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    War Diary: 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment - B Squadron

    Month and year: December 1944

    The 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment B Squadron December 1944 war diary covers the units time in the UK while based at Earls Colne

    National Archive Reference: WO 171/1234

    The "References to Appendices" column for this document was empty so has been omitted.

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    Page 1 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne.1stNormal Routine. Conversion Course and Tiger Moth Flying.
    Lieut. G.R. Millar appointed Captain.
    Lieut. J.H. Barclay appointed Captain.
    Earls Colne2ndNormal Routine. Conversion Course and Tiger Moth Flying.
    Earls Colne.3rdNormal Routine. Conversion Course Night Flying cancelled.
    Earls Colne.4thAll available Squadron Personnel not flying - firing on Middlewick
    Range. Conversion Course and Tiger Moth flying.
    Earls Colne.5thFiring on Middlewick Ranges. Major Toler proceeds on Leave. Captain
    Leschallas assumed command. Conversion Course and Tiger Flying.
    Earls Colne.6thSix (6) N.C.O's. with Captain Millar i/c attended funeral of S/Sgt.
    Startup. Visit of Press Representatives to Squadron. (Drill,
    Section attack and Bren Gun training) Massed "take off" in afternoon.
    Exercise "DEMONSTRATION" (20 Gliders).
    Earls Colne.7th20 Gliders from "B" Squadron participate in Exercise "RE-CURRENT",
    landing at Great Sampford.
    Page 2 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne8thNormal Routine. No flying. S/Sgt. Bermingham tried by Field General
    Court Martial. "B" Squadron represented in the the inter-squadron
    Cross Country - Position 3rd.
    Earls Colne9thR.A.F. Glider Pilots return from Leave. Normal Routine.
    Earls Colne10thNORMAL ROUTINE.
    Earle Colne.11thS/Sgt. Geary and Sgts. Bristow and Wellard forced landed in YORKSHIRE,
    whilst an endurance flight (6 hours) Normal Routine.
    Earls Colne,12thNormal Routine. Major Toler returns fron Leave,
    Earls Colne13thNormal Routine. All personnel not flying carried out Initiative Route
    March. Four Sgts and S/Sgts. reported to Chelsea Barracks for Street
    Fighting Course.
    Earls Colne.14thNormal Routine. The Air Officer Commanding 38 Group arrived to
    interview all R.A.F. Glider Pilots. Squadron Personnel not flying
    carried out "Treasure Hunt" Cross Country Exercise.
    Earls Colne.15thExercise. Mass take off 20 Horsa combinations, all took off;
    Page 3 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne.15threturned owing to bad visibility (Fog). Local Tiger Moth training.
    F/O. Watkins with advance party of "3 Flight" left for Tarrant Rushton.
    Captain Ashon with S/Sgts. Waring, Perfect, Jones and Cook arrived
    from Tarrant Rushton.
    Earls Colne.6thP/O. Marshal returned from Street Fighting Course, Chelsea Barracks.
    Lieut. Rew and party firing on the Middlewick Range.
    Earls Colne.17thCaptain Norton and F/O. Tye with main party left for Tarrant Rushton.
    Lieuts. McElroy, Gregorson ana Guest arrived with main party from
    Tarrant Rushton.
    Earls Colne.18thP/O. Marshall left for Tarrant Rushton by train. Lieut. Hubble and
    party firing on the Middlewick Range. F/O. Simpson appointed Intelligence
    Officer and returned 41 Escape Purses to Wing Intelligence Room. S/Sgts.
    Wedge and Barnes arrived in Hamilcar from Tarrant Rushton. S/Sgts.
    Baldwin and Michie left in Horsa from Breton, Yorks.
    Page 4 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne19thBriefing for Exercise "ROUNDABOUT" postponed owing to Fog. (Wed. 20th
    Dec.) Captain Barclay left to carry out Lecture Tour in the North.
    Lieut. Powell returned from Sick Leave. Sgt. Bennett returned from
    Chelsea Barracks.
    Appointments:- Captain Millar to be 2nd i/c and Officer i/o Flying.
    Lieut. Powell to be Officer i/c Military Training.
    F/O. Stringer. to be Officer i/c No.4 Flight.
    F/O. Wray to be officer I/C No. 20 Flight.
    Lieut. Gregorson to be Sports Officer.
    Lieut. McElroy takes over as Adjutant from Lieut. Wood.
    Normal Routine. No flying owing to bad weather.
    Earls Colne.20thMajor General Gale accompanied by the A.O.C. addressed all Air Crew
    Personnel, and spoke to S/Sgt. Howard, Pearson and Wallworth on the
    "Coup de Main" Operation.
    Lieuts. Wood, Rew, Hubble and St. John and 6 Sgts. left for G.T.S.
    Page 5 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne20thCourse at Culmhead, Somerset.
    S/Sgt. DeRungary handed over Intelligence Sergeant to Sgt. Bristow.
    S/Sgt. DeRungary and Hemingway left for Street Fighting Course at
    Chelsea. S/Sgt. Bowman and party of eight from No. 6 Flight went to
    Chelsea Barracks.
    Normal Routine, no flying owing to bad weather. Fog. Exercise "ROUNDABOUT"
    postponed tomorrow.
    Barls Colne21stCaptain Millar at tending Field General Court Martial at Rivenhall.
    Lieut. Mackenzie K.O.S.B., arrived to take over appointment of Adjutant.
    No flying duo to bad weather (Fog) Exercise "ROUNDABOUT" cancelled.
    Lieuth Gregorson attended Court of Enquiry.
    Earls Colne.22ndCourt of Enquiry re losses of stores from Operation "MARKET". Capt.
    Aston President, Short and Long Xmas Leave commenced A.Da Hours.
    Earls Colne.23rdNormal Routine. Tiger Moth Flyings. NO Horsa flying.
    Earls Colne.24thMorning - Tiger Moth flying. Holiday throughout Wing commenced 1200 hrs. noon.
    Page 6 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne25thChristmas Day. Lieut.-Colonel .I.A. Murray, D.S.O. visited the
    Messes.
    Earls Colne26thHoliday. Lieut. Guest and 10 Crews left for R.A.F. Station, Sleap
    on detachment.
    Earls Colne27thR.A.F. Crews arrive. F/Lt. Huntley and F/O. Harrington and 10 N.C.O's.
    Captain Millar and Party left for Street Fighting Course at Chelsea
    Barracks.
    Earls Colne28thTiger Moth flying - Cross country.
    Hamilcar Glider flights.
    Capt. Leschallas, Lieut. Tait and S/Sgt. Newton left on overseas draft.
    Earls Colne29thCapt. Spence arrived from Broadwell ("F" Squadron.)
    S/Sgt. Steele with party of 11 left on overseas draft.
    Hamilcar flying.
    Earls Colne30thTiger Moth local flying. Hamilcar flying. Night Horsa flying cancelled.
    Normal Routine.
    Page 7 of 7
    PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and Information
    Earls Colne31stCaptain Spence takes over command of No. 4 Flight, and F/Lt. Huntley
    command of No. 20 Flight. Local Tiger Moth flying. Horsa and Hamicar
    Conversion flying.
    Five Hamilcars flown from Tarrant Rushton.

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