kennedy. The two companies were later amalgamated into a single unit with Major William Kennedy commanding. This unit was supporting the militia as required throughout the 1870s and 1880s. The Montreal Engineer Company was disbanded on 16 December 1892, five days short of its 31st birthday. It will be more than a decade before military engineers were once more in Montreal.
4 Field Company Canadian Engineers
On February 1st, 1903, a new field company in Montreal was formed under the command of Major S.Howard. Recruiting for the company was conducted in the downtown area and in Westmount. In August 1904 the unit was officially named No 4 Field Company Canadian Engineers. On May 12th, 1911, Major H. Harrison took command of the regiment, and in turn handed it over on October 18th, 1913, to Captain R. McClyle. Major Harrison was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and went on to command the 4th Divisional Engineers.
At the outbreak of World War One, 4th Field Company Canadian Engineers went overseas as part of the 2nd Canadian Division. The unit arrived in France after training in England in September 1915 where it was immediately sent to the front. 4th Field Company experienced the misery of trench warfare first hand as it slogged through the winter months. Many of the fine young soldiers of the company met their fate in the first winter of the western front, including Lieutenant A.W. McKnight and Sappers J. McDonald and T. Luckman.
The company saw its first major action at the St. Eloi craters in April 1916. The sappers went forward to help the infantry defend a series of craters blown under the German lines, but the terrain soon turned into a mud bath as rain poured down for days. The Germans were quick to counter-attack, and during this battle, 4th Field Company distinguished itself time and again. Lieutenant R.W. Powell and Corporal C.H. Curtis repelled numerous enemy soldiers trying to overrun the Canadian positions, all the, while continuously building up the field defenses and laying wire. Lieutenant Powell was awarded the Military Cross and Corporal Curtis the Military Medal for their Bravery.
The company supported operations during the Somme offensive and later in the fall at Courcelette. Throughout the battles, the sappers enabled the Canadian Corps to live, move and fight in the field, in spite of terrible enemy artillery and machine-gun fire. During the first months of 1917, the company assisted in numerous raids against the German lines, and later took part in the assault of Vimy Ridge. In 1918, the company fought at Arras, Amiens, the Drocourtqueant Line and the Canal du Nord.
At the Canal de l'Escaut, the newly formed 4th Battalion Canadian Engineers won the first and the only Victoria Cross in the engineer corps. While moving forward to secure the bridges across the Canal, Captain C.N. Mitchell MC, raced onto a bridge under the most severe enemy machine-gun fire, and ignoring a group of Germans trying to counter-attack, and another group trying to destroy the bridge, he ripped out the wiring and the charges before they could be detonated.
The 4th Field Company returned to Montreal after the war to continue its service as a militia unit. At the outbreak of World War Two, it was once more off to Europe, this time as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. The company served in Italy for most of the war, returning to Northwest Europe near the end.
16 Field Coy Royal Canadian Engineers
Participation in Normandy Landings, June 6, 1944
Following Hitler's invasion of France and the subsequent Battle of Britain, it became obvious that a greater commitment of troops would be required from Canada. Included with this would be the engineer units for a third and fourth division. 16 Field Coy was formed on 2nd July 1940 in Montreal under Major A.S. Rutherford, and sailed for England late June 1941.
In 1944, the time came to open the second front against Hitler in Europe, and this plan, known as "Overlord" went into effect on the night of June 5th and 6th. While allied paratroopers dropped in the darkness into France behind enemy lines, in the Channel, Hundreds of ships sailed towards the coast of Normandy to launch the greatest amphibious assault ever. 3rd Canadian Division would land at "Juno" beach beside the British 3rd Division at "Sword" beach and the British 50th Division at "Gold" beach.
The Canadian engineers landing at D-Day consisted of 5th, 6th, 16th and 18th Field Coys, Royal Canadian Engineers and the 3rd Field Park Coy. The 16th Field Coy was assigned along with 6th Field Coy to support 7th and 8th Canadian Infantry Brigades landing at "Mike" and "Nan" beaches.
The Royal Canadian Engineers uses the motto "First in... Last out", and this is said with absolute truth and distinct pride. Before the first infantry and tanks could make their way onto the beaches in Normandy, the Royal Canadian Engineers was put ashore to clear the way. Landing at H-Hour, 16th Field Coy was responsible for clearing mines and obstacles while in water up to their waists and under direct fire from German positions inland. As the infantry overran the enemy positions, 16th Field Coy moved inland to support their operations. Enemy snipers were the worst problem. While traveling between clearance parties in the mid-afternoon, Major C.V. Hamilton was wounded three times, through fortunately not mortally. Major Cunnington then took over 16th Field Coy.
On April 30th, 1945, the war in Europe was over. Both 4th Field Company and 16th Field Company had ended the war in northwest Europe, and were soon returned to Canada where the two companies were demobilized. In deciding the post-war makeup of Canada's army, the Minister of National Defense wanted to ensure that all units which had active counterparts in the war had a continuing role at home. As such, Headquarters 3rd Divisional Engineers was formed in Montreal from the pre-war Headquarters 4th District Engineers. It's commander, Lieutenant Colonel M.L. Tucker DSO, had seen extensive service in north-west Europe as the Commanding Officer of 23rd Field Company of Royal Canadian Engineers. It was his unit that helped evacuate the besieged British paratroopers from Arnhem across the Rhine in 1944. For his leadership in the operation, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Lcol Tucker DSO took command of the new 3rd Division Royal Canadian Engineers HQ on July 1st, 1946.
3 Field Engineer Regiment
In 1947, the 4th and 16th Field Companies was brought under the command of the 3rd Division Royal Canadian Engineers HQ, which became the origin of the present day regiment. The following year, the unit officially acquired the status of regiment, becoming the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment. In 1949, the regiment moved to Hillside Armories in Westmount, where it has remained to the present day.
