49th Division Provost Company War Diary - November 1940
1 November 1940 Reykjavik
06:00 hours. Fine. Colder. Normal duties.
2 November 1940
06:00 hours. Cold. Normal duties.
3 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine day. Cold wind. German plane seen over Reykjavik.
09:00 hours. Alarm given. A.A. batteries in action. Normal duties.
4 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold. Normal duties.
5 November 1940
06:00 hours. Cold. Snow. Normal duties.
6 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold. Field Firing Exercise at Kleifervatn. M.P. engaged on Traffic Control duties etc. Normal duties.
7 November 1940
06:00 hours. Snow. Dull. Field Firing Exercise – 2nd day cancelled.
8 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold. Field Firing Exercise at Kleifervatn. M.P. engaged on Traffic Control duties etc. 2 M.P. left for Akureyri as mail escort. Last trip by road. 4 M.P. went on board S.S. Tordenskjold sailing for Northern Iceland with stores. Other normal duties.
9 November 1940
06:00 hours. Heavy fall of snow. Blizzard midday onwards for 14 hours. Normal duties. No motorcycling possible.
10 November 1940
06:00 hours. Very cold. Dull. Church Parades. M.P. engaged on Traffic Control and attended Parade. Normal duties.
Company Part II Orders Nos. 187 to 194 issued and filed with War Diary as Appendix A.
11 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold. Normal duties.
12 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Much warmer. Mail escort of Akureyri stopped. Road blocked at Blonduos by snow and ice. Normal duties.
13 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold. Normal duties.
14 November 1940
06:00 hours. Dull day. Cold wind. 2 M.P. sailed on S.S. Zaanstroom for Northern Iceland. To guard stores etc. Normal duties.
15 November 1940
Heavy snow and blizzard. Motorcycles useless owing to road conditions. Normal duties.
16 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine and warmer. Tyneside Scottish march past in Reykjavik. M.P. engaged on Traffic Control etc. Normal duties carried out including continued unloading of store drops at Reykjavik Docks.
17 November 1940
06:00 hours. Cold. More snow. Normal duties.
18 November 1940
06:00 hours. Cold. Snow. Normal duties.
19 November 1940
06:00 hours. Thaw. Rain all day. Normal duties.
20 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Normal duties. Company Part I Orders Nos. 195 to 201 issued and filed with War Diary as Appendix B (these documents do not appear to have survived in the file).
21 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine early. Snow later. Field Firing Exercise at Kleifervatn. M.P. engaged on Traffic Control duties.
22 November 1940
06:00 hours. Snow. Cold. Normal duties.
23 November 1940
06:00 hours. Dull. Slight snowstorms. Normal duties.
24 November 1940
06:00 hours. Dull. Snowing. Normal duties.
25 November 1940
06:00 hours. Dull and blizzard. Normal duties.
26 November 1940
06:00 hours. Finer. Sunshine later. Normal duties.
27 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Cold wind.Normal duties.
28 November 1940
06:00 hours. Rain. Warmer. Normal duties.
29 November 1940
06:00 hours. Rain. Thawing. Normal duties. Raid on ship “Oligarch”. Several uncensored letters found aboard.
30 November 1940
06:00 hours. Fine. Warm. 1st Practice Air Raid Warning, M.P. actively engaged. Civilian population of Reykjavik co-operated and tested own scheme.
Appendices attached to November 1940 War Diary.
Appendix A
Part I Orders issued by Captain Mark C. Topham, Officer Commanding.
195. Lighting-up times for week ending 27/11/1940.
196. Transit Cage – access arrangements.
197. Discipline – removal of fish drying poles punishable.
198. Dress – Tropal Coats – equipment to be worn inside the coat.
199. Speed limits – 8cwt trucks used as passenger carriers subject to same limits as cars.
200. Loss of Armbands – list of those issued to civilian labourers which have gone missing. Instructions regarding recovery.
201. Web equipment – all ranks to blanco webbing immediately with standard NAAFI Khaki Green No 3 shade.
Issued 20/11/1940.
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