National Archive Reference: WO 171/1280
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Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
FOLKESTONE | 1 | A + B Coys had a free day | |
C & D Coys completed their march back from the | |||
River Medway which they had started on the previous | |||
evening. The Coys marched between 40 and 50 miles | |||
in under 24 hours. | |||
The Co. carried out a recce of the defensive posn | |||
which the Bn had been ordered to take up for | |||
the beginning of EXERCISE SABRE I (4-6 - April) | |||
3 | 10 Junior NCO's went to 43 Div Battle | ||
School for a Section Leader's Course | |||
all Offrs and N.C.O's down to Section | |||
Commanders carried out a recce of the defensive | |||
position to be taken up by 1200 hrs the following | |||
day on EXERCISE SABRE I | |||
4-6 | The Bn took part in 43 Div EXERCISE SABRE I |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
set and directed by the Div. Comd. The object of the | |||
exercise was to practise "Thrust-line" tactics | |||
at the beginning of the exercise the Bn was | |||
given an independent role in which it represented | |||
a Bn of another Div in the line in contact | |||
with the enemy; the idea being that 43 Div tps | |||
would break out of their concentration area and | |||
pass through the troops holding the bridgehead | |||
early on the morning of the 5th april. On the | |||
evening of the 4th April, the Bn was relieved | |||
in the line by 7 Bn Hants, and for the rest of | |||
the exercise came under command of 214 Bde. | |||
On the 5th April, 214 Bde followed 130 Bde along | |||
the Div thrust line using "quick-lift" method of | |||
transportation (The Exercise was carried out on light |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
scales). At 1800 hrs the Div Comd issued orders | |||
for the Div to advance "two - up" (hitherto the | |||
advance had been "one - up") and for 214 Bde to | |||
move by another route on the Northern flank | |||
of 130 Bde. The Div intension was to secure | |||
the high ground to the East of the river | |||
Medway, with a view to sending patrols across | |||
the river and later forcing a crossing of the | |||
river. | |||
Owing to congestion of traffic on the roads, the | |||
Bn took rather longer to reach the objective | |||
than was anticipated and this, together | |||
with the fact that patrol leaders had had no | |||
opportunity of recce in daylight resulted in | |||
Aus | rather unsuccessful patrolling during the night |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Only one of the four patrols which had been sent | |||
out succeeded in crossing the river, and this patrol | |||
brought back no identifications. | |||
the Exercise terminated at about 1200 hrs and | |||
the Bn returned to Folkestone by quick lift. | |||
7 | C and D Coys were given a free day | ||
8 | A and B Coys were given a free day. | ||
9 | Censorship was imposed throughout the Division | ||
wef 0001 hrs The regulations included censorship | |||
under unit arrangements of all private mail, | |||
telegrams, parcels etc and also restriction of | |||
telephone calls. | |||
0930 | An Easter Day Church parade service, was held in | ||
Holy Trinity Church, FOLKESTONE and was | |||
Conducted by Rev A.E. Gibbons, Methodist Chaplain |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
attached to the Bn The Bde Comd, accompanied by | |||
the staff Capt attanded the service. | |||
1100 | The 2ND-in-Command, Capt James, gave a talk | ||
to all Officers regarding censorship and their | |||
duties regarding the franking of OR's letters. | |||
1200 | This was followed by a talk to the Baltalion | ||
explaining the need for censorship and regulations | |||
which had come into force. | |||
10 | Staff Capt 214 Bde held an Adjt's conference | ||
at which it was Explained that the Bde would | |||
move to the area of BATTLE, SUSSEX at the | |||
end of EXERCISE SABRE II (13-15 April the move | |||
was to be regarded as "Most Secret" as it was | |||
in fact the "unofficial" concentration of the Div, | |||
and only those offers and OR's to whom it was |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
essential that the information be passed, should be | |||
told. | |||
1730 | The Commanding officer held a conferrace of | ||
Coy Comds, M.T.O. and RQMS APPLETON acting QM during | |||
illness of Lt Renick and explained his plans for | |||
the move. | |||
11 | w.e.f. 0001 hrs the Bn adopted the following | ||
closed address :- 5th Bn D.C.L.I. | |||
90 A.P.O. England | |||
0920 | The Commanding Officer attended a conference at | ||
214 Bde H.Q. | |||
1700 | The Commanding Officer held a second conference | ||
at which final details were issued regarding:- | |||
1) Concentration of Main Body of Bn for Ex. SABRE II | |||
2) Move of the Adv. Party to CROWHURST, PARK Nr Battle | |||
(3) Handing over by Rear Party at FOLKESTONE to a Cdn unit |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
12 | a draft of 18 O.R.'s arrived from 8 Mx???, and | ||
were inspected soon after arrival by the CO. The | |||
draft contained many men with Experience of | |||
carrier-driving and DR duties, who will doubt | |||
less prove useful reserve specialists. | |||
13-15 | The Bn took part in the Div Exercise SABRE II | ||
The setting was the same as SABRE I, but this | |||
time 214 Bde was the leading Bde on the Div. | |||
Thrust line On the 13th the Bn remained in a | |||
concentration area and received orders for the advance | |||
which was to take place on the following day. On | |||
the 14th the Bn advanced some 30 miles by "quick | |||
lift" and dealt with light enemy opposition on the | |||
way in a very satisfactory manner. On the night of | |||
the 14th / 15th the Bn carried out an extremely efficient |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
river crossing, using defiladed searchlights to | |||
creat artificial moonlight. A Bn position was | |||
established on the far bank and tpt was brought | |||
across by rafts constructed by the Pioneer Platoon | |||
and a bridge constructed by the RE. The | |||
exercise ended at about 1200 hrs on the 15 th after | |||
the enemy had put in a spirited Counter-attack, | |||
which had however been anticipated and was | |||
therefore successfully beaken off. | |||
13-15 | Whilst the Bn had been out on Exercise SABRE | ||
II, the Advance Pty under Capt Coode had gone to | |||
CROWHURST PARK, near BATTLE, SUSSEX / and had been | |||
erecting a tented camp which was ready to | |||
received the Bn when it marched in on 16th April. | |||
15 | On the Conclusion of Exercise SABRE II, the |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
Bn moved by march route to a bivouac area | |||
at HORMONDSEY where Coys spent the night 15/16 | |||
AW | april in farm buildings | ||
16 | The Bn marched from HORMONDSEY to | ||
CROWHURST PARK (approx 16 miles),whilst the | |||
Bn Tpt proceeded ahead independently. The heavy | |||
rain of the past few days made the camp site | |||
extremely muddy and together with a lack of | |||
drying accommodation made conditions rather bad. A draft of 49 OR's arrived from the 4th Bn | |||
D.C.L.I. which again included a number of trained | |||
specialists. | |||
17 | 1000 | All offers & W.O.'s I & II attended the conference | |
on Exercises SABRE I and II, at which the | |||
Div Comd summed up the lessons learnt from |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
the Exercise, and displayed a new mine-prodder", | |||
which was shortly going to be issued on the | |||
scale of one per vehicle. | |||
The Section Leaders Course at the Div Battle School | |||
dispenssed. | |||
1830 | The Co held a conference in the lounge of | ||
CROWHURST PARK CLUB, of which all officers are | |||
temporary members:- - attendance all Coy Comds | |||
The C.O. directed that every effort be made to | |||
make the camp tidy and conditions generally | |||
better. Paths would be constructed with white-washed | |||
posts, tents would be allocated for drying purposes | |||
and for barber's shop and recreation etc. Until | |||
the NAAFI opened on the 25th April suppers would | |||
be provided under arrangements to be made by |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
the newly appointed messing officer - Lt Portrait | |||
18 | The CO and all Rifle Coy Comds attended a | ||
demonstration of Street Fighting at EAST BOURNE, | |||
given by 43 Div Battle School. | |||
18 | 1800 | The C.O. held a conference of Coy Comds to | |
settle promotions to fill W.E. (incl ,1st Reinforcements) | |||
and the formation of the a "R" Coy , as orders | |||
had been received that "R" Coy would be | |||
formed forthwith. Lts Hanson and Aylarin??? were posted | |||
to "R" Coy | |||
19 | 7 Junior NCO's went away on a Section Leaders | ||
Course at 43 Div Battle School. | |||
Coy Comds carried out a recce of local tng | |||
areas | |||
Bn HQ offices were transferred to a nearby |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
requisitioned house and the mess was also establish | |||
there. | |||
20 | All officers attended a study period an "Continental | ||
Maps" given by the Int offr in preparation for a | |||
Bde Officers Continental map-reading Viva Voce | |||
Compatition on the 22nd April 5 | |||
22 | 5 DCLI officers won the Bde Map Reading | ||
Compatition held at Bde HQ and conducted by | |||
the Bde Comd. | |||
"R" Coy was formed. | |||
23 | 1000 | Major James carried out an administrative | |
inspection of the Bn Lines in the absence of | |||
the Commanding Officar who was away on a | |||
Course of instruction on the German Army (21st - 29th April) | |||
The 2 i/c was accompanied by the R.M.O. and RQMS. |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
1200 | A drumhead service was held in the NAAFI | ||
tent, and attended by the whole Bn. | |||
24 | Trials were Carried out under the direction of | ||
O.C. "S" Coy - (Capt PEG Coode) in the sandbagging of | |||
vehicles, as a means of safeguarding the driver | |||
and his make against the effects of A/The mines. | |||
The resultant additional load to vehicles which | |||
were already overloaded was carefully considered. | |||
An exercise was held to practise all drivers | |||
in prodding for mines laid in verges of the | |||
road and likely Vehicle concentration areas. The | |||
exercise demonstrated clearly the urgent need for | |||
further practice in this important subject. | |||
25 | 2 i/c (Major James) and all Coy Comds attended | ||
a lecture on "Civil affairs" at Tenterden. The |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
lecture dealt with the many civil problems which | |||
will have to be faced by an army which | |||
invades Europe which is under the heal of the | |||
Nazis. | |||
1800 | An R/T Exercise for half the officers of | ||
the Bn was held in the Officers Mess and | |||
given by the Sig Offr. The objects were to practice | |||
(I) RT. procedure | |||
(II) Wireless Security | |||
(III) Slidex and Map Ref Code | |||
(IV) Continental Map reading | |||
another exercise for M.T. drivers was held | |||
to practise mine prodding. Those M.T. drivers who | |||
had not attended on the preceding evening took |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
part. | |||
26 | 1800 | a R/T Exercise was held for those Officers | |
who had not attended on the previous evening. | |||
The exercise was identical with that held on | |||
the 25th. | |||
A film "Gentleman Jim" was shown in the | |||
NAAFI tent. | |||
27 | 100 all ranks from the Bn marched to | ||
BEXHILL to attend a lecture by Major Nailson | |||
(of the Ministry of Supply) on German Small Arms | |||
Weapons A few of those attending were given | |||
the opportunity of firing some of the weapons | |||
30 | A service was held in the NAAFI Tent, and | ||
conducted by the Senior Chaplain of the Div:- | |||
Major Neill, RAC.D. The Bde Comd attended, accompanied |
Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
---|---|---|---|
by the Staff Capt. | |||
In the afternoon a tea-party was held in | |||
the Officers Mess to which a few Officers' | |||
wives came. |