National Archive Reference: WO 171/929
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
1 | C.O. visits forward Tp of 107 Bty at 0615 hrs. | ||
C.O. visits HQ RA at 0930 hrs and carries on to 288 Bty. No change in Bty locations. | |||
1700 hrs. .Cs Conference attended by BCs of 99, 107, 288 and 289 Btys, and BC 128 Bty. C.O. goes through orders for Operation NOAH. | |||
1745 hrs. B.C. of 128 Bty leaves and conference continues on domestic lines. C.O. outlines to Bty Comds his ideas regarding general discipline | |||
and administration. C.O. discusses NCO positions and outlines his policy as "make or break". The question of one or two senior NCOs who are very | |||
old "Noodles" is brought and C.O. is of the opinion that it is unfair to carry them with Nos. 1 ranks if they are not doing the job of No. 1. Two | |||
particularly old members of the Regt are affected - Sgts M. SPOWART and E. LUGKMAN. Both these NCOs are over 40 years of age and it is decided to | |||
get them returned to civilian life if possible. C.O. outlines his policy for the running of a Cadre Class for potential Nos. 1. | |||
It is decided that each Bty will nominate 6 men for this and the Class will begin in the Barracks in NIJMEGEN on 4 Nov. personnel will be accommodated | |||
with B Bty Echelon who are in the Barracks and the course will be run concurrently with the present Composite Bty. | |||
Staff for the Course will be as follows: Major FW WARD (at present attached to the Regt),Lieuts F.L. WILLIAMS and H.W. SMITH, RSM ROCKETT, BSM GREENY | |||
(99 Bty),Sgt KIRKWOOD (RHQ). Administration and rationing will be taken on by Capt C.R. PAINE, Capt Q of | |||
107 Bty. | |||
The Course is to consist of Marching and Rifle Drill, 6-pr Gun Drill (incl Sight Testing),Duties of Nos. 1, Duties of NCOs, Maintenance of 6-prs, | |||
Maintenance of Carriers, P.T. Technical instruction is to be carried out by Fitters on loan from 99 and 107 Btys. The duration of the course is | |||
to be a fortnight. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
2 | C.O. visits some gun positions of 99 Bty at 0630 hrs. C.O. visits 288 Bty at 1130 hrs and talks to all the Bty NCOs. | ||
During afternoon C.O. visits gun positions of 128 Bty and also visits 107 | |||
Bty and 231 Bde. 231 Bde are being relieved tonight by 508 R.C.T. (American). At 0930 hrs Major F.W. WARD visits C.O. at RHQ and is put in the picture | |||
regarding the Cadre Class which he is to run. 288 Bty relieve 289 Bty in the SNODENHOCK area. Relief completed by 2030 hrs | |||
without incident. 289 Bty returns to reserve on the island. 288 Bty do not take over all 289 Btys gun positions but alter the position of the most | |||
northerly guns, getting them into a rather more comfortable and less exposed and observed area. | |||
2000 hrs. Bty locations now are :- 99 Bty 694684 ( 69 Bde) | |||
107 Bty 721656 (508 RCT) 288 Bty 679707 (506 RCT) | |||
289 Bty 694670 (In reserve) 128 Bty 712679 (151 Bde) | |||
3. | 0630 hrs. C.O. visits some gun positions in 288 Bty. | ||
0930 hrs. C.O. goes off on tour of the Regtl and Bty Echelons accompanied by Major R.A. BARNETT MC. | |||
1200 hrs. C.O. visits the Barracks at NIJMEGEN to see Major WARD and discuss the final details of the Cadre Class which starts tomorrow at 0830 hrs. | |||
1250 hrs. The General's ADC rings up to fix up GOC's visit to the Regt. The General is expected to visit the Regt at 1000 hrs tomorrow and will | |||
remain with the Regrt until 1200 hrs. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
4 | C.O. visited junior NCOs Cadre Class at the Barracks in NIJMEGEN at 0830.hrs and gave the opening address. | ||
1000 hrs Major General L.O. LYNE D.S.O. (the new Div Cmdr) visited RHQ where he met the following officers:- | |||
C.O. Major. R.A. Barnett M.C., Major A.T.F. Stallard,Major.G.R.Balfour M.C. | |||
Major A.W.Trippier M.C., Major.T.A.Wigglesworth and Capt.J.K.Boag (Adjutant), after chatting to these officers for quarter of an hour he went off to visit | |||
289 Bty (reserve bty) and also visited Bty 'HQ' of 99 Bty. The C.O. visited 107 Bty and guns during the afternoon. | |||
Except for usual spasmodic shelling and mortaring the front remains quiet but it is known that the enemy is getting more control and organization into | |||
the formations facing us, and he is definitely bringing up more guns. | |||
5 | Bty and RHQ locations remain unchanged. | ||
The C.O. visited the Cadre Class in the Barracks at NIJMEGEN. | |||
6 | At 0630 hrs C.O. visited 107 Bty. | ||
At 1700 hrs C.O. talked to all subulterns in the Regt at RHQ. All the subulterns on the strength attended except, Lt.P.G.O'Neill and | |||
LT. F.H. Garner both of whom are on leave in Antwerp (48 hrs leave). |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
C.O. visited 288 Bty at 0630 hrs. | |||
7 | Letter received from HQ RA giving establishment on guns of the now re-organized Inf A TK Regt as 4 Btys each 3 Troop. | ||
1 of 3 SP Valentines 17 Pdr. 1 of 3 Towed 17 Pdr. | |||
1 of 4 Towed 6 Pdr. | |||
As this new establishment is considered definitely inferior to our present | |||
one. C.O. visits CRA at 1000 hrs to protest and give reasons which are as follows:- | |||
(1) The towed I7 pdr is definitely not liked by any Regt equipped with them. (This Reg't which had them in Sicily is no exception) The reasons | |||
towed 17 Pdr are not liked are:- (a) Difficulty of getting them into action with present gun tower | |||
which is unsuitable. (b) Large numbers of casualties in units equipped with them | |||
because of (a) above (2) The SP Valentine 17 pdr while being an improvement on towed | |||
17 Pdrs is not as good as M.10s for the following reasons. (a) Gun only fires' over a limited arc backwards. | |||
(b) Power and engine performance of the mounting is not as good as M.10. | |||
(c) NO intercommunication for the crew. (d) Representatives from the Regt have already experienced them | |||
and reported adversely with result that our M.10 and 6 Pdr crews know that it is not as good a weapon as they already have. Being armed with a less | |||
good weapon in the fifth year of war will have a bad effect on morale. Similarly the dis satisfaction of all units equipped with towed 17 Pdrs is | |||
also well known to all ranks. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
7 | C.O. visits Cadre Class in Barracks NIJMEGEN at 1100 hrs and carries on to | ||
Echelon where he interviews EME and T/Adjt. T/Adjt to live at Main RHQ from today. | |||
289 Bty hold a successful dance in NIJMEGEN. C.O. attends. | |||
8 | C.O. visits 99 Bty at 0615 hrs. C.O. decides that we ought to move the reserve Bty off the island and concentrate | ||
it in Barracks NIJMEGEN where it can get ahead with maintenance and Training i.e. small arms shooting etc. HQ RA are asked if we may move the Bty off | |||
the island. The Tactical situation on C.O.s opinion does not require reserve Bty on the island. | |||
1700 hrs B.C.s Conference. C.O. informs B.Cs of relief of 30 Corps by 2nd Cnd Corps. We are now in Cdn Army. BCs told of reorganization. | |||
Everyone is unanimous on the futility of the reorganization and it is regarded as a definite step backwards. General opinion is that morale | |||
is bound to suffer. Training will continue as at present and a further Cadre Class will be run. Btys resting in the Barracks to organize | |||
training. Particular reference to shooting small arms etc. Resting guns with composite Bty to be put on 5 day cycle instead of 4 as at present. | |||
Zeroing of Small arms. Start 103 Bty 6 Cdn A/Tk Regt/relieving 128 Bty/86 A/Tk Regt at 1730 hrs. | |||
Relief completed but for one gun at 2100 hrs. Cnd passed at 2000.hrs | |||
Last gun will be put in tomorrow morning when last gun of 128 Bty will pull out. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
9 | C.O. goes out as usual at 0600 hrs. Btys remain in same locations. Front quiet but for usual shelling and | ||
mortaring occasionally. River rising slightly. | |||
Area that Regt will assemble in event of "NOAH" is altered from area 6465 to area 6165. | |||
10 | C.O. out as usual. Relief of 107 Bty by 289 Bty postponed 24 hours. | ||
11 | C.O. out as usual. River rising | ||
L Tp HQ (99 Bty) gets two direct hits from fairly heavy shells. No casualties. In view of probability of 'Island' being flooded arrangements are made so that | |||
guns can be got out quickly. 239 Bty relieved 107 Bty. | |||
12 | Church Service held at Barracks in NIJMEGEN. | ||
Padre reads out names of all fallon in the Regt in present campaign. 1030 hrs. First code-word of Operation NOAH received, i.e. "Water Wings". | |||
1400 hrs. Second code-word of Operation NOAH received, i.e. "Spring Tide". | |||
C.O. appreciates situation and reports to HQ RA. No action to be taken | |||
meantime river rising fairly rapidly. Second-in-Command does a recce of the Regtl assembly area with represenatives | |||
from Btys. 1700 hrs Bty Cmdrs visit RHQ and C.O. rehearses with them action to be taken in | |||
event of Codeword "Deluge" being received. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
13 | No change. River still rising slightly. HQ RA still refuse permission to | ||
got anything off "Island", but are considering Regt's ideas on the subject. C.O. wishes to thin out in view of the state of ground and any tank threat | |||
being confined to roads. Leaguering areas South of WAAL recced in case of evacuation of "Island". | |||
14 | River steady. No further rising. It is now up to bottom of Bund. In view | ||
of the heavy going on the Island, the threat of flooding, and owing to the fact that any tank threat must confine itself to the roads HQ RA agrees | |||
to a general re-shuffle. The following is laid on. The Cdn Bty with their 17-prs towed by Rams will pull out. 288 Bty less their M.10 Tp will pull | |||
out. 99 Bty and 289 Bty by a bit of adjustment will take over responsibility for the whole front, 289 Bty the Southern part up to excl AAM cross-rds; | |||
99 Bty the Northern half from incl the AAM cross-rds. 288 Bty M.10 Tp will concentrate and will be Regtl reserve; they will come up on Regtl net. | |||
288 Bty pull out less M.10 Tp and find quarters with 107 Bty, who are meantime in reserve in the Inf Barracks NIJMEGEN. | |||
C.O. sees all B.Cs at 1030 hrs at RHQ, lay the plot on and by 1900 hrs all Btys report operation finished. | |||
Locations now are :- 99 Bty ... | |||
107 Bty ... 717611 288 Bty (less M.10 TP) 717611 | |||
289 Bty ... M.10 Tp 288 Bty | |||
New system of reliefs from today is to be as follows :- |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
14 (contd) | Northern Area Southern Area Reserve M.10 Tp Barracks | ||
14/15 Nov 99 Bty 289 Bty 288 Bty 107 & 288 Btys less M.10 Tp | |||
18/19 Nov 107 Bty 289 Bty 99 Bty 288 & 99 Btys less M.10 TP | |||
22/23 Nov 107 Bty 288 Bty 289 Bty 99 & 289 Btys less M.10 Tp | |||
26/27 Nov 99 Bty 288 Bty 107 Bty 289 & 107 Btys less M.10 Tp | |||
In effect this gives 6-pr detachments eight days out - eight days in, and | |||
M.10s four days out - 4 days Regtl reserve - eight days in. | |||
The Composit Resting Bty is dissolved and all guns and personnel rejoin Btys. | |||
15 | 0915 hrs. Div Comd visits NCOs Cadre Class at the Inf Barracks NIJMEGEN. | ||
Everything went well and the GOC was pleased with what he saw and in a short address to the Class told them so. | |||
1430 hrs. C.O. attends a Conference at HQ RA. River steady. | |||
Shelling and mortaring as usual. 289 Bty guns also troubled by a good deal of spandauing at night. | |||
16 | 0630 hrs. C.O. visits 289 Bty gun positions. | ||
1000 hrs. New O.C. Div Signals visits C.O. accompanied to by Maj J. HABBERFIELD. 1130 hrs. C.O. visits Barracks at NIJMEGEN inspect the Cadre . Class and | |||
go into training programme of 107 Bty. River steady. | |||
It is not raining today. | |||
17 | Front remains quiet except for usual spasmodic mortaring and shelling. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
18 | Nothing of importance to report. | ||
107 Bty relieves 99 Bty less M.10 to TP. River receding slightly. | |||
19 | Church Parade in village church (SLIJK EWIJK). | ||
Very good attendance and turn out. Second Regtl NCOs Cadre Class assembles at the Barracks in NIJMEGEN. | |||
Six students per Bty. | |||
20 | B.Cs Conference in the Barracks NIJMEGEN. | ||
C.O. addresses B.Cs on necessity for maintaining a high standard of discipline and weeding out of unsuitable offrs, NCOs and men. Promotions discussed | |||
and several vacancies filled. BQMS PETERSON of 289 Bty to be BSM of 107 Bty. | |||
Sgt BAILEY F MM of 107 Bty to be BQMS of 289 Bty. | |||
21 | Advance Parties called for. Regt will be moving on relief on or after | ||
27 Nov, to area VLADALOO just North of DIXMUDE 5882. Regtl advance party made up as follows. | |||
2 i/c Major RA Barnett MC 1-15 cwt - 1 jeep-1 M/C & 1 X 3 tonner plus Bty advance parties of 1-M/C - 1-15 cwt plus 1-15 cwt or jeep with a | |||
Capt in charge of each party. Parties to RV at DIV report centre near DIXMUDE at 1000.hrs on 23 Nov 44. | |||
22 | 288 Bty relieves 289 Bty less M.10.Troop. | ||
151 Bde relieves 231 Bde. Wet day but river not rising. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
23 | Front remains quiet except for usual shelling and mortaring. | ||
still wet and cold. Lt.Col.Charles cmdg 5 Bn East Yorks comes to dinner in the mess along with | |||
Major D.Allen BMRA and Major J.Habberfield O.C. RA Sig.Coy. | |||
24 | Front remains quiet except for usual shelling and mortaring. | ||
Wet miserable day. River rising. The C.O. is President of a F.G.C.M. in NIJMEGEN today. | |||
25 | The Highland Division are relieving 101 American Airborne DIV and as their | ||
DIV HQ is moving into (SLIJK EWIJK) which is within their DIV boundary our RHQ-has to move. | |||
Lt.Marriott recces area in OOSTERHOUT and at 1400 hrs RHQ moved to the village. This turned out to be a better village and everyone gets into good billets. | |||
The Electric light works. Wet miserable day. River rising. | |||
26 | The river has now risen to a point beyond its previous high water mark. | ||
0945 hrs Regtl Church Parade in the Protestant Church in SLIJK FWIJK. (Rev. T.A.Lovegrove.C.F. MC) | |||
Relief of 107 Bty by 99 Bty put off 24 hours in view of pending move of DIV from the island. | |||
C.O. receives a copy of the New W.E. for an A TK Regt in an Inf Div. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
27 | 99 Bty relieves 107 Bty less M.10. Troop. 231 Bde relieve 69 Bde. | ||
1400 hrs C.O. visits Brig.Stanier who is at present Cmdg 50 Div to discuss | |||
arrangements for A/Tk defence of 237 Bde area. Brig. Stanier is anxious to cut down guns to minimum. | |||
28 | Wet miserable day. | ||
Recce parties of A/Tk Regt of 49 Div (55 A/Tk) arrive and do recces preparatory to taking over from 50 (N) Div. | |||
29 | 1530 hrs bomb dropped near gate of Barracks in NIJMEGEN 2 killed and 3 wounded | ||
in 288 Bty. 3 wounded in 289 Bty. 288 Bty pull out of their positions and concentrate in the Barracks with 107 | |||
Bty and 289 Bty prior to moving to area DEURNE to join 15 (S) Div and to taking the place of 97 A/Tk Regt who are to be broken up for Inf and RA reinforcements. | |||
30 | Major General Graham who has come back to the Div after his accident visits | ||
the Barracks in NIJMEGEN and addresses an assembly of old members of the Regt. He explains the position regarding 50 Div to everyone and tells them what is | |||
happening to each of the units in the Div. The General is full of praise for the "Noodles" and says our efforts in the | |||
early days in Normandy did a great deal towards keeping us on the beachhead. 107, 288, 289 Btys and RHQ 'B' Echelon leave present areas in Regtl column at | |||
2000 hrs en route for area S of DEURNE to join 15 (S) DIV. M.10. Troop of 107 Bty leaves for RA Reorganization area near BOURG LEOPOLD | |||
where it is to hand in its four M.10s and associated stores and draw the new establishment of 3 SP Valentines. | |||
A week is to be spent at the Reorg Centre training with the new eqpt. |