War Diary: 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ

Month and year: May 1944

The May 1944 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ covering their time in the UK based at Leigh Park, Toothill Camp and Nightingale Camp

National Archive Reference: WO 171/670

All diaries for this unit:

Please use the contact us page to report any errors or inaccuracies.

Viewing map locations

Many of the location in this diary have been geocoded, these locations are highlighted Screenshot of highlighted location clicking on them will display them on a map. Many location also have historical maps and aerial photographs of the area available.

Found this useful?

If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.

« Return to war diaries

Page 1 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	1	1700	Bde IO, Sigs Offr and Sig Party left Bde HQ for marshalling area for Ex "FABIUS". Bde Comd returned from short leave was met by the BM and discussed certain points with him.
	2		Bde Comd, Bde IO, Sigs Offr and Signal party embarked for Exercise "FABIUS"
	3		Exercise "FABIUS" postponed for 24 hours.
LEIGH PARK	4		Exercise "FABIUS" . Bde HQ established at LEIGH PARK (158294) 6,8,9 DLI
			concentrated in area LEIGH PARK (1528 - 1529)
	5	1100	Bde Comd and Bde IO returned to TOOTHILL CAMP and met BM. Planning
			conference.
		1230	Bde Comd left for Div HQ for conference with GOC.
		1430	BM left TOOTHILL CAMP for LEIGH PARK. Bde Comd returned to LEIGH PARK
			Bde IO and Bde EME remained at TOOTHILL CAMP in charge of Rear Party.
	6	1000	Bde IO visited Main 50(N) Div to discuss planning matters with GSI.
TOOTHILL CAMP		1800	Bde HQ returned to TOOTHILL CAMP from LEIGH PARK, Bns also returned to
			previous locations.
	7	1430	Bde Comd attended planning conference at Army HQ on forthcoming operations.
			BM held a conference of Bn Adjts and Assistant Adjts at Bde HQ on Staff Duties.

Page 2 of 6

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
		Bde HQ Staff also attended.
		151 (Durham) Inf Bde Exercise "GRAB" Signal Instruction issued.	Appx 'A'
8	1030	Bde Comd attended conference with GOC at 50(N) Div HQ.
9	0900	BM's conference on Exercise "GRAB". Bde HQ staff attended.
	1000	Bde Cond visited HQ 50(N) Div.
	1500	Comd 69 Inf Bde Brig F.Y.C. KNOX, DSO, visited Bde HQ and discussed certain
		planning matters with the Bde Comd. The BM and the Bde IO were also present.
	1800	Comd 56 Inf Bde, Brig E.C. PEPPER, OBE, and BM, visited Bde HQ and discussed
		certain planing matters with the Bde Comd. BM and Bde IO were also present.
10		151 (Durham) Inf Bde Confirmatory Notes of verbal Orders issued at 1300 hrs
		for Exercise "GRAB" issued.	Appx 'B'
	0930	Bde Comd held a conference at Bde HQ. CO's of Bns and QM's attended.
	1300	Exercise "GRAB"
11	0730	Exercise "GRAB" concluded. Bde HQ closed location at COWESFIELD GREEN 696434
		and returned to TOOTHILL CAMP.

Page 3 of 6

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
		1030	Bde Comd attended a demonstration at LEPE (884186) carried out by 6 DLI
	12	1400	Bde HQ closed at TOOTHILL CAMP and re-opened at NIGHTINGALE CAMP.
NIGHTINGALE CAMP		1530	Bde Comd visited 6 DLI
		1600	GSO I Lt-Col R.L.G. CHARLES visited Bde HQ in their new locations and saw
			the Bde Comd,
		1830	Bde Comd held a conference of Bn CO's and 2s i/c, BM and Bde IO also attended.
	13	1000	General DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, Supreme C-in-C Allied Forces addressed the
			whole Bde.
		1500	Bde Comd visited HQ 50(N) Div and subsequently went to HMS MASTODON for a	.
			conference.
	14		NTR
	15		NTR
	16	1000	Bde Comd accompanied by GSO III attended an Exercise for which particulars of which
			have already been forwarded, subsequently the Bde Comd went on short leave.
	17		151(Durham) Inf Bde O.O. No. 101 together with Intelligence Summary No. 101	See Appx 'H' and 'I' to MOST SECRET
			issued.	War Diary already despatched

Page 4 of 6

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
18		NTR
19	1030	Bde Comd accompanied by BM visited HQ 8 DLI and judged a competitive drill
		parade.
	1430	CO's of 6,8 and 9 DLI conferred with the Bde Comd.
20	900	Bde Comd addressed all offrs of the Bde on the subject of discipline and
		turn out of personnel.
21	1000	The Bde IO briefed Bn IOs for operation OVERLORD at a conference at Bde HQ,
		and discussed other points of "I" practice arising out of recent directives
		received.
	1100	Bde Comd discussed certain aspects of the operation with Bn CO'S.
	1400	Bde Comd held a conference for Bn CO's at Bde HQ. Permission was received
		from Div HQ for Bn CO's to brief Adjts.
22		Directive re map distribution for the operation issued.
	1400	Bde Comd held a conference of marshalling staffs at Bde HQ.
	1500	Bde Comd held a conference of Bn CO's, CO 61 Recce Regt, BM and Bde IO

Page 5 of 6

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
		re general briefing, security and map distribution for the operation.
23		Directive on briefing issued by Bde HQ.
24	1400	Bde Comd and CO's of Bns attended a conference held by the GOC at HQ 50(N)Div.
25		Bde Comd, HM, GSO III and Staff Capt attended GOC's briefing conference held at
		HQ 50(N) Div.
26	0900	Bde Comd held a briefing conference at Bde HQ, the following attended:-
		CO, 2 i/c, Adjt, IO, Coy Comds, Specialist Pl Comds of each 6,8 and 9 DLI,
		A Coy Comd 2 CHESHIRE and Pl Comds, CO 149 Fd Amb and Coy Comd, CO 90 Fd Regt
		and Bty Comds, rep Naval Force G 3, rep 69 Inf Bde, rep 4/7 DG, FOOs 124 Fd Regt,
		FOBs, BM, Bde IO, BRASCO, EME, BTO.
		GSO III attended briefing conference at HQ 69 Inf Bde and subsequently
		briefing conference at HQ 56 Inf Bde.
	1430	Lieut-General BUCKNALL, CBE, MC, Commander 30 Corps, visited Bde HQ and
		saw the Bde Comd.
27		151 (Durham) Inf Bde Intelligence Summary No. 102 issued.	See Appx J to MOST SECRET War Diary already despatched.

Page 6 of 6

Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
28		NTR
29	0800	General briefing of all tps in the Bde began at 0800 hrs and continued
		throughout the day. Tps were briefed on"bogus" maps.
		Bde Comd accompanied by LO visited 6 and 8 DLI and addressed all tps about
		the forthcoming operation. Bde Comd accompanied by the BM visited 9 DLI
		and spoke to the tps about the forthcoming operation.
	1500	The Rt Hon ANTHONY EDEN, PC, MP, visited Bde HQ and was introduced by the
		Bde Comd to Bde HQ officers. He subsequently visited Bns accompanied by
		the Bde Comd and BM.
	1700	Bde Comd addressed all ranks of Bde HQ on the forthcoming operation.
30	1100	Tps moved to their respective marshalling areas. Veh and veh parties
		commenced loading.
		Bde Comd and BM visited HQ 69 Inf Bde to see Brig F.Y.C. KNOX, DSO,

Found this useful?

If you've found this resource useful please consider supporting us to digitise more war diaries, documents and maps.

Layers

War Diary: 151 Durham Infantry Brigade HQ

Month and year: May 1944

Viewing map locations