War Diary: 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ - Most Secret War Diary

Month and year: May 1944

The 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ kept two war diaries for the period of February to May 1944, the standard war diary and a "Most Secret" diary containing details of Operation Overlord, this is the most secret diary.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/670

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Page 1 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
May 1		Bde I.O. with Bde Sigs Offr left Bde HQ for marshalling area for
		Exercise FABIUS.
2	1500	Bde Comd, Bde I.O. Sigs Offr and Signal party embarked on HMS ALBRIGHTON
		for Exercise FABIUS.
3		D Day Exercise FABIUS postponed 24 hours.
4		D Day Exercise FABIUS.
	1400	Bde HQ established at LEIGH PARK158294 Bns 689 DLI concentrated area
		1528, 1529.
6	1800	Bde HQ returned to TOOTHILL CAMP from LEIGH PARK. Bns also returned to
		previous locations.
7	1430	Bde Comd attended an A and Q planning conference at Army HQ PORTSMOUTH.
8	1030	Bde Comd attended conference with GOC at HQ 50 (N) Div.
9	1000	Bde Comd visited HQ 50 (N) Div and discussed D/F plan with BM RA.
	1500	Comd 69 Bde Brig KNOX DSO visited Bde HQ and discussed his plan for
		forthcoming operation with the Bde Comd, also deciding upon the composition

Page 2 of 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			and command of the group to form a joint post between the two Bdes on their
			final objective. BM and Bde I.O. also attended.
		1800	Comd 56 Bde Brig PEPPER visited Bde HQ and discussed his plan for
			operation OVERLORD with the Bde Comd. It was decided that the composition
			of the group forming the joint post between the two Bns on their final
			objective on D Day should be similar to the post established with 69 Bde.
		1900	50 (N) Div O.O. No. 1 for Operation OVERLORD issued.
			50 (N) Div Adm Order No. 1 for Operation OVERLORD issued.
	11	1030	Bde Comd attended a demonstration carried out by troops of 6 DLI at LEPE
			(884186) to practice the disembarkation of personnel from LCI by means of
			LCM.
			I.O. 69 Inf Bde called at Bde HQ to see Bde I.O. who supplied him with a
			trace of the proposed Bn positions on the final objective on D Day.
NIGHTINGALE	12	1400	Bde H.Q. closed at TOOTHILL Camp and reopened at NIGHTINGALE Camp.
CAMP.		1830	Bde Comd held a conference in the Briefing Centre. C.Os of Bns 2 i/cs BM

Page 3 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
		and Bde I.O. attended. The Bde Comd presented the outline plan of
		50 (N) Div for operation OVERLORD and dealt in detail with the Bde plan
		for the operation. He also explained the policy of 50 (N) Div re "briefing"
		of junior officers which would take place at a later date on "bogus" maps.
13	1000	The Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the European Theatre,
		General Dwight D. Eisenhower U.S. Army visited the Bde and inspected all
		units of the Bde group.
	1500	Bde Comd visited HQ 50 (N) Div and subsequently proceeded to LEPE (884186)
		to attend a conference with Force G.3 when the naval plan for operation
		OVERLORD was discussed. BM also attended this conference.
15		Bde Comd held a conference at Bde HQ at which questions of signal
		communications with the mobile column of 6 and 9 DLI on operation OVERLORD
		was discussed. C.Os of Bns attended together with BM GSO (III) Bde I.O.
		and Bde Sig Offr.
	1730	Bde Comd saw C.O. 4/7 DG reference an R.V. on D Day for his squadron comd

Page 4 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
		to meet C.O. 6 DLI.
		Bde instr issued re Exercise on 16th practising the unloading of LCI by LCM.	Appx J
16		Bde Comd accompanied by GSO III attended the Exercise carried out by Bns
		and Bde HQ personnel to practice the unloading of tps and equipment from
		LCI by LCM.
17		151 (Durham) Inf Bde O.O. No. 101 for operation OVERLORD issued.	Appx H
		151 (Durham) Inf Bde Intelligence Summary No. 101 issued.	Appx. I
19	1000	GSO III attended conference at 69 Bde at which certain aspects of
		operation OVERLORD was discussed.
	1430	Bde Comd conferred with C.Os of each 689 DLI on their draft plans for
		operation OVERLORD.
20	0930	Bde I.O. attended Force G.3 HQ to attend Exercise for stand by assault
		plan for HMS ALBRIGHTON.
		Bde Comd attended a conference at which Gen. Montgomery addressed Senior
		Commanders on the subject of the OVERLORD Operation.

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War Diary: 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ - Most Secret War Diary

Month and year: May 1944

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