War Diary: 1st Battalion Buckinghamshire Regiment

Month and year: January 1944

During the 1st Battalion Buckinghamshire Regiment January 1944 war diary the unit is mainly based at Strathpeffer, Scotland taking part in exercise Grab, ROUNDABOUT IV

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1269

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Page 1 of 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
STRATHPEFFER	1		Lt Col RDR Sale, TD was awarded OBE (Military Division) in the New Year's Honours, Capt Rev RJE Dix, Ch F received MRE and Sjt Instr S. RIDER, APTC
			the BEM,
		0800	Exercise SMASH postponed for twenty-four hours, owing to inclement weather.
			Wef 1 Jan 44 overseas documentation was introduced within the Unit and administration is carried out by GHQ 2nd Echelon.
	2	0915	Exercise SMASH cancelled. All elements of 6 Beach Gp which were to have landed "wetshod" returned from conc areas.
		1030	Church Parade for all units in STRATHPEFFER.
	3	1400	Comd Offr attends conference at HQ 101 Beach Sub Area. QMS(ORS) K.BATEMAN
			left for 2nd echelon, 21 Army Group.
	4		Visit of Comd 3 Br Inf Div, Maj Gen TG RENNIE, DSO, MBE who was accompanied
			by comd 101 Beach Sub Area.
	6		Comd Offr visited HQ 103 HAA Regt RA.
	7		Conference for exercise GRAB at BRAHAN CASTLE. All Comds of Units in 6 Beach Group were briefed from cloth model of the exercise area.
	8		Wetshod parties moved to Assembly Area, in accordance with 6 Beach Gp Movement Order No 1.
	9		Dryshod parties moved to Assembly Areas in accordance with 6 Beach Group Mov. Order No 2. The party for GREEN Beach was billeted in two churches and
			three granaries at BURGHEAD and the party for WHITE beach in three 'robins' and two 'super robins' lent by RAF Sta KINLOSS,
	10	0940	H Hour for exercise GRAB. Comd Offr was chief umpire of the Beach Gp. Comds 1 Corps, 3 Br Inf Div and 101 Beach Sub Area visited Beach Gp HQ during
			the day.
	10		5381657 CSM K.BATEMAN long associated with the Rn sustained a severe injury
			to his leg and is admitted to Fort George hospital.
			/11th

Page 2 of 4

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
11	1200	Cease Fire' The exercise was designed to test the Beach Group in the assault phase, ie in landing large numbers of personnel and vehs of the
		assaulting division. D. Day conditions were very difficult, the weather being-particularly inclement.
	1830	Convoy left BURGHEAD area for STRATHPEFFER. Roads were ice bound and progress elow
12	0400	Arrival of convoy.
	1000	Comd Offer Beach Coy Comds (Maj RGH BROCKLEHURST and Maj H.C. le NEVE FOSTER) attend conference at HQ 101 Beach Sub Area to decide on landing priorities
		for Beach Gp from H to H+90. Staff table issued showing assault and Residual Scales of an Inf Bn.
13	1000	Conference at HQ 101 Beach Sub Area contd.
15	1015	Conference at HQ 3 Br Inf Div on exercise GRAB. Comd 3 Br Inf Div addressed all Officers.
16	1015	Church parade.
	1115	Conference for all and ORs down to and incl Cpls in Exercise GRAB.
20		Exercise ROUNDABOUT IV, 6 Beach Gp Movement Order No 1 issued.	A'
21		Administrative Instruction No I issued	B'
22		6 Beach Gp Operation Order No 1 together with 1st Key Plan issued also Administrative Instr No. 2.	C' 'D'
		IO leaves group and is attached to 101 Beach Sub Area for an indefinite
		period.
23	0830	Advance road parties leave present locations for exercise area GOSFORD and GUILANE, E.LOTHIAN in accordance with App A to 6 Beach Group Movement
		Order No 1.
	1115	Gp Comd holds briefing conference on exercise ROUNDABOUT in the Pavilion Strathpeffer for Comds, WOs and NCOs down and incl Cpls.
24		Advance rail parties leave for GOSFORD And GULLANE in accordance Appx B to 6 Beach Gp Mov Order No 1. Gp Comd and MLO leave for exercise area.	E' and 'F'
		6 Beach Gp Mov Orders Nos 2 and 3 issued

Page 3 of 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	25	0830	Movement of main body begins. Vehs of Group at assault scale leave at 0830 hrs
			staging for one night at PERTH and arrive at exercise area 1300 hrs the following day.
		1930	First half of main body leaves by rail beginning at 1930 hrs arriving exercise area approx first light the following day.
	26	1935	Second half of main body leaves by rail beginning 1935 hrs arriving exercise area approx first light the following day.
GOSFORD HOUSE	27-28		Settling-in and final preparations for exercise completed.
		1500	O.Gp assembles and final orders issued by Gp Comd.
	29		D.Day During the early hours WETSHOD parties leave the camp for GRANTON harbour where they embark. DRYSHOD parties assemble in marshalling areas
			then move in tpt to exercise area and are re-assembled ready to feed in on beaches in accordance with the Landing Table.
GULLANE			H Hour. 1st elements of Beach Gp land deployment proceeds smoothly.
		1200	R' Gp lands. Gp Comd assumes control of beaches and established Command
			Post Initial recce of BMA is carried out by 2IC.
		1420	Wheeled veh exit on red beach is opened.
		1620	Wheeled and tracks exit completed on DOG GREEN. Wheeled exit on DOG RED completed. All Beach Areas cleared of mines.
		1700	Orders received that 1st Flight of coasters will sail from LEITH D+1 0830 hrs.
		1900	Additional exit under construction for GREEN Beach. DUKW (exit and entrance)
			tracked for two way traffic.
	30	0010	Water point opens. The whole of the BMA ready to operate and receive and issue stores.
		0945	Coasters sail from LEITH 0845 hrs. 2nd Key Plan issued.
		1210	1st coaster beached on DOG RED. Unloading commenced by DUKW's 1245 hrs.
		2359	During the first twenty four hours approx 800 tons of stores were unloaded.
			The Weather appears determined to oppose the keen-ness and enthusiasm of the troops to unload a record tonnage of stores by continuing to blow at gale
			force making the unloading a hazardous and difficult project.

Page 4 of 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	31		4 more coasters sail from LEITH.
		1415	The use of GAS reported imminent against the BMA.
		2359	The weather continues unabated with the result that it was only possible
			to unload a total of 553 tons during the second twenty four hours.
			EXERCISE ROUNDABOUT IV continues.
			OFFICERS PROMOTIONS; APPOINTMENTS, POSTINGS etc.
STRATHPEFFER	6		Capt JD BICKNELL relinquishes appointment of Adjt 1 Bucks wef 6 Jan 44 and
			assumes appointment of Staff Capt within WE of 101 Beach Sub Area and attached to 6 Beach Group.
			Capt M FLOWER assumes appointment of Adjt 1 Bucks wef 7 Jan 44 (vice Capt J. D. BICKNELL posted)
	7		Lt NL SMITH appointed A/Capt wef 7 Jan 44 (vice T/Capt FLOWER appointed Adjt).
	23		2/Lt As EMMENS to be War Sub Lt wef 1 Nov 43.
GULLANE	31		2/Lt LC SHILLING posted to this unit wef 22 Jan 44
			Lt P. B. AYRES " " " " 2/Lt D. J. O. DEFRIEZ " " " "
			2/Lt J.W. SMITH " " " 23 Jan 44 2/Lt D.A. CHATHAM " " " "
			2/Lt CE MORLEY " " " " Lt C DUNKLEY " " " "
			Lt R.D. VASEY " " " " Lt D.O. EDEN " " " "
			Lt R. S. CARLEY POCOCK " " "

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War Diary: 1st Battalion Buckinghamshire Regiment

Month and year: January 1944

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