Difference between revisions of "70th Infantry Brigade War Diary January 1944."

Revision as of 15:27, 9 October 2016

Sgt Elliott stated that While at Southwold the news was received that 49th Division was being replaced by 50th Division in the assault role, with 49th assuming the follow-up role. Men were understandably a little relieved but genuinely thought it was hard on 50th Division given their years of battle experience and casualties. In his view 49th Division could have done the assault and would perhaps – as generally untried troops – been quicker. Several references were made to his Dunkirk experiences with 50th Division.

1st – 3rd January 1944

Preparation for Exercise IBEX – including the equipping of briefing rooms, setting up anaglyphs and epidiascopes. The briefing programme and General Instructions for Exercise IBEX were issued, and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendix A.

4th – 8th January 1944

70th Infantry Brigade Exercise IBEX was held in St. Felix School, SOUTHWOLD, for the purpose of ascertaining what equipment was necessary, and what programme routine would have to be observed, in order to put all private soldiers of the Brigade Group in the picture regarding an operation – with six briefing rooms in use over a period of three days.

Great practical value was obtained and, with pooled ideas, a programme was produced in which it was estimated that the major difficulties arising would be overcome.

9th January 1944

Selected personnel walked the ground on which Exercise IBEX was planned. Personnel were cross-questioned by the Divisional and Brigade Commanders. All privates appeared to be well conversant with the ground, and the tactical picture supplied related to that ground, in the various phases.

10th January 1944

A 49 Division Conference was held on Exercise IBEX, attended by the C.Os. of all the units taking part.

No 3 Mines Course, held by 757 Field Company, Royal Engineers, for the senior NCOs in the Brigade Group began.

12th January 1944

The Brigade Commander and Brigade Major were present at a preliminary walk-over of 11th DLI Exercise FORRARD – an exercise with live ammunition involving a Company of Infantry, a Squadron of Tanks, the Brigade Support Group, an Anti-Tank Troop and a Medical Troop.

Sites were reconnoitred for the erection of two concrete Landing Craft, Tanks in the SOUTHWOLD area.

13th January 1944

The Brigade Commander held a Training Conference at 09:30 hours at Brigade HQ, attended by all C.Os. in the Brigade Group – the subject being “Night Training Week”.

Brigadier Senior of 151 Brigade, 50th Division (the “parent” Brigade of 70th Brigade) visited Brigade HQ to discuss present policy and the War Establishment of Brigade HQ.

The Divisional Cross Country Run was held at NORWICH at 14:30 hours for the selection of a Divisional team in the Command competitions. All Infantry units entered a team of 8 men.

15th January 1944

The Field Returns of Officers of Brigade HQ for 8th and 15th January were completed and submitted, and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendices B and C. (It is not at all clear why these weekly returns, which allow staff movements and changes to be monitored, had not been included with the War Diary for so many months. Their absence has meant that individuals have not always been able to be included within the names database for Brigade HQ, unless specifically mentioned within the War Diary). The return showed that Officer strength – at 14 – matched the establishment, and several changes of post were noted and applied to the names database. The Other Ranks Returns did not appear to be filed with the War Diary.

18th January 1944

Brigadier E.C. Cooke-Collis, D.S.O., Commander 69 Infantry Brigade, 50th Division, arrived at Brigade HQ.

The papers for Exercise BLACKEYE were issued and a copy attached to the War Diary as Appendix D.

19th January 1944

70th Infantry Brigade Exercise FORRARD – a Company Infantry attack supported by a Squadron of Tanks took place. Details are attached to the War Diary as Appendix E. A demonstration was given both morning and afternoon to approximately 300 spectators. During the afternoon demonstration, a Medium Gun blew up, killing three personnel outright and seriously wounding five others – one of whom died later that evening in hospital.

Using the more sophisticated search facilities now provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission it has been possible to identify the casualties of this sad incident as:-

1107974 Gunner Albert Edward BOULTWOOD

958121 Gunner John CULSHAW

962018 Gunner Reginald Thomas DAVIES

872223 Gunner Edwin Jesse LANE

All of 109 Battery, 79 (The Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery.

20th January 1944

Brigadier P.P. King relinquished command of 70th Infantry Brigade and proceeded on leave pending further instructions. Brigadier E.C. Cooke-Collis, D.S.O., of the Green Howards assumed command of 70th Infantry Brigade.

21st January 1944

The Brigade Commander and Brigade Major attended a T.E.W.T. - Exercise ELK I, held by A.R.E. in the ORFORD Training Area.

22nd January 1944

Exercise ELK I – the exercise was held by units of 30 Armoured Brigade in conjunction with 10th DLI.

1st Tyneside Scottish held Test Exercises APPLE I and APPLE II.

24th-25th January 1944

Brigade Group Night Training Week began – with Reveille at approximately 14:30 hours, night training at approximately 21:30 hours and Lights Out at 04:30 hours.

25th January 1944

70th Infantry Brigade Intelligence Exercise BLACKEYE was held, with 10th and 11th DLI taking part.

26th January 1944

The first run-over Exercise ELK II took place in preparation for a demonstration on 27th January.

27th January 1944

Exercise ELK II – a demonstration by 1st Tyneside Scottish, in conjunction with units of 30 Armoured Brigade, on the drill for assaulting a strong German “Hedgehog”. The demonstration was attended by the Supreme Allied Commander (General Eisenhower) and the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (General Alan Brooke). The Breaching Echelon – consisting of Flails, a Platoon of Infantry, AVREs, Fascines, Snakes and AVRE Bridges cleared three lanes on the Battalion front.

The Brigade Commander and Brigade Major visited 10th DLI carrying out night training.

28th January 1944

Exercise ELK II was carried out by 1st Tyneside Scottish at dawn.

Instructions were received to move 70th Infantry Brigade Group to the THETFORD area and to take over the accommodation of 69th Infantry Brigade of 50th Division.

11th DLI carried out a night training exercise.

29th January 1944

Reconnaissance Parties of 70th Infantry Brigade Group and 69th Infantry Brigade Group looked over new accommodation. The Field Return of Officers at 70th Brigade HQ as at 29th January was completed and attached to the War Diary as Appendix F.

70th Infantry Brigade Training Notes No 1 were issued, and a copy filed in the War Diary as Appendix G.

30th January 1944

Advance Parties left for the Brigade’s new location at SHADWELL COURT, THETFORD.

Appendix A – General Instructions for Exercise IBEX.

The objective of this exercise was to ascertain the time, method and equipment necessary to brief assault units after concentration – it was divided into two parts:-

Part 1 – briefing on a scale of six rooms per Assault Brigade Group plus two rooms for the Beach Group over a period of four days (4 – 7 Jan). As only one Infantry Battalion (10th DLI) was being briefed in this part, on this occasion, only four rooms would be used.

Part 2 – Briefing of one Battalion Group (11th DLI) in one room and one Aldershot Shelter in 2 days (4th and 8th Jan).

The units taking part were shown as:-

HQ 70th Infantry Brigade and the Defence Platoon.

J Section 49 Division Signals.

10th DLI.

11th DLI.

C Support Group 2nd Kensingtons.

East Riding Yeomanry.

86 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (Officers and Forward Observation Parties only).

185 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

217 Anti-Tank Battery.

757 Field Company, Royal Engineers.

2 Squadrons 42 Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers.

187 Field Ambulance.

The units not taking part in this exercise, who would normally be attached to the Brigade Group, and which had been taken into consideration when planning the scale of the task – and for whom accommodation and seating had been allowed – were as follows:-

1st Tyneside Scottish.

Two Troops 308 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery.

19 A Field Company.

Detachment of 289 Field Park Company, Royal Engineers.

9 Beach Group (all briefing to be carried out at Home Station).

Contact detachments 49 Recce Regiment.

70th Infantry Brigade Light Aid Detachment.

Detachment of 482 Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Two Sections of 49 Division Provost Detachment.

Detachment of 60 Field Security Section.

The Infantry detachments were both to be briefed on the plan for 10th DLI Group – the LEFT Forward Battalion. A detailed timetable was included which had to be followed closely if all men were to be successfully briefed. The identities of personnel earmarked to attend conferences as the exercise progressed was given, which was expected to be varied in the light of experience.

Briefing was taken to mean the issue and explanation of orders to all ranks, by an Officer not below Company (or equivalent) Commander.

All photographs, maps, traces and other illustrations were provided in each Briefing Room and were forbidden to be removed. Provision was made to accommodate spectators by arrangement with Brigade HQ.

Conferences were planned to; hear the Brigade Commander’s orders, each C.Os. orders, and for each Company Group. Specialist conferences were also planned on “Q” matters and Medical issues.

Appendix D – Brigade Intelligence Exercise No 2 – Exercise BLACKEYE – General Instructions.

The exercise was planned to take place in the BRAMFIELD and HALESWORTH areas overnight on 25th – 26th January, with all Battalion Intelligence Sections at maximum strength. The objectives of the exercise were to:-

(a)Ascertain if unit personnel could follow given Company centre lines during darkness.

(b)Select and prepare Observation Posts during darkness for a dawn Battalion attack.

(c)Reconnoitre a river and bridge during darkness.

Umpires were identified from Brigade HQ, including several NCOs, and the equipment list for the exercise included reconnaissance boats and life jackets.

A sheet was provided of a sequence of events expected to occur during the exercise, including; practical route-finding and locating tasks, reporting on suitable river crossing points and bridge conditions and Observation Post selection.

Appendix E – Papers on Exercise FORRARD.

The covering sheet listed the contents of the papers as – General Instructions, General and Special Ideas lying behind the Exercise and Spectators’ Instructions.

The objective of the exercise was to demonstrate the working of Sherman Tanks with Infantry in the area of WESTLETON WALES 9186 in accordance with 49 Division Training Instructions.

The troops taking part consisted of A Company Group of 11th DLI (the Company itself plus support forces from other Brigade Group units), a Squadron of the East Riding Yeomanry and 109 Battery of 79 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery.

After a rehearsal on 16th January, demonstrations were expected to take place on the 18th and 19th of January. Officers were provided from both 11th DLI and the Yeomanry in order to answer questions from spectators. Provision was made for Medical and Ambulance cover. Routes would be identified and marshalled by the Provost Section.

The exercise scenario assumed a Divisional landing in Northern France, with 70th Brigade as the Reserve Brigade, concentrating and forming up just after landing. Progress having been made the Brigade is tasked with moving forward and securing the final Divisional objective with an attack on a two-Battalion basis – although only one Company was actually taking part in the demonstration. Support would be given by Medium Artillery and Mortars.

Each Brigade Group unit was given an allotment of spectator vacancies and personnel were advised to bring haversack rations and field glasses.

Appendix G – 70th Infantry Brigade Training Notes No 1

This document set out a series of notes on a variety of subjects for the guidance of the troops in the Brigade Group.

The topics covered in this edition were:-

The 38 Radio Set – its allocation among Companies and its protection during operations.

The Pioneer Platoon – the need for an additional Assault Section – taking the total to three in the Platoon – with the requirement that adequate training is given before mine-lifting duties are undertaken.

2” Mortar Parachute Flares – the need to conserve their use, given the restricted scale of issue.

Light Machine Gun Magazines – setting a limit of 18 on the number of Bren magazines carried per Section (by the No 2 on the gun in a haversack, rather than by Section riflemen in their pouches) with the balance of 7 magazines per gun carried as a Company reserve. The aim was to reduce the number lost or damaged.

Length of bursts with the LMG – advising that bursts of 6 to 8 rounds were seen as more effective than short bursts of 2 or 3 rounds.

Grenades – reinforcing the usefulness of the 36 Grenade as an “in fighting” weapon and the need for all personnel to be thoroughly trained in their use, including throwing on the move at the double, while minimising personal risks.

Marching – stressing the essential ability of all units to be able to cover 30 miles on foot, including ten miles in two hours. Each march was expected to include an exercise of some kind.

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