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: 4th Tk Bn Grenadier Guards
Month and Year: May 1944 (Erase heading not required). Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. H.R.H. Davies
Place Date Hour Summary Reference
OTTERDEN 1 1500 Sqns were at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for interior economy to-day. Ususal maintenance parades.
2 1500 Interior economy and maintenance.
3 1500 Interior economy again to-day. The Commanding Officer held a conference to-day. A Court of Enquiry was held and officers received new identity cards.
4 1500 Normal Sqn training and maintenance parades. Wireless silence ceased to-day. Saturdays and Sundays are now working days. Personnel have 24 hours leave each week.
5 1500 Sqn training and maintenance. The Commanding Officer inspected billets this morning. Major D. Fisher-Rowe is posted to G.A.T.W. to date May 1st and Major C.M.F. Deakin is posted to the Bn as Second in Command also to date 1st May 1944.
6 1500 Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for normal training. Maintenance and interior economy.
7 1500 Normal Sqn training and maintenance.
8 1345 There were normal parades and interior economy throughout the Bn to-day.
9 1500 The Lieutenant Colonel visited the Bn to-day. Normal training continued. A Field General Court Martial assembled at SHORNCLIFFE.
10 1715 Personnel fired 75 mm at SHORNCLIFFE to-day. Remainder at the disposal of Sqn Leaders.
11 1600 Sqns at the disposal of Sqn Leaders. The Bn attended a lecture by the Intelligence Officer in the afternoon.
12 1500 A Bn drill parade to-day under the Adjutant, followed by normal training and maintenance.
13 1500 The Commanding Officer held a conference, otherwise the usual maintenance and Sqn training parades.
14 1400 Sunday. Personnel paraded for church at OTTERDEN.
15 1500 HQ Sqn carried out firing at CONYER Range to-day. Remainder normal training and interior economy.
16 1700 Today Sqns carried out firing 75 mm into the sea at SHORNCLIFFE, all day.
17 1500 All officers attended a lecture at Bde HQ on signal security. Otherwise Sqns were at the disposal of their Sqn Leaders.
18 1500 The Bn paraded for drill. There was a Bn netting practise. There was a wireless exercise from 1345 hrs to 1700 hrs. Captain A.G. Heywood is posted to the 2nd Bn to date 15 May 44. Lieut J.R.C. Higgin is posted to the Bn and No 1 Sqn to date 15 May 44.
19 1500 The Commanding Officer held a conference. Otherwise usual training programme.
20 1500 Courts of Inquiry were held, training normal within Sqns.
21 1500 Sunday. Personnel paraded for church at OTTERDEN.
22 1500 Sqns were at the disposal of Sqn Leaders to-day.
23 1900 The Bn took part in Exercise “Slasher”. This was a wireless scheme and lasted 24 hours. A Bn “O” Group was held at 0915 hours. Remainder at disposal of Sqn Leaders.
24 1500 Lieutenant General Sir H.C. Loyd KCB, DSO, MC, Major-General commanding Brigade of Guards, visited the Bn to-day. Normal training continued.
25 1500 A Court of Inquiry was held to inquire into injuries received by No. 2619651 Gdsn Wilkin H. of No 3 Sqn.
26 1500 Drill parade to-day. Personnel carried out firing at SHORNCLIFFE. There was also a Bn wireless exercise. Officers as detailed took part in signal exercise “Heinrich”.
27 1500 The Commanding Officer held a conference. The Bde Commander addressed officers. W/Os S/Sgts and Gold Sgts this afternoon.
28 1500 Sunday. Bn paraded for church. W/S Lieut. R.H. Monteith is promoted Acting Captain to date 15 May ’44. Normal Sqn training.
29 1500 The Bn was at the disposal of Sqn Leaders for normal training.
30 1900 The Bn attended a service at Canterbury Cathedral. The remainder of the day was a holiday. 2/Lieut. P.N. Railing is promoted Lieutenant to date 15 May ’44.
31 2000 The Bn fired at SHORNCLIFFE to-day. There was a dental inspection. Also a Bn netting practise.

Disclaimer: This War Diary is based on its original, but typos might be corrected. For historical research, always check the originals.