Instructions regarding War Diaries and Intelligence Summaries are contained in F.S. Regs., Vol. 1. and the Staff Manual respectively Title pages will be prepared in manuscript. |
WAR DIARY or INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY |
Army Form C.2118 |
Unit: 3rd R. Tks. | ||
Month and Year: May 1944 | (Erase heading not required). | Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. DAH Silvertop, MC |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
ALDERSHOT | 1 | 0800 | “B” Sqn to HANKLEY COMMON for Troop training. Honours and awards. Major H.L. Upcott-Gill M.C., Capt. G.A. Morris, 7938440 Tpr Cliff F., 7993326 Cpl Ingram A., Mentioned in Despatches. | |
2 | 0900 | 16 ORs from HQ Sqn to AA Dome Trainer PIRBRIGHT CAMP. | ||
2 | 1430 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. Co-operation with 15(S) Division discussed. Orders and Adm Instructions for three days exercise with 15(S) Div issued. | Appx T/31 | |
3 | 0900 | 16 ORs from HQ to AA Dome Trainer PIRBRIGHT CAMP. | ||
3 | 0930 | AA Troop have use of range at HMS “ST BARBARA”, BOGNOR REGIS through courtesy of the Royal Navy. Range at disposal 4 May. For detail adm and movement orders see Appx T/1 (not included). | Appx T/1 | |
3 | 1030 | Lt Gen Sir Charles H.F. Broad, K.C.B., D.S.O., Representative Colonel Commandant for 1944 of the Royal Tank Regiment inspects the Battalion. For full programme of visit see Appx T/2 (not included). Major G.H. Barker M.C., relinquishes command of “C” Sqn. Major P.F. Burr, M.B.E., assumes command C Sqn. Lt T.M.E. Maloney appointed Bn Camouflage Officer. Capt J.D. Dunlop appointed Bn Swimming Officer. 1 NCO taken on strength. | Appx T/2 | |
4 | 0930 | AA Tp to range BOGNOR REGIS. Entry 3 May and Appx T/1 refer. | Appx T/1 | |
4 | 1600 | “A” Sqn take over from “C” Sqn at HANKEY COMMON on exercise co-operating with 15 (S) Div. Entry 2 May and Appx T/3 refer. | Appx T/3 | |
5 | 0915 | Lt T.M.E. Maloney and Lt W.T. Brooks to IO’s Study Period held under Div arrangements. | ||
5 | 1245 | Major G.H. Barker s.o.s. of Unit and posted as 2 i/c 148 Regt RAC. | ||
6 | 0900 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. 2/Lt R.F. Lemon appointed Bn Fire Officer. Capt A.M. Dixon appointed 2 i/c HQ Sqn w.e.f. 3 Apr 44. | ||
7 | Services. | |||
8 | Routine. | |||
9 | 1430 | Commanding Officer’s Conference – waterproofing. | ||
10 | A Veh waterproofing commences. | |||
10 | 1400 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. | ||
ALDERSHOT | 11 | “B” Vehicle wading at HAWLEY LAKE. Detailed results at Appx T/4 (not included). | Appx T/4 | |
12 | Routine. | |||
13 | Orders to take over 4 Sherman Vcs from Units of 5 Gds Armd Bde issued. | Appx T/5 | ||
14 | 1000 | A1 Echelon exercise under Major H.L. Upcott-Gill, M.C. Object of exercise to test echelon in road discipline – movement forward from harbour area, RT procedure and codes. | ||
15 | 1000 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. Personnel detailed as 1st Line reinforcements for attachment to 8 Corps (257) Delivery Sqn. | Appx T/6 | |
16 | 0900 | Unit Officer’s Selection Board. Pres – Major H.L. Upcott-Gill, M.C., Major P.F. Burr, M.B.E., and Major W.H. Close, M.C. interviews 7940570 L/Cpl Nation J.S. | ||
16 | 1400 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. | Appx T/7 | |
17 | 0930 | – 1145; Capt Wilmot, Corps Camouflage Officer, lectures NCOs and officers on camouflage. | ||
17 | 1400 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. Administration for forthcoming operations overseas referred to as Exercise “OVERLORD”. | ||
18 | 1000 | Lt Gen Sir Richard O’Connor, 8 Corps Commander, lectures to all officers of 11 Armd Div in the Garrison Theatre. | ||
18 | 1200 | – 1400; Ex “HARDWORK”. Wireless exercise on Bde basis to practice Maplay – the new map reference code. | ||
18 | 1615 | Lt Gen Sir Richard O’Connor visits the Bn. | ||
19 | 1400 | Capt Booth, Air Photographic Interpretation Officer attached Division, visits the Bn and discusses the problem of photographic interpretation with Sqn Comds. | ||
20 | 1300 | Commanding Officer attends conference “BREAKER II”. Codeword given to conferences held by General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, KCB, DSO. | ||
21 | Services. | |||
22 | 1430 | Lt T.M.E. Maloney and Capt J.W. Macmillan, MC, to preview of trg films. | ||
22 | 1600 | Capt J.A. Donald, Cdn Black Watch, lectures officers and NCOs on Movement Control. | ||
ALDERSHOT | 23 | 0900 | – 1700; Exercise “MARTHA” – Wireless exercise (static) on Corps basis to practice officers on rear links on the codes to be used on future operations. Same time Unit wireless exercise in progress to fill the air during a period of wireless activity. | |
23 | 1400 | Commanding Officer’s Conference – Ex “OVERLORD”. Commanding Officer issues “Notes on Handling of AA Tp”. | ||
24 | 1000 | – 1400; Ex “BUBBLE” – wireless exercise on Bde basis – object as for Ex “MARTHA” of 23 May. | ||
24 | Capt P. Black, REME, relinquishes command of LAD, 3 R Tks w.e.f. 16 May 44 and is struck off strength from that date. Lt C.G. Dear is promoted A/Capt and appointed BTA. Capt C.E. Anderson relinquishes appointment of BTA. | |||
24 | 0900 | – 1700; Unit Wireless Exercise – object as for 23 May. | ||
25 | 0900 | – 1700; Unit Wireless Exercise repeated. | ||
25 | 0930 | 4 officers and 30 ORs attend Exercise “RED”. Codeword given to inspection and talk by General D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, A.E.F., to officers and ORs of 8 Corps. | ||
26 | 0930 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. | ||
27 | 0030 | 3 R Tks Movement Order No. 10 issued, detailing Sherman Vcs for BELLETOUT ANNEXE range BEACHY HEAD, Q9914. | Appx T/8 | |
28 | Bde Church Parade Service | |||
29 | 1700 | Lt T.M.E. Maloney to Bde to hear lecture on “Air Support” by Capt B. Gibson. | ||
30 | 1430 | Commanding Officer lectures to Bn in Prince Consort Library on forthcoming operation. 1 NCO and 7 ORs taken on strength of Unit. | ||
31 | 0930 | Bde Comds Conference attended by Commanding Officer. | ||
31 | 1400 | Commanding Officer’s Conference. Close leaguer instructions issued. | Appx T/9 |
Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.