War Diary: Westminster Dragoons

Month and year: March 1944

The Westminster Dragoons March 1944 war diary covers the unit while based in the area around Thorpeness and taking part in the full scale exercise Ex Bullshead.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/864

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Page 1 of 5

Place

Date

Hour

Summary of Events and Information

References to Appendices

	WE	Str
Offrs	33	46
ORs	662	859

THORPENESS

Lt Col W.Y.K. Blair Oliphant MC, Major P. Bosanquet commanding 'B' Sqn and

Major S.P.M. Sutton commanding C Sqn attended a conference at the War Office

lasting until 7 Mar. The Regt was allotted to 50 Div for the sea-borne

assault on Europe.

One Sqn ordered to BOURNEMOUTH (9 Beach Gp area) for special trg, advance

party to leave 10 Mar. 'C' San was detailed, and 1 tp CRABS under

Lt B.M.S. Hoban left in advance.

Lt K.A. Crosthwaite attached to HQ 30 Armd Bde as assistant to Bde I.O.

The Regt, with other units, was inspected by the C-in-C, General Sir

Bernard L, Montgomery K.C.B., D.S.O.,

Skeleton 'B' Sqn also ordered to BOURNEMOUTH, and 1 tp CRABS under

Lt Townsend-Green was selected

Appx 'B'

Preliminary conference for Ex BULLSHEAD. Regt 'B' Vehicle waterproofing

Appx 'A'

trials

Skeleton Ex BULLSHEAD

Page 2 of 5

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
THORPENESS	19	Full scale Ex BULLSHEAD. The exercise practised an attack by 'A' Sqn
		Westminster Dragoons, and one Sqn ARE in sp of 8 D.L.I. on two posns
		occupied by reinforced coys, and protected by one minefield 300 yards deep,
		a ditch 6-ft deep and 12-ft wide, and a further mine field 100-yards across
		on the "German" side of the ditch. Breaching teams consisted, for each lane,
		of 3 flail tks leading in echelon, clearing a 24-ft lane, followed by Breach
		Commander and 2 i/c, in cruiser tks, followed by one pl inf, followed by
		one tp of ARE (six CHURCHILLS) and the two remaining flail tks in res. Offrs
		commanding the three lanes were as usual, Flail sqn Leader, ARE Sqn Leader, and
		the Coy Comd of the Coy providing the Inf Pls, mounted in a tk provided by
		the ARE. Having reached within 30-yards of the ditch, the flails turned off
		in a circle, and the leading AVRE, carrying a fascine of chestnut paling,
		and pushing a short SNAKE. cleared a path to the edge of the ditch, and
		crossed it with the fascine. The crossing was thus made good and the lane
		marked by RE personnel dragged in on armoured sledge behind an AVRE.

Page 3 of 5

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
THORPENESS	19	The flails then crossed and the advance continued to the first objective
		which was seized by the assaulting inf - two coys - following the breaching
		teams. Finally the reserve coy of the assaulting bn, and bn HQ, moved up the
		centre lane and seized the second objective.
		The whole operation was completed in 50 minutes. A. tk guns of the inf. bn,
		drawn by carriers, were in posn 20-mins later. Fire support, (imaginary)
		consisted of 3 Fd Regts, one Med Regt, and direct fire by the tanks of the
		Pilot Tp. (four SHERMAN tks fitted with rollers) from a hulldown posn to a
		flank. On one lane a 30-ft SBG bridge was used to cross the ditch in place
		of a fascine. Minefields were laid with British Mk II mines with detonators
		only, and were dealt with 100% effectively where struck by the flails of
		CRABS. Mines were 3-ins below the surface, in sandy soil. The CRAB (SHERMAN
		flail) as usual cut through all wire without difficulty. The Ex was
		repeated in skeleton 20 Mar, and full scale 22 Mar with 6 D.L.I.
	18	Major SIDEY posted from 7 RTR as Second-in-Command.

Page 4 of 5

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
THORPENESS	21	MOBILIZATION order received. To be completed by MN 3 Apr 44	C
	23	Capt STANYON relinquished appointment of RHQ Capt and took over B Sqn in
		succession to Major P. Bosanquet posted as G2 to SECOND Army HQ. Capt
		M.J Crosthwaite appointed RHQ Capt.
	24	Lecture by Major Sidey on new Gunnery Methods, using FOO, and Sqn of tks
		producing indirect fire with modified artillery methods. System successfully
		practised, and one tp of 3 tks did accurate switch at 3000-yds in 5 mins.

		During the month all tks have practised driving on and off a concrete
		mock-up Landing Craft Tank IV. This is the craft expected for Ops, and the
		entrance is only 7-inches wider than the rotor of the CRAB.
		Great difficulty in trg is caused by short supply of CRABS. Since the
		SCORPIONS (Flail Valentines) provided for trg are too unlike CRABS to be of
		real use, and are unsafe for dealing with live mines, owing to the thin
		armour under the driving compartment. Their effective speed is only 1/2 mile

Page 5 of 5

Place

Date

Hour

Summary of Events and Information

References to Appendices

THORPENESS

when flailing, compared with the 1 1/2 m.p.h of the CRAB.

Recommendations under WOL

Tank State

CRABS	31
SHERMANS	19
SCORPIONS	18
CROMWELLS	3
CENTAURS	17

Personnel State

	WE	Strength
Offrs	33	46
ORs	662	859

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War Diary: Westminster Dragoons

Month and year: March 1944

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