1st Battalion Buckinghamshire Regiment War Diary: December 1944
The 1st Battalion Buckinghamshire Regiment December 1944 war diary
covers their time at Saint Jean Barracks including Christmas celebrations,
Jeeps stolen from transit car park and dealing with a gang.
National Archive Reference: WO 171/1269
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Page 1 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRUSSELS | 1 | am | Orders received from HQ Brussels Garrison that all except one coy and tp of tanks can now stand down. One Mobile Coy left at 1 hrs notice. Tks remain under Bn control pending further instrs. | |
| pm | "A" Sqn 52 Recce Regt ordered to move tomorrow. Colonel of 52 Recce Regt arrives to join up with "A" Sqn. | |||
| 2 | am | "A" Sqn 52 Recce Regt move out. | ||
| pm | Normal routine. Bn hockey team play Leopold Club (Belge) . Result 1 - 4 - Good game. All clubs very keen to loan hockey and all sports grounds for Bn training in sports. | |||
| 3 | am | Ordered to pick up tpt to complete to WE. We are still short of certain tpt and 3" mortars. No G1098 equipment approved. | ||
| pm | Normal routine. Sjt Fowler (Pnr Sjt) posted to 16 ITC. | |||
| 4 | am | Letter received from 1 Corps saying they have asked for men from 104 CRC to be posted back here as their job there has now finished. If this comes off it will straighten out the mess over these people as although they have been officially struck off our strength to other units, these units have not taken them on strength as they have never joined them. If they come back here that will sort everything out. | ||
| pm | Sjt Fowler departs, after all these years to go back to UK on compassionate posting. Very sad at leaving. We are very sorry to lose him. Sjt Carr promoted Pnr Sjt. Regtl W.T. Cadre programme issued commencing 11 Dec under WTO. Rooms prepared for running offrs transit mess and quarters. Staff appointed to man it. | Appx "A" Appx "B" | ||
| 5 | am | General STAND DOWN ordered and we have to take over all duties once more within these barracks and outside commitments as well. Decided to absorb one coy for semi-permanent external duties and one coy for all daily duties with a third coy as Mobile Coy and internal working parties, and one coy free for training. | Appx "C" | |
| pm | Normal routine. | |||
| 6 | am | Leave announced in the papers. No army instruction issued at present. SSI Rider required by 4 L of C as PT Instr on a course for 14 days. Sjt Parsons takes over his duties in his absence. | ||
| pm | Meeting of childrens' party committee to tie up the details. Chief Belgian LO Comd DAEIMANS has arranged everything. Decided to purchase as much decorations as possible and hold the party on 15 Dec in the dining hall. | |||
| 7 | am | PAD course commences in Barracks run by Brussels Garrison. Capt Borton attends as rep from 1 Bucks. | ||
| pm | one officer and 12 extra men from "D" Coy sent to supplement guard at Prince Albert Barracks - officer for adm only. |
Page 2 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRUSSELS | 7 | pm | Visit by Capt Thompson (ex 12 OBD) who is now part of the Ord Inspectorate checking up on surplus arms, vehs and eqpt held by formations and units in 21 Army Gp. More as a social visit than official, but in any case we are not guilty as at present we are very short of material and have no G1098. | |
| 8 | am | Brussels Garrison instr us to take over certain outside semi-permanent duties from Pnrs, involving about 12 men in all. Apparently these jobs should not be done by Pnrs - DADOS helpers and infm bureau men - very odd. We await the list and then will discuss the matter with the Brigadier as very shortly we shall have more than a whole coy split up in penny packets throughout the town. | ||
| pm | Legal Aid Section opened in BRUSSELS. Capt Tait appointed Welfare Officer of the Bn. Leave confirmed and return called for from Brussels Garrison. Only check possible on when men landed over here is via Echelon, as AB 64 does not show service as most people seem fondly to imagine. | |||
| Nominal roll sent to O2E for completion of dates and return urgently. Meanwhile temporary check is being made by coy comds from man's own account. 1100 parcels despatched by Welfare Gift Shop for whom we supply the censoring officer - a record to date. | Appx "D" | |||
| 9 | am | Jeep stolen from 1 Bucks Car Park. Pte Wilkins displaying a strong tendency towards dumb insolence elects trial by FGCM on a trivial charge, and when given 24 hrs to think it over, is still of the same opinion. | ||
| pm | Summary of vidence taken on Pte Wilkins who gives much trouble and really requires putting over someone's knee, Under Rule of Procedure 104. Court of Inquiry convened over lost Jeep and HQ Brussels Garrison and APM told of the loss. | |||
| 10 | am | Normal routine. | ||
| pm | 37 OR arrive as draft. Mostly A.1 incl 1 CSM and 2 Colour Sjts, 2 Sjts, 2 L/Sjts and 3 Cpls. They are from 50 Div att overnight to "D" Coy who have available space. Letter received from Reforsec saying the men at 104 CRC who we had asked for were not available in view of the fact that they were A.1 Long 21 Army GP screed on leave received giving full details which are shortly to be published in A.G.R.Os. Fascinating reading matter! | |||
| 11 | am | Comd offr and Adjt visit REFORSEC to sort out the question of these senior NCOS being posted to us. See AAG who explains that they have to post them to us to place them and we must show them as surplus until they are posted away. Draft of 37 posted to coys, Evening out the various strengths. | ||
| pm | Letter received from HQ L of C regarding SIW cases from 111 (Br) General Hospital. We are to take them in and attach them to us pending investigation by JAG's dept. |
Page 3 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRUSSELS | 12 | am | 21 SIWs arrive from 111 Hospital. Attached to "B" Coy. "B" Coy supply one officer plus whole pl to act as Defence P1, or Guards P1 rather, at HQ 11 L of C. who are moving to MALINES in place of HQ L of C. These SIWs will help to replace this 'lost' pl for duties etc. Leave Instr No 1 issued. | Appx "E" |
| pm | Amendment to Leave Instr No 1 issued. Normal routine. | Appx "F" | ||
| 13 | am | Duchess of Kent's birthday. Letter written five days ago to Colonel Sale asking him to send a telegram. Normal Routine. | ||
| pm | Mobile Coy put at three hours notice. | |||
| 14 | 0915 | Conference for Coy Comds to discuss training. Decided that with existing duties each pl can get in one and a half days training per six days. Training Programmes to be submitted weekly to HQ Brussels Garrison. We are to be relieved of duties at 21 Army Gp HQ which is now being taken over by Defence Coy starting Monday. RSM goes around all posts etc with Defence Coy OC, Major Blackett. | ||
| 1200 | Final committee meeting re Childrens' Christmas Party. Dining hall is decorated and all arrangements now completed. | |||
| 1230 | Arrangements made with OC 58 Garrison Regt RA to train a cadre of their offrs and NCOS. | |||
| pm | Talk by Col Stamford RAOC on 'Misuse of army equipment'. Very interesting talk and very revealing also - the QM was seen to change colour several times during the talk! Comd Offr orders a 'bring out your dead' decree, and it is understood that providing it is handed in now no questions will be asked: The only way in which the Bn will be affected is as regards G1098/36 - a certain portion of which was retained originally whilst in foxholes in France, such as tentage - one per coy was kept and other minor items from Beach Grouping days. These are now being handed in. Otherwise we are not offenders. | |||
| 15 | am | C-in-C Certificates announced for CSM Rous for Gallantry and to the following for Good Service :- Capt Flower, Cpl Nason, L/C Towers. Adm Instr No 1 re 58 Garrison Regt RA issued. | Appx "G" | |
| Pm | Childrens' party held in dininghall, and enormous Xmas tree had been procured from one of the local forests by Capt Low and the Comd Belge LO, and had been well decorated by willing helpers from the Bn. The local townsfolk under the authority |
Page 4 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRUSSELS | of the Burgomaster helped decorate the room. Approx 300 children turned up and a small sprinkling of teachers to keep good order and military discipline, plus a host of photographers who snapped everyone in every possible position. Only about 3 of the children were sick on the spot, but it was felt that many more would be later on! Hot chocolate was issued as a drink which went down extremely well and every child had two cakes to eat. Some local entertainers performed a children's play which was a roaring success and then the inevitable songs were sung - 'Tipperary and 'Hanging out the washing on the Siegfreid Line' - strongly rumoured that the locals think 'Tipperary' is our National Anthem! The highlight of the party was the QM dressed up as Santa Claus giving away all the presents, one per child, plus two bars of chocolate - without 108s. All the troops had given up their chocolate for the children so that they all had plenty of it. The party finally broke up about 1800 hrs. | |||
| pm | Leave Instr No 2 Issued. | Appx "H" | ||
| 16 | am | Informed we were to supply guards for Daily Mail Exhibition to be held at L'Innovation, rue de Neuve, BRUSSELS. OC "D" Coy went to investigate with Mr Alexander Clifford of the Daily Mail. All weapons for the exhibition collected by QM and held on our charge - panic in the QM stores and urgent requests to be allowed to put it all on a coy charge. Certain weapons discovered to be on 'Secret List' - much hasty phoning 21 Army Gp followed by many worried calls etc. Some one had blundered it appeard - this is a new departure for 21 Army Gp: Offending weapons struck off list and to be kept in QM store. | ||
| pm | Programme for training cadre, 58 Garrison Regt issued. | Appx "I" | ||
| 2145 | G2 phoned to say 20 men with revolvers were pinching coal from the coalyards at AVANT PORT, BRUSSELS. They were civilians. We are to send one pl fully armed with Officer IC to disarm them and break up the racket. Adjt reluctantly agreed to lay it all on and warned one pl of Mobile coy to stand by. This seemed to smack of gross interferance with the liberty of the individual by the British Authorities - Belgians had been pinching coal for years! Visions of Mr Shinwell rising in the Houses of Parliament and denouncing this action as outrageous and Mr Walter Winchell announcing that US and Britain ceased to be allies w.e.f. 2200 hrs 16 Dec 44: |
Page 5 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2200 | G2 arrives in person to say he has reconsidered the matter and thinks the local Gendarmes ought to be called in first as otherwise it might cause a political incident - great minds obviously have the same nightmares! Comd offr sighs with relief as prospects of Bowler Hat recede into the background - based on the fact that its always the man who orders the first shot whose fired! G2 and Pl Comd go out together and check up. Pl Comd turns out at midnight to say its all been a mistake - and so to bed. | |||
| 17 | am | G2 phones to apologise for last night's 'flap'. Didn't concern us at all. Result of W.T. Cadre published. 2 Cpls and 9 OR arrive on posting. All posted to "B" Coy. | Appx "J" | |
| pm | 5 more SIWs arrive and are attached to "B Coy. Adjt and Major Marshall meet IO from Brussels Garrison at Exhibition and decide on the guards etc required. Instrs for 'Daily Mail' Exhibition issued. | Appx "K" | ||
| 18 | am | Course for 58 Garrison Regt RA commences today. Normal Routine. | ||
| 1500 | Daily Mail' exhibition opens. Adjt and Major Marshall attended to rep 1 Bucks. Very lavish scale. | |||
| 1530 | Ammunition being unloaded into armoury. Whilst parked outside it exploded - no injury to personnel or material luckily. Fire fighters and PAD squad quickly on the spot and fire extinguished in record time. This has always been expected to happen before as ammunition is brought in here in every sort of condition. Letter written by Comd offr complaining that BADs only accept amn after it has been examined but we have to accept it in an appalling state - primed grenades etc etc; why? | |||
| Inlying Picquet officer no longer required at Ecole Militaire. Training begins for pl at a time - training programme attached. | Appx "L" | |||
| 2350 | Brussels Garrison phoned to say there was danger of paratps landing in this area! Comd Offr put mobile coy at 30 mins notice. | |||
| 19 | am | Mobile coy back to 3 hrs notice pending any written instrs from Garrison - very foggy day! Normal routine. 5 men break out of detention block at 1630 hrs. | ||
| 1800 | Leave ballot drawn in dininghall. 145 names in the first draw which consisted of all men who embarked prior to 'D' Day ie up to Jun 5th. First name out of the hat was Pte Payne - the Adjt's batman, luckily the Adjt was not first of the offcers. |
Page 6 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| or else undoubtedly the whole affair would have been considered 'framed! Not very many people attended the ballot which was drawn by a private soldier and called out by the Asst Adjt. All men who were eligible up to 3 Jan were drawn for. | ||||
| 20 | 0030 | AQ Brussels Garrison arrived to say there was a 'flap' on in view of the enemy break through on 1st American Army Sector. Mobile Coy was at 30 mins notice at once. All necessary measures taken. | ||
| 0845 | Comd offr goes to conference at 4 L of C. Everyone placed at 30 mins notice. | |||
| 0900 | Extra tpt ordered - 12 3 tonners - to lift necessary coys in an emergency. | |||
| 0915 | Coy Comds conference - position explained - defence of Brussels planned. | |||
| 1100 | Comd Offr goes to further conference 4 L of C | |||
| 1315 | Comd offr's conference with Coy Comds. Op Order given out verbally for action when necessary. Bn is in reserve role. Carry on as before at present but all ranks confined to billets and at 30 mins notice. Recces made by A.B. and C Coy comds for their counter attack role, which means in effect burning along the road in tpt and debussing before contacting the enemy. Everything buttoned up. Another Jeep stolen from Transit Car Park. Court of Inquiry assembled. Looks like a gang at work. | |||
| 21 | am | Court of Inquiry on Prison break. still at 30 mins notice. | Appx "M" | |
| pm | Orders to stand down received at 1600 hrs. Leave Instr No 3 issued. Leave has now been buttoned up completely and all is ready for Jan 1st. Luckily, by borrowing an advance copy from someone else we managed to complete all our arrangements before the official dope came out. As it has only just arrived today and there is a lot of it, it is just as well, as otherwise there would have been a last minute rush. We now await final local instrs from Brussels Garrison showing allotment and train timings etc. | Appx "M" | ||
| 22 | am | Consolidated training programme forwarded to Brussels Garrison | Appx "N" | |
| pm | Mobile Coy put at 30 mins notice again. | |||
| 23 | am | Normal routine and fresh 'Standing Orders for Guards at St Jean Barracks' issued. | Appx "O" | |
| pm | Warning order received about German infiltrators dressed in American uniforms. All guards advised. | |||
| 2345 | Attempt by 5 or 6 men to break into Transit Car Park - successfully frustrated by local Pioneers. casualties one Pioneer unconscious, one of the gang wounder, both removed to hospital. | |||
| 24 | 0030 | The gang force entry into Detention Block and gold up the guard. Some of the guard escaped upstairs and then a shooting match took place inside the block between the guard and the gangsters. No-one hurt - gang finally beat it and managed to get away. Police informed at once. 2 French officers and Dutch civilian also found in Car Park - put in Detention Block overnight to be questioned in the morning. Released later after investigation. |
Page 7 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | pm | Leave Instr No 4 issued giving allotment for January. 7 officers and 40 OR drawn. Bad allocation of OR somewhere. We hope for better results next month (Feb). Late passes issued up to 0200 hrs for OR in view of lifting of curfew in Brussels. | APPX 'P' | |
| 25 | am | The old established custom of officers taking batmen tea was put into effect in some quarters - cheerfully it is understood because the arrival back in Barracks of the officers concerned coincided with the sounding of reveille! A day off for the Bn. | ||
| pm | Xmas dinners served in dininghall. Plenty to eat, plates etc had been procured for the occasion and beer seemed plentiful too. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Many men were asked out afterwards by civilians who are still extremely hospitable. Capt J.L. Iremonger posted to us, arrives just in time for the celebrations. This makes us one Capt in excess of WE. Authorised to carry this by REFORSEC. | |||
| 26 | am | 7 SIWs arrive from 11 (Br) General Hosptl. Preparing of summaries etc swung on us by JAG Branch in four cases. +Causes a lot of work. Maddening. | ||
| pm | The man who was shot in Transit Park on 23rd and who was taken to 108 (Br) General Hosptl escapes. The one link with the gang has therefore gone. Everybody hopping mad. Charges preferred by hospital against our guard there. Summary taken immediately, results of summary discloses a certain amount of unsatisfactory orders on the part of the hospital. Case put up to Brigadier. | |||
| 27 | am | Normal routine. | ||
| pm | 50 German prisoners (protected personnel - medical) had to be put up overnight in these barracks. A large room in the basement cleared and guards put on - bren either end of tbe corridor. No excitements and they pushed off on the 0635 hrs train to OSTEND the following morning. Second course for 58 Garrison Regt started in the barracks. | |||
| 28 | am | 4 L of C asked us to run PIAT course for Pioneers starting tomorrow 29th. Arranged for RA course instructors to instruct on PIAT in afternoons, running two day courses. | ||
| pm | Some of our ACC cooks and our own regimental cooks who have been frequenting certain cafes in the poorer areas round here reported that gangs have been frequenting these cafes all carrying and that they believe they constitute the car thief and arms thief racketeers. One cook was fired at by one of them. Reported to DAPM HQ Brussels Garrison. | |||
| 29 | am | One man from "A" Coy reported he had heard what he took to be a transmitter in a house by the Gare du Nord last night. SIB called in and were told all about it and were shown the house. | ||
| pm | DAPM asked for assistance of our RP and RSM in carrying out a raid on the cafes mentioned above. This was given. Raid produced a bag of four but one got away. | |||
| 1300 | "Stand Down" given at 1300 hrs. Mobile Coy at 3 hours notice remainder cease to be at 6 hours notice. |
Page 8 of 8
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | am pm | Normal routine. | ||
| pm | At 1600 hrs notified by Garrison that we are to find a complete Rifle Coy at WE plus all G1098 to come under comd 4 Commando Brigade at GOES in SOUTH BEVELAND. Their task is not known. "A" and "D" Coys are to privide the necessary men OC "A" Coy will be in charge with "D" Coy officers under him, leaving "D" Coy Comd to look after the rest of "D" Coy. Promised Pioneers to replace deficiencies in men so that Mobile Coy and duties can be carried on as before. All preparations made and a composite coy made up. | |||
| 2100 | Brussels Garrison send message stating that a rep must report sonnest to 7 BSA at ANTWERP. Told to send him off at once. Adjt phones 7 BSA who say dont worry - 0930 hrs tomorrow will do, proving once again that unofficial direct contact is the only way to avoid a 'box up'! | |||
| 31 | 0830 | Force moves off complete with light recce cars section of six cars. Presumably instructions will be given to rep by 7 BSA as to what they are going to do on arrival. No-one knows down here or so it seems anyhow - they certainly won't tell us if they do! | ||
| 1000 | 5 Sections plus HQ of Pioneer Coy promised to replace men and 8 - 3 tonners to replace tpt as we had to use our own tpt to lift the force. | |||
| pm | No word from Garrison about Pioneers or tpt coming to relieve us for the duties etc. On visit to HQ Brussels Garrison further information (vital) gleaned from their files about leave instructions. Notes taken so as to save time. Proposed to issue our own order in view of the shortage of time. |
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