There were two kinds of engineers in 1914 - field engineers who constructed bridges and roads and demolished the same, and signal engineers, who handled wire and radio communications.
Field
Companies
1st Field Company (New South Wales
and Queensland) [First Division]
Formed New South Wales and Queensland August 1914 for First Division. Departed Sydney Afric 18 October 1914.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
2nd Field Company (Victoria) [First
Division]
Formed New South Wales August 1914 for First Division. Departed Melbourne Orvieto 21 October 1914.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
3rd Field Company (Victoria,
Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania) [First Division]
Formed Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania August
1914 for First Division. Departed Melbourne Geelong
22 September 1914.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
4th Field Company (1) (New
South Wales) [Fourth Division]
Formed Egypt August 1915 from 5th Brigade and reinforcements for Second Division.
Reassigned to Fourth Division, February 1916.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
4th Field Company (2) (New
South Wales) [Second Division]
Formed New South Wales September 1915. Departed Sydney Suffolk 30 November 1915 for Second Division.
Renumbered 7th Field Company, Egypt, February 1916.
Egypt
5th Field Company (1)
(Victoria) [Second Division]
Formed Egypt August 1915 from 6th Brigade and reinforcements for Second Division.
Renumbered 8th Field Company 18 January 1916 and reassigned to Fifth Division, February
1916.
Gallipoli, Egypt
5th Field Company (2)
(Victoria) [Second Division]
Formed Victoria September 1915 for Second Division. Departed Melbourne Ceramic 23 November 1915.
Egypt, Western Front
6th Field Company (Queensland, South
Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania) [Second Division]
Formed Victoria September 1915 for Second Division. Departed Melbourne Ceramic 23 November 1915.
Egypt, Western Front
7th Field Company (New South Wales)
[Second Division]
Formed New South Wales September 1915 as 4th Field Company. Departed Sydney Suffolk 30 November 1915 for Second Division.
Renumbered 7th Field Company, Egypt, February 1916.
Egypt, Western Front
8th Field Company (Victoria) [Fifth
Division]
Formed Egypt August 1915 from 6th Brigade and reinforcements for Second Division as
5th Field Company. Renumbered 8th Field Company 18 January 1916 and reassigned to Fifth
Division, February 1916.
Gallipoli, Egypt, Western Front
9th Field Company (New South Wales)
[Third Division]
Formed New South Wales March 1916. Departed Sydney Ajana
5 July 1916.
Western Front
10th Field Company (Victoria) [Third
Division]
Formed Victoria March 1916. Departed Melbourne Runic
20 June 1916.
Western Front
11th Field Company (Queensland and
South Australia) [Third Division]
Formed Queensland and South Australia March 1916. Departed Adelaide Suevic 31 May 1916.
Western Front
12th Field Company [Fourth Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fourth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
13th Field Company [Fourth Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fourth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
14th Field Company (New South Wales)
[Fifth Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fifth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
15th Field Company (Victoria) [Fifth
Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fifth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
16th Field Company [6th Division]
Formed England March 1917 for 6th Division. Disbanded September 1917. Personnel used
to form 1st Army Troops Company.
England
17th Field Company [6th Division]
Formed England April 1917 for 6th Division from men from the disbanded Royal
Australian Navy Bridging Train. Disbanded September 1917.
England
Field
Squadrons
1st
Field Squadron (New South Wales) [Anzac Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Anzac Mounted Division as Anzac Field Squadron. Renamed
1st Field Squadron 18 July1917.
Egypt, Sinai, Palestine
2nd Field Squadron [Australian
Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt 2 June 1917 for Australian Mounted Division as Australian Field Squadron.
Renamed 2nd Field Squadron 18 July 1917.
Palestine
Anzac
Field Squadron [Anzac Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Anzac Mounted Division. Renamed 1st Field Squadron 18
July1917.
Egypt, Sinai, Palestine
Australian
Field Squadron [Australian Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt 2 June 1917 for Australian Mounted Division as Australian Field Squadron.
Renamed 2nd Field Squadron 18 July 1917.
Palestine
Field
Troops 1st
Field Troop
Formed Australia August 1914 and attached to 1st Light Horse Brigade. Became A Troop,
Anzac Field Squadron March 1916.
Egypt, Sinai
2nd
Field Troop
Formed Australia September 1914 and attached to 2nd Light Horse Brigade. Became B
Troop, Anzac Field Squadron March 1916.
Egypt, Sinai
3rd Field Troop
Formed Australia October 1914 and attached to 3rd Light Horse Brigade. Became C Troop,
Anzac Field Squadron March 1916. Renamed 3rd Field Troop again February 1917 and attached
to Imperial Field Squadron. Assigned to 2nd Field Squadron 2 June 1917.
Egypt, Sinai, Palestine
4th Field Troop (1)
Formed Australia February 1915 and attached to 4th Light Horse Brigade. Disbanded March
1916.
Egypt
4th Field Troop (2) [2nd
Field Squadron]
Formed Egypt February 1917 from personnel of 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments and
attached to Imperial Field Squadron. Assigned to 2nd Field Squadron June 1917.
Palestine
5th Field Troop [2nd Field Squadron]
Formed Palestine July 1918 and assigned to 2nd Field Squadron.
Palestine
D
Field Troop and Bridging Train
Formed Egypt March 1916 as D Troop, Anzac Field Squadron. Reassigned to Desert Mounted
Corps 11 September 1917..
Egypt, Sinai
Railway
Operating Companies
1st Light Railway Operating Company
(Victoria)
Formed Victoria December 1916 as 2nd Section, Australian Railway Troops. Departed
Melbourne Ballarat 19 February 1917 and
torpedoed by a submarine en route 27 March 1917. Arrived Devonport, England 25 April 1917.
Redesignated 55th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company April 1917 and 15th Light
Railway Operating Company August 1917. Renamed 1st Light Railway Operating Company 28
February1918.
England, Western Front
2nd Light Railway Operating Company
Formed Australia January 1917 as 5th Section, Australian Railway Troops. Arrived
England 21 July 1917. Redesignated 16th Light Railway Operating Company July 1917.
Arrived France 4 October 1917. Renumbered 2nd Light Railway Operating Company 28
February1918.
England, Western Front
3rd Light Railway (Forward) Company
Formed France 11 June 1917 as 17th Anzac Light Railway Operating Company.
Renamed 3rd Light Railway Operating Company March 1918. Reorganised as a forward company
and redesignated 3rd Light Railway (Forward) Company 19 September 1918.
Western Front
4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company (Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania)
Formed Australia December 1916 as 4th Section, Australian Railway Troops. Arrived
England 20 July 1917. Redesignated 35th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company July
1917. Arrived France 4 September 1917. Renumbered 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company March 1918.
England, Western Front
5th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company (Western Australia)
Formed Australia December 1916 as 3rd Section, Australian Railway Troops. Departed
Fremantle Militiades 29 January 1917.
Arrived Bordon, England 27 March 1917. Redesignated 59th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company April 1917. Arrived Le Havre, France 12 May 1917. Renumbered 5th Broad Gauge
Railway Operating Company March 1918.
England, Western Front
6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company (New South Wales)
Formed Australia December 1916 as 1st Section, Australian Railway Troops. Arrived
England 11 April 1917. Redesignated 60th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company
April 1917. Arrived France 14 April 1917. Renumbered 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating
Company March 1918.
England, Western Front
Signal
Companies1st Signal Company (New South Wales)
[First Division]
Formed Melbourne August 1914 for First Division. Departed Melbourne Karroo 20 October 1914
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
2nd Signal Company (1)
(Victoria) [Second Division]
Formed Egypt August 1915 for Second Division.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
2nd Signal Company (2) [Second Division]
Formed Melbourne August 1915 for Second Division. Departed Melbourne Ceramic 23 November 1915, Borda 22 December
1914, Geelong, 31 May 1915, Port MacQuarie 3 June 1915. Disbanded
March 1916. Personnel used to form 4th and 5th Signal Companies.
Egypt
3rd Signal Company (Victoria) [Third
Division]
Formed Melbourne March 1916 for Third Division. Departed Melbourne Ascanius 27 March 1916.
Western Front
4th Signal Company (Western
Australia) [Fourth Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fourth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
5th Signal Company (South Australia)
[Fifth Division]
Formed Egypt March 1916 for Fifth Division.
Egypt, Western Front
6th Signal Company [6th Division]
Formed England April 1917 for 6th Division. Disbanded September 1917.
England
Australian
Corps Signal Company
Formed 19 February 1918 from personnel of divisional signal companies and I Anzac
Wireless Section.
Western Front
Signal
Squadrons
1st Signal Squadron [Anzac Mounted
Division]
Formed Egypt 15 March 1916 for Anzac Mounted Division as Anzac Signal Squadron.
Renamed 1st Signal Squadron June 1917.
Egypt, Sinai, Palestine
1st Cavalry Division Signal Squadron [British
1st Cavalry Division]
Formed Australia January 1917 for British 1st Cavalry Division. Contained a
New Zealand Troop, C Troop. Disbanded Iraq April 1918. Despatch riders sent to the Western
Front, remaining personnel to 1st Pack Wireless Signal Squadron.
Iraq
1st Wireless Signal Squadron
Formed by Australianisation of the Imperial unit of the same name. Headquarters and B
Troop formed Australia April 1916. Departed Melbourne Morea 30 May 1915. Absorbed the
existing C Troop on arrival at Basra, Iraq 6 July 1916. A New Zealand troop completed the
squadron, which was known as 1st (Anzac) Wireless Signal Squadron from July 1916 to April
1918, when the New Zealand C Troop left for the Western Front. A new troop was formed from
the disbanded 1st Cavalry Division Signal Squadron to replace it.
Iraq, Iran
2nd Signal Squadron [Australian
Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt June 1917 for Australian Mounted Division.
Palestine
Anzac Mounted Division Signal
Squadron [Anzac Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt 15 March 1916 for Anzac Mounted Division. Renamed 1st Signal Squadron 2
June 1917.
Egypt, Sinai
Australian Mounted Division Signal
Squadron [Australian Mounted Division]
Formed Egypt June 1917 for Australian Mounted Division. Renamed 2nd Signal Squadron 18
July 1918.
Palestine
Signal Troops
1st
Signal Troop [1st Light Horse
Brigade]
Formed Australia August 1914 and attached to 1st Light Horse Brigade. Departed
Melbourne Karroo 20 October 1914. Attached to
MEF HQ, British 29th Division and New Zealand and Australian Division before
rejoining 1st Light Horse Brigade at Gallipoli.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai, Palestine
1st Pack Wireless Signal Troop
(New South Wales and Victoria)
Formed Australia January 1916. Departed Sydney 5 February 1916. Unit redesignated C
Troop, 1st Pack Wireless Signal Squadron on arrival at at Basra, Iraq. At this
time the 1st Wireless Squadron was an Imperial unit, with two British troops, A
Troop in Iraq and B Troop in India.
Iraq
2nd
Signal Troop [2nd Light Horse
Brigade]
Formed Australia September 1914 and attached to 2nd Light Horse Brigade. Departed
Melbourne Borda 22 December 1914. Attached to
MEF HQ, British 29th Division and New Zealand and Australian Division before
rejoining 2nd Light Horse Brigade at Gallipoli.
Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai, Palestine
3rd
Signal Troop [3rd Light Horse
Brigade]
Formed Australia October 1914 and attached to 3rd Light Horse Brigade. Departed
Melbourne Runic 19 February 1915.
Egypt,Sinai,Palestine
4th Signal Troop (1) [4th Light Horse Brigade]
Formed Australia February 1915 and attached to 4th Light Horse Brigade. Departed Sydney Ajana 31 May 1915. Disbanded July 1915.
Personnel used to form 2nd Signal Company.
Egypt
4th Signal Troop
(2) [4th Light Horse Brigade]
Formed Egypt February 1917 for 4th Light Horse Brigade.
Palestine
5th Signal Troop [5th Light Horse Brigade]
Formed Palestine July 1918 for 5th Light Horse Brigade.
Palestine
Signal
Sections
I Anzac
Wireless Section
Formed 1917 by Australianisation of K Corps Wireless Section. Renamed
Australian Corps Wireless Section March 1918.
Western Front
1st
Airline Section
Formed France March 1918.
Western Front
1st
Cable Section
Formed France March 1918.
Western Front
2nd
Airline Section
Formed France March 1918.
Western Front
2nd
Cable Section
Formed France March 1918.
Western Front
3rd Airline Section
Formed Egypt March 1917 for Desert Mounted Corps Signals. Disbanded Palestine 23
August1918. Personnel to 2nd Signal Squadron.
Palestine
3rd Cable Section
Formed Australia March 1917 for Desert Mounted Corps Signals. Departed Sydney Port Sydney 9 May 1917. Disbanded
Palestine 23 August1918. Personnel to 2nd Signal Squadron.
Palestine
4th
Signal Section
Formed Australia September 1914 and attached to 4th Infantry Brigade. Attached to New
Zealand and Australian Division Signal Company February 1915. Disbanded March 1916.
Personnel used to form 4th Signal Company.
Egypt, Gallipoli
8th Signal Section
Formed Australia June 1915 and attached to 8th Infantry Brigade. Disbanded March 1916.
Personnel used to form 5th Signal Company.
Egypt
Australian
Corps Wireless Section
Formed 1917 by Australianisation of K Corps Wireless Section. Renamed Australian Corps
Wireless Section 2 April 1918.
Western Front
Pack Wireless Section
Formed Egypt March 1917 for Desert Mounted Corps Signals by redesignation of C Troop,
1st Signal Squadron. Redesignated A Troop, 2nd Field Squadron June 1918.
Palestine
Signal
Sub-Sections
A1 Wireless Subsection
[1st Division]
Formed 1916 for 1st Division. Absorbed by 1st Signal Company July 1917.
Western Front
A2 Wireless Subsection
[2nd Division]
Formed 1916 for 2nd Division. Absorbed by 2nd Signal Company July 1917.
Western Front
A3 Wireless Subsection
[4th Division]
Formed 1916 for 4th Division. Absorbed by 4th Signal Company July 1917.
Western Front
A4 Wireless Subsection
[5th Division]
Formed 1916 for 5th Division. Absorbed by 5th Signal Company July 1917.
Western Front
B2 Wireless Subsection
[3rd Division]
Formed 1916 for 3rd Division. Absorbed by 3rd Signal Company July 1917.
Western Front
3rd Field Artillery (Army) Brigade Signal
Sub-Section [3rd Field Artillery (Army) Brigade]
Formed January 1917 and assigned to 3rd Field Artillery (Army) Brigade.
Western Front
6th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade Signal
Sub-Section [6th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade]
Formed January 1917 and assigned to 6th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade.
Western Front
12th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade Signal
Sub-Section [12th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade]
Formed January 1917 and assigned to 12th Field Artillery (Army) Brigade.
Western Front
36th Heavy Artillery Brigade Signal
Sub-Section [36th Heavy Artillery Brigade]
Assigned to 36th Heavy Artillery Brigade.
Western Front
Tunnelling Companies
1st Tunnelling Company (New
South Wales)
Formed New South Wales October 1915 as 1st Company of the Mining Corps. Departed
Sydney Ulysses
20 February 1916. Redesignated
1st Tunnelling Company France May 1916.
Western Front
2nd Tunnelling Company
(Victoria and South Australia)
Formed Victoria and South Australia October 1915 as 2nd Company of the Mining Battalion. Departed
Sydney Ulysses
20 February 1916.
Redesignated 2nd Tunnelling Company France May 1916.
Western Front
3rd Tunnelling Company
Formed Australia October 1915 as 3rd Company of the Mining Battalion. Departed
Sydney Ulysses
20 February 1916. Redesignated 3rd
Tunnelling Company France May 1916.
Western Front
4th Tunnelling Company (New South
Wales)
Formed New South Wales March 1916. Departed Melbourne Warilda 22 May 1916. Disbanded France
August 1916. Personnel to 1st Tunnelling Company.
England, Western Front
5th Tunnelling Company (Victoria)
Formed Victoria March 1916. Departed Melbourne Warilda
22 May 1916. Disbanded France August 1916. Personnel to 2nd Tunnelling Company.
England, Western Front
6th Tunnelling Company
Formed New South Wales March 1916. Departed Melbourne Warilda
22 May 1916. Disbanded France August 1916. Personnel to 3rd Tunnelling Company.
England, Western Front
Miscellaneous Engineer Units
I Anzac Light Railways
Formed France 28 December 1916. Disbanded 4 June 1917. Personnel used to form 17th
Anzac Light Railway Operating Company.
Western Front
1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion
Formed La Motte, France 6 June 1916. Entrenching battalions were really
advanced sections of the base depots where drafts could become inured to war
conditions. For a time, all infantry reinforcements were drawn from this unit.
Heavy losses at Pozieres in July through September 1916 caused all the infantry
to be absorbed by fighting units and the entrenching battalion ceased to be
employed this way. It then absorbed surplus tunnelling reinforcements (9 officers
and 203 men) and served as a tunnelling company with the Canadians at St Eloi,
The Bluff and The Ravine (near Ypres). Disbanded 20 October 1917.
Western Front
1st Army Troops Company
Formed England September 1917 from 16th Field Company.
Western Front
Australian Corps Topographical
Section
Formed France 1917 as I Anzac Corps Topographical Section. Redesignated Australian
Corps Topographical Section March 1918.
Western Front
Australian Corps Workshops
Formed France 1916 as I Anzac Corps Workshops. Redesignated Australian Corps Workshops
November 1917.
Western Front
Australian Electrical and Mechanical
Mining and Boring Company
Formed Australia 5 May 1916 as Headquarters Company of the Mining Corps. Departed
Melbourne Warilda 22 May 1916. Redesignated
Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company France 10 October 1916.
Western Front
Australian Railway Group
Formed France 24 February 1918 with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light and 4th, 5th and 6th Broad
Gauge Railway Companies assigned.
Western Front
Engineer Training Depot
Formed May 1916 at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt. Field Section to Christchurch, Hampshire,
England June 1916 and Brightlingsea, Essex, England. The Signal Section was based at
Clifton, Bedfordshire, England. A depot for Engineer units in Egypt was established at
Moascar, Egypt.
Egypt, England
Mining Corps
Formed 5 May 1916. Departed Sydney Ulysses
20 February 1916. Disbanded France 10 October 1916..
England, Western Front
Railway Operating Depot
Formed Borden, Hampshire, England April 1917. Later moved to Longmoor, Hampshire,
England.
England
Page created by Ross
Mallett
ross@metva.com.au
Last update 28 June 2010