1st Tyneside Scottish April 1940
War Diary 1 TS April 1940
1st April 1940
Pte Wright proceeded on Driving Instructors' and Motor Transport Maintenance course at Lincoln, starting today.
Major N. Noble transferred from the Battalion to the British Expeditionary Force.
2nd April 1940
Pte Smith J 2759795 was posted from No. 96 Recruiting Centre (Newcastle) and taken on the Battalion strength with effect from 29th March.
5th April 1940
2/Lt Angus attended Officers' Course no 4 at Aldershot from today, completing 10th May.
At 14:10 hours the following were transferred to Brigade HQ at Chester-le-Street for Divisional employment;
4456025 Cpl Allenby J,
4455779 Pte Beat F,
4457195 Pte Crane A R,
4454991 Pte Ritson H,
4454615 Pte Brewster,
4455437 Pte Bewick L.
6th April 1940
Company Sergeant Major Bennett T. 4456077 and Platoon Sergeant Major Bourne A. W. 440328 were relegated to Class W, Territorial Army Reserve,with effect from 15th April.
9th April 1940
2/Lt Leitch D.M. ceased to be attached to the unit with effect from today.
10th April 1940
Lord Cavan’s lecture on leadership to Officers, Platoon Sergeant Majors and Company Sergeant Majors of 23rd Division was given at the Mechanics' Institute, Skinnergate, Darlington.
2/Lt A. R. K. White attended a Signals lecture at Darlington Drill Hall.
A Battalion Advance Party left for an unknown destination, consisting of Capt J.L.R. Croft, CSM Stordy, PSM Lamb, and 6 Other Ranks.
Sgt Instructor Liddle W. was posted to 1st Liverpool Scottish with effect from today.
11th April 1940
Brig Aubrey gave a “restricted” lecture on the German Army at Pelaw Miners’ Welfare Hall, Chester-le-Street.
Officers posted to the unit today were 2/Lt Colt, 2/Lt Hunter I, and 2/Lt Gellatly.
13th April 1940
The Battalion paraded for photographs at the Burt Terrace Cricket Ground. (One or two examples of these photographs have been supplied by relatives of men in the unit - more examples would be welcomed.)
15th April 1940
Platoon Sergeant Major Moore R. was promoted Warrant Officer Class II and was appointed Company Sergeant Major of HQ Company.
21st April 1940
Capt A. Walton was attending Company Commanders School – second part of course - at Chichester until 18/5/40.
23rd April 1940
The Battalion left Gateshead via Newcastle Station in 2 groups – commanded by Major Wilby and Lt Col Swinburne respectively.
(CSM Baggs' Diary states....7pm marched from “Rose St Schools” to Central Station …. Excitement, and entrained for Southampton, arrived 9 am…. Straight on board the passenger boat “Lady of Man” after instruction …. Of life belt. She looked a weird ship in her grey paint, but …. She was a comfy ship. She pulled out at 4:15 pm into the …. Await Escort then off to France, wondering how long we wou …. At last? At 12 midnight we move away, no lights, everyone …. Rest and chatting about what we would do when we got to ….)
24th April 1940
The two parties arrived at Southampton at 08:00 and 09:15 with comments from the Railway Transport Officer that the trains were left the cleanest he had seen to date.
The Battalion embarked on the “Isle of Man” steamer and left at 23:00 to the sound of the Battalion pipes.
25th April 1940
At 08:00 the steamer arrived at Le Havre – having narrowly escaped being run down by another ship in the convoy.
2/Lt G H Dunn was posted to the Battalion from the DLI Infantry Training Centre.
(CSM Baggs' Diary states....Arrived at “Le Harve” at 8:30 am after a good crossing went straight into sheds on the “Quayside” where we got a meal. Tin of McConickys with TEA. Everyone in good spirits. 12 noon we move into Railway Station and entrain for “BALBECK” and we didn’t travel in comfort, believe me, these French carriages are wonderfull. I had some. Arrive in BALBECK 3 pm and as usual we had to “march Past” the Brigade Commander. My Coy, A Coy, being the furthest away we had six miles to march. Arrived at last on a Farm, this is the Life, cooking under Coy arrangements. I soon had my boys settled down.)
The Battalion arrived at RAFFETOT after a delayed journey – caused by the train not halting at the designated station – amd were billeted in a small village near BOLBEC. The men were billeted in barns, with the officers in village houses. Good relations were established with the inhabitants – and the Battalion left after a few days.
26th April 1940
4686659 Cpl Reeves, D Coy, sustained serious injuries falling from a loft. He was taken to the 11th General Hospital in Le Havre.
28th April 1940
Battalion transport, less 2 30 cwt trucks and the water truck, left for a camp near BEAUVOIR.
4452461 Pte Smith T. was admitted to the RAMC Reception Centre, BOLBEC.
29th April 1940
At 23:00 hours the Battalion entrained at BOLBEC-VILLE Station – a total of 618 men and 23 Officers - after getting a clearance certificate from the local Mayor that no damage had been done to the billets.
4686658 Cpl Reeves J. died in hospital this afternoon from the injuries he had sustained in his fall two days earlier.
30th April 1940
At 17:00 hours the Battalion detrained at FREVENT and marched with full pack to BEAUVOIR. The 11th Battalion DLI was on the same train and marched with no packs. The Tyneside Scottish Battalion sustained no casualties on the march and it was enjoyed. (This tone of reporting may give some clue as to the personality of the Battalion commander!).
"Immatures" on the strength of the Battalion were posted to 125th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. (Although the War Diary is not specific it is assumed that this posting took place in the UK, as the “immatures” – that is, soldiers then under the age of nineteen - were not supposed to have been sent abroad. Reference to the men making up the "details" left behind in the UK, and attached to 125th Field Regiment for “pay and rations”, can be found in the War Diary of the Commander, Royal Artillery, of 23rd Division).
At 09:00 hours three men were admitted to Casualty Clearing Station No 3 at FREVENT; namely, 4455996 Pte Ingledew T., 4455990 Pte Hepple W. and 4459408 Pte Pigg J.E.
Attached to the War Diary, now that the Battalion was on active service, was the Field Return of Officers, which was completed each Saturday.
As at 27th April 1940 the return showed the following. (All Officers are single unless marked M for Married. BW means that they were members of the Black Watch. The date indicates the day they joined the Battalion.) :-
M Lt Col H L Swinburne BW 4.9.39
M Maj C W Oxley BW 20.12.39
M Maj R J Wilby BW 20.12.39
M Capt F Murphy BW 4.9.39
Capt G D Harker BW 4.9.39
Capt J Dempster BW 4.9.39
Capt E T Adams BW 4.9.39
Capt H S Maughan BW 4.9.39
Lt A W C Shortman BW 4.9.39
M Lt W L McGregor BW 5.3.40
2/Lt D M Colquhoun BW 8.3.40
2/Lt C T Cohen BW 12.3.40
2/Lt R H D Colt BW 9.4.40
M 2/Lt K P Calderwood BW 25.8.39
M 2/Lt J K Dunn BW 4.9.39
2/Lt A A Dodds BW 4.9.39
2/Lt A A Gellatly BW 9.4.40
2/Lt I R Hunter BW 9.4.40
2/Lt J C Mertens BW 2.9.39
2/Lt W P Noble BW 2.9.39
2/Lt RSM Stordy BW 11.8.39
2/Lt R W Scott BW 4.9.39
M 2/Lt A R K White BW 4.9.39.
Those included on the return but who were not with the unit on this date were as follows:-
M Capt A Walton BW 4.9.39 (OCTU Chichester)
M Capt J L R Croft BW 4.9.39 (Advance Party)
Capt J B Burr BW 4.9.39 (Rear Party)
2/Lt W K Angus BW 11.8.39 (OCTU Aldershot)
2/Lt W G Brennan BW 4.9.39 (MT Chilwell)
2/Lt F T Bell BW 4.9.39 (Chester le Street)
2/Lt A M Keith BW 8.3.40 (Chester le Street)
M 2/Lt A I Catto BW 4.9.39 (Sick at home – entry crossed out – not clear why)
2/Lt D M Leitch BW 4.9.39 (DLI BEF).
Attached Officer ranks were :-
Capt R N Craig Chaplain
Lt H S Forrester RAMC Unit Doctor
Lt Guerin 26.4.40 Liaison Duty from French Forces
The Return annotated in the appropriate section that 2/Lt Leitch’s return to the unit was particularly requested.
The comparable return for Other Ranks for the end of April shows:-
1 Warrant Officer Class I (the Regimental Sergeant Major)
5 Warrant Officers Class II
3 Warrant Officers Class III
3 Company Sergeant Majors (1 at the Holding Battalion, 1 at 125th Field Regt, 1 at 2nd Echelon)
22 Sergeants (1 at 125th Field Regt)
29 Corporals (4 at 125th Field Regt and Holding Battalion)
579 Ptes ( including 29 at Holding Battalion and 125th Field Regt, 63 Immatures, 4 Controls).
Total field strength of the Battalion was 642 Other Ranks, of which 104 were detached.
The Other Ranks who were “attached” to the Battalion were:-
4618720 L/Cpl Brown R. RAOC
759100 L/Cpl Rodgers D. RAOC
The Battalion made a Nil return for surplus men or reinforcements that were required.
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