No this is the first time I've heard this one. As you know, I'm always interested in hearing any stories regarding our great engineering units. Sounds like an absolutely horrible day with a great loss of lives. How sad!

I have looked further into this event and can confirm that it was the 294th Engineer Combat Battalion that was involved. The later report states that it was a mine-laying excersise that went wrong when the live mines were being collected on completion of practice for the day and the truck rolled back over a mine not yet recovered. The colossal explosion hit C Company and those who died are named at the end of the paragraph.

Sherborne is not too far from me here and I hope to go there some time and photograph the memorial plaque.

I am off to Sherborne in Dorset tomorrow and will be going to the abbey and photographing the memorial to men of the 294th Engineer Combat Battalion. I have been in contact with the abbey secetary by email and she assures me that the memorial is there and I will be able to photograph it. I hope to learn more of this event and will be contacting you on my return.

Colin.

Great. Can't wait to see the photographs from the memorial Colin.

Did you get my email and see the photographs of the 294th memorial?

Colin.

Yes I did. Sorry I haven't answered yet. I reformatted my hard drive and had to reinstall XP, all my programs and my docs this week. Therefore I'm behind answering all my email.

I am displaying the photos below for all to see and thank you for taking the time and sharing these with me.

2nd photo

3rd photo

4th photo

5th photo

Was searching the internet for my father-in-law who was a member of 294th Engineer Combat Battalion during WWII and found your web site. I've heard the story of the training accident many times. I believe my father-in-law was in A Company. While he was not in the immediate area of the blast he was at the scene of the accident shortly after it occured.

If you have additional information on the 294th I would like to share it with my father-in-law. I'm sure he would be glad to share his experiences with you.

Regards,

Bob Christianson

You may want to try and contact this gentleman. I do not know how current the info is, but it's worth trying first:

294th Engineer Combat Battalion

Mr. James G. Hand

157 East Pearl Street

Wellsville, NY 14895

(Newsletter)

(716) 593-5094

Unfortunately I do not have anymore info at the present time. However, I strongly suggest that you contact the Army Corps of Engineers to see if they have a file on his unit. This is a free service. Please tell Michael Brodhead that I sent you.

http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/contact_us.htm

Please see my link on where to go for help.

http://208.56.11.96/Invision/index.php?showtopic=23

My first suggestion? I would try Richard Horrell of WWII Connections. His name is on the link above. He has over 5000 books in his WWII repetoire and may have further info on the 294th.

Once you look through everything, please let me know if you have any further questions. We are always glad to assist!

This tradgedy took place in the grounds that housed the 228th American Hospital in Sherborne, Dorset, UK. During my visit to Sherborne for research purposes I met Mrs Jean Treasure who was employed as a typist in the hospital HQ as a young girl. She was also present on that fateful day. Does your father-in-law remember the hospital and was he involved in the building of the road from the port of Weymouth prior to and for D-Day? As a young airman I hitchiked many times over that road to see my wife in the 1950s.

Colin.

Somehow I found this site and yes my Dad who was in the 294th had told me that story many times. He was in the hospital right at the time of the explosion . The windows blew out the way he told me.