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National Archive Reference: WO 171/921
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| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0900 hrs. | Training programme started. Football in the afternoon "H" Troop beat "G" Troop 1 - 0 | ||
| 2nd | 0900 hrs. | More training. Football - "BHQ" beat "I" Troop 11 - 1. | ||
| 3rd | 0900 hrs. | Training. Football - Battery V Local Dutch, win for the Battery 10 - 0. | ||
| 4th. | 0900 hrs. | Training. Battery Hockey Team v 258 Battery. Battery lost 5 - 1 at Tilburg. | ||
| 5th | 0900 hrs. | Church Service conducted by our padre. All gun teams now under cover. Troop cooking started. | ||
| 6th | 0900 hrs. | A new training programme started. | ||
| 7th | 0900 hrs. | Training continued with some lectures by the A.E.C. Troop football league started. Capt.P.H.Stewart, R.A. left to go on Gunnery Staff Course at Larkhill. | ||
| C.R.A. visited Battery. | ||||
| 8th | 0900 hrs. | Training. A Regimental Hockey Match played in the afternoon against Div. Signals. Regiment won. Warning order received at 1900 hrs. for recce parties to start | ||
| 0830 hrs. on the 9th November 1944. | ||||
| 9th | 0830 hrs. | Recce party left. Another days training including a lecture from an Officer of the A.E.C. A miserable day with a spot of snow. | ||
| 10th | 1300 hrs. | Regiment moved to area BREE 5084. A long march via TILBURG, GHEEL and MOLL. Battery arrived at D.P. at 2115 hrs. and leaguered in the dark. A lot of vehicles | ||
| missing (all Batteries alike). B.H.Q. established at HASSELT 551847. | ||||
| 11th | 0900 hrs. | All vehicles in by 0900 hrs. Recce parties left at 1100 hrs. Troops deployed - "G" Troop under command 1/5 Queens at ITTERVOORT 663875 "H" Troop under command | ||
| 1/7 Queens at KESSENICH 665855. "I" Troop at THORN 674867. Tac.H.Q. established near Brigade at NEERITTER 649867. All guns could not be put into position in | ||||
| daylight, these were dug in after dark. | ||||
| 12th | 0600 hrs. | Some shelling and mortaring in "I" Troop area and Church Tower was cracked about with 88's. Cold wet miserable day. N.T.R. during the night. | ||
| 13th | 0600 hrs. | A quiet day, some shelling in area of "G" Troop just after dark. 3 men posted to 31st R.H.U. Nothing to report during the night. | ||
| 14th | 0600 hrs. | Large attack started at 1615 hrs. by 1/7 Queens capturing a look at 691879. 257 Battery and one troop 258 Battery supported the attack with H.F. The C.O. | Operation order attached. | |
| used 259 Tac as his Tac for short time that attack was going on. The operation was successful and from the gunfire other attacks on our left progressed through | ||||
| the night. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 15th. | 0900 hrs. | Lt.R.Smith, R.A. joined the Battery and took over L.O. Very quiet day and N.T.R. | ||
| 16th | 0900 hrs. | A quiet day. THORN was shelled during the night. A few men from each troop went to an ENSA Show at BREE in the evening. | ||
| 17th | 0900 hrs. | Another quiet day. "I" Troop got a bit more shelling in THORN but by now our friends on the left were practically up to the MAAS. 1 Coy of the 1/6 Queens went | ||
| into WESSEM 704864. | ||||
| 18th | 0600 hrs. | Orders from 131 Bdr. that the Battery stands down from 0800 hrs. on the 19th November and reverts to command of the 65th (Norfolk Yeonanry) Anti-Tank Regt. R.A. | ||
| Troops to concentrate in troop areas and Battery to concentrate in KESSENICH 6685 when 1/7 Queens had moved from there. plan for 1/5 and 1/7 Queens to move north | ||||
| of WESSIM CANAL and take over from 53 (W) Div. | ||||
| 19th | 0600 hrs. | Queens knew nothing about moving so guns pulled out of pits but remained in same area. Ban on visits to pictures, cafes, etc. instituted by the C.R.A. as | ||
| punishment owing to two O.R's failing to salute the G.O.C. | ||||
| 20th | 0800 hrs. | Still no sign of Queens moving. "G" Troop pulled out and concentrated in the School at KESSENICH 6685. Another miserable wet day. | ||
| 21st | 0800 hrs. | "I" Troop pulled out and billetted themselves in THORN. "H" Troop pulled out but stayed near positions. | ||
| 22nd | 0800 hrs. | Nothing to report. | ||
| 23rd | 0800 hrs. | 1/5 and 1/7 Queens moved over the canal. "I" Troop stayed in THORN. "H" Troop concentrated in KESSENICH. Tac. and A1 Ech. moved to KESSENICH. Tac established | ||
| at 1130 hrs. at 663854. The whole Battery now back in Belgium. Weather remained very wet. | ||||
| 24th | 0800 hrs. | Everything arranged for a Junior N.C.O's and potential N.C.O's class to start on the morrow. Visit from Mobile Canteen and Skin Inspection by M.O. | ||
| 25th | 0800 hrs. | Junior N.C.O's course started. RSM took marching drill. C.O. inspected billets and expressed satisfaction. | ||
| 25th | 0800 hrs. | Church Service held by padre. | ||
| 27th | 0800 hrs. | All main springs in striker mechanism had been strengthened by L.A.D. by adding an extra coil, Guns therefore all fired, 6 rounds each to test springs. Gun position | ||
| (troop area) 641842. Troops fired one after the other. Targets lateral road 698829 and road junction 714828. Two misfires one APC, one HE (LV), in both cases | ||||
| primers fairly struck. All HE (HV) changed for HE (LV) new scale 14 rounds per gun. "I" Troop moved in eventing to join Battery in KESSENICH. |
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information | References to Appendices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28th | 0900 hrs. | Lt.J.Yates, R.A. attended an Investiture held by Field Marshall Montgomery in BREE. Two Officers Maj.J .J. Barclay, R.A. and Lt.A.Ayling, R.A. were decorated | ||
| with the M.C. Training, including the N.C.O' S course, continued. | ||||
| 29th | 0900 hrs. | Another days training. 2nd i/c went on recce for a future move and crossed into Germany. | ||
| 30th | 0900 hrs. | B.C. left for 48 hours leave to BRUSSELS. Lt.R.Smith, R.A. went to 131 Bde. for "griff" and was wounded as he was leaving, Bde. being shelled, and evacuated. | ||
| C.R.A. visited the Battery and spoke to each Troop and B.H.Q. telling them about leave etc. Orders received at 2000 hrs. to move on the morrow. |
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