Originated from the submariners based at Fort Matilda - progressed on to the Renfrew Fortress and then in 1914 moved to Paisley.
The 1st Renfrew Field Company, Royal Engineers were a Territorial unit based in Paisley, Scotland when war broke out in August 1914. In June 1915 they took up Coastal defence duties in the Clyde and Forth areas. They embarked for the Egyptian Expeditionary Force on the 10th of December 1915 and joined 10th Indian Division at El Kubri. They moved to Ayun Musa on the 19th of Jan 1916 then to Esh Shatt on the 8th of March 1916. On the 17th of April 1916 they sailed from Alexandria to Marseilles and joined 4th Division on The Somme and were redesignated 406th (1st Renfrew) Field Company. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were in action during the The First and Third Battles of the Scarpe, before heading north for the Third Battle of Ypres, where they fought in The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle and The First Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918 they were in action on The Somme, then returned to Flanders fighting in the Defence of Hinges Ridge during The Battle of Hazebrouck and in The Battle of Bethune, The Advance in Flanders The Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy - See more at: http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/royalengineers406fldcoy-gw.php#sthash.q3kuEHDY.dpuf