My father, Don (John Donihee) Mateer, RCE

[Helen Henson]

Just like everyone else, we had a father who did not talk to his children about the his WWII service.

We've gotten Dad's service records, but I still need help!

He was SOS from "C.E.R.U." on May 13, 1944 and transferred to "X4 List R.C.E." He embarked U.K. on June 2, and landed in France June 6. Later, on September 10. he was SOS from X4 List 10 Bn to the 9th Canadian Field Squadron R.C.E.

However, he didn't stay with that squadron long, as his jeep hit a land mine on September 30. We were never quite clear about whether that happened in Holland or Belgium. He was wounded and SOS to "X3 List R.C.E." He returned to England and came home to Canada in early 1945.

We are requesting the war diaries of the 9th Field Squadron, but it seems that most of the time Dad spent that summer was with somebody else!

What would X4 List, and X4 List 10 Bn be? I have a funny feeling that engineers were assigned all over, and that it will be very difficult to figure out what our father (a lieutenant) would have been doing. He did say, when we went across a Bailey bridge, that he had built those during the war.

Can anyone help, please? And whether or not, thanks for this site! It is wonderful...

Helen Henson