Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

7th Field Company Engineers

Each Division had three Field Engineer Companies under command, numbered the same as the Brigades of the Division.

The 2nd Division thus had the 5th 6th and 7th Field Companies of Engineers on strength.

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.

Engineers also had responsibility for signalling although this function  became more specialised as the war progressed, eventually leading to the creation of a separate Signals Corps (pronounced 'core').

Unit History

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

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

Reinforcement Groups

• 7th Field Company Engineers (December 1915): Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A23 Suffolk 22 December 1915

• 7th Field Company Engineers: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A23 Suffolk 30 November 1915

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 1: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A40 Ceramic 30 November 1915

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 2: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A35 Berrima 17 December 1915

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 3: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A54 Runic 20 January 1916

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 4: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A67 Orsova 11 March 1916

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 5: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A15 Star Of Victoria 31 March 1916

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 6: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A40 Cermaic 14 April 1916

• 7th Field Company Engineers, Reinforcement 7: Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A20 Hororata 2 May 1916

We would particularly like to encourage individual historians researchers or members of unit associations to contribute to the development of a more detailed history and photographs pertaining to this unit and its members.

Please contact admin@vwma.org.au (mailto:admin@vwma.org.au) for details on how to contribute.