War Diary: 69th Infantry Brigade HQ

Month and year: April 1944

The 69th Infantry Brigade HQ April 1944 war diary covers the units time in the UK at Boscombe and Southholme Copse

National Archive Reference: WO 171/651

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Page 1 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
Chine Hotel	1		Bde Planning Staff re-joins Bde HQ for the purpose of exercise
Boscombe			SMASH 1.
	2	1000	Codeword "MATILDA" postpones the exercise for 24 hours.	See table of Signals
			Instuctions issued for the move of advance parties to the new	Appendix 'A'
			location.
	3	1000	Wet-shod personnel move by road to WEYMOUTH and embark on
			allotted craft.
	4	0900	Bde Comd and staff disembark. Bde HQ established at MBSS
		0930	7 GH moving to assembly area. CO forward on OP.
		1000	5 EY moving forward to their final objective.
		1045	5 EY and 7 GH almost on phase 1.	Exercise 'SMASH'
		1050	5 EY signal DROP. Bde HQ established at 461045. 5 EY report	appendices B(i) & B(2)
			two carriers drowned.
		1100	7 GH commence attack on HOW BTY.
		1145	Locations :- 5 EY I 467029. 6 GH - 458048. 7 GH - 443044.

Page 2 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
Chine Hotel	4	1150	7 GH report DOPE.
Boscombe		1205	Two coys 7 GH advancing on phase 11.
		1230	7 GH report EVEN.
		1315	7 GH report CRAB.
		1415	7 GH headquarters at 401034.
		1430	6 GH report EVEN
		1440	7 GH report temporaray bridge constructed at 393032.
		1448	AASC require position of forward troops and enquire if air
			support required.
		1455	SMASH FINI.
	5		69 Bde Gp Adm Order No 3 issued.	Appendix 'C'
	6	1000	Bde HQ moves to SOUTHHOLME COPSE. Bns located as follows :-
			5 East Yorks, 6 Green Howards and 7 Green Howards in
			BUSHFIELD CAMP map ref 908463, 1" to 1 mile, OS sheet 122.

Page 3 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
Southholme Copse.	7		Capt Shelto - Douglas, combined ops representative at Bde HQ,
825427			posted to the staff Force G as liason officer between army
1" to 1m			and navy.
Sheet 122	8	1000	I.O. attends naval conference. All aspects of SMASH 1 & 11
			were discussed. Capt. J. Hymas appointed Bde. R.A.S.C. officer.
	9	1530	Bde Comd attends conference on fire support convened by the CRA.
	10	1000	Bde Comd, I.O. and S.O. attend conference on SMASH 1 & 11 at	See appendix 'E'
			the Regal cinema, Ringwood. Representatives of Force 'G' and
			the R.A.F. were present.
		1430	Bde Comd held briefing conference for Bn Comds on exercise
			SMASH 111 in the model room at Bde HQ.
	11-12		NTR
	13		Preparations for SMASH 111. 69 Inf Bde Adm Instruction No 4	Appendix 'D'
			issued.
	14		Preparations for SMASH 111.

Page 4 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Timsbury Manor.	15	1000	Bde HQ moves to TIMSBURY MANOR, 783446, Sheet 122, OS 1" -1 mile.
783446 1" - 1 mile	16		Preparations for SMASH lll.
Sheet 122	17		Loading for SMASH lll.
	18		Exercise SMASH lll
		0700	H Hour.
		0716	6 GH report HALF.
		0730	5 EY report HALF.
		0745	Bde HQ established ashore at the junc of DOG GREEN and WHITE
			beaches.
		0810	6 GH report GASP
		0815	7 GH report DAMP; all coys ashore, passing through 6 GH.
		0817	6 GH report DAMP
		0820	5 EY report one coy attacking second objective.
		0825	6 GH report 4/7 Dgns passing through

Page 5 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Timsbury Manor.	18	0830	5 EY at 464037
		0906	6 GH at 468048
		0945	5 EY report GASP. 7 GH commence attack on JAKE. Bde HQ
			established at 463042
		1020	7 GH report JAKE.
		1035	7 GH report HELL.
		1130	7 GH report LOVE.
		1145	6 GH report HELL.
		1205	7 GH report JAVA
		1340	Bde HQ established at 412041.
		1420	5 EY report HIST
		1440	Bde HQ established at 369023
		1550	6 GH and 7 G. approaching HIST. Locations as follows:-
			5 EY - 355025. 6 GH - 344015. 7 GH - 363026.
		1605	6 GH report contact with 3 CDN DIV at junc pt south of STEEPLE.

Page 6 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Timsbury Manor.	18	1610	6 GH report HIST
		1620	7 GH report HIST . ADS established at 385023.
		1905	5 EY coy posns :- 350024; 354030; 355025; 359028.
			6 GH coy posns :- 349020; 343018; 343014; 348015.
			7 GH coy posns :- 365028; 355027; 363025; 364031.
		2000	Bns instructed to send sitreps at 2130 hrs and 0630 hrs.
			Preliminary patrolreports at 0630 hrs.
	19		Patrols were sent by bns as follows :- 5 EY standing patrol
			and mobile patrol to contact 151 Bde. 6 GH standing patrol.
			7 GH as for 5 EY. (The Bde was in a position which amounted virtually
			to a reserve posn and, therefore, the patrolling was quite
			unreal)
		0830	Conclusion of exercise. Embussing commences for return to
			camp.
	20		NTR.

Page 7 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Timsbury Manor	21	1800	Bde Comd holds conference at Bde HQ attended by Bn Comds. All
			aspects of exercise SMASH were discussed.
	22	0930	The BM attends a demonstration convened by Force 'G' on
			methods of overcoming the obstacle 'Element C'. The demonstration
			was held in the area BRACKALSHAM BAY.
		0930	The Bde Comd inspects the personnel and vehicles of Bde HQ.
			Personnel were dressed, and vehicles loaded, as for a D day
			assault. The purpose of the inspection was to ensure that
			personnel were correctly equipped and that the vehicles
			carried the necessary loads.
	23		Briefing for the Bde Gp by Commander for FABIUS.
	24	0930	Bde Comd attends a conference at Divisional HQ.
	25	1000	The Bde Comd and Staff attend conference at the Regal Cinema
			Ringwood. All aspects of exercise SMASH were discussed.
		1430	Conference held at Bde HQ, attended by assault R.E. and

Page 8 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
			W. Dgns. on the marking of gaps through a minefield.
Tisbury Manor	26	0900	Bde Comd. attends Naval Briefing conference at WEYMOUTH, for Exercise FABIUS.
		1400	Briefing of Bde. H.Q. for FABIUS by I.O. and offrs. i/c depts.
	27		Marshalling commences for FABIUS. All camps are sealed after
			briefing and troops are not allowed out. In the case of Bde.
			H.Q. the sealing was impossible, situated as it is in the top
			floor and grounds of a house occupied by civilians.
			One public relations officer, his conducting officer and two
			Sgts. from A.F.P.U. were attached to Bde. for FABIUS.
			Bde. Major leaves for Division to resume planning for OVERLORD.
	28		Marshalling for FABIUS continues.
	29		Bde. Comd. attends conference with Force G2.
			Major V. Leadley, a combined operations staff officer, lent
			to Bde. for exercises, left on appointment as D.A.Q.M.G.
			in Movement Control.

Page 9 of 9

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	30		Capt. P. Salmon, Royal Corps of Signals, appointed Bde. Signal
			Officer, vice Capt. D. Soutar.
			With the exception of the Brigadier, G.S.O.3 and I.O. and
			Signals for the Frigate party, the whole of Bde. H.Q. was
			marshalled by this time. Only the B.T.O. and E.M.E.
			did not go on the exercise.

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War Diary: 69th Infantry Brigade HQ

Month and year: April 1944

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