25th Mule Company, War Diary September 1942

1 September 1942 Training Camp.

Pack Transport Training with affiliated units continued. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine. Pay for August 1942 drawn and disbursed. Personnel attended a showing of training films.

2 September 1942

09:45 hours. Rissaldar MAKHAN KHAN proceeded on leave incl 2 Sept to 4 September 1942. Pack Transport Training with affiliated units continued. Personnel and animals not so employed were employed in drawing rations from 47 S.D.S. A fine dry day.

3 September 1942

10:00 hours. Pack Transport Training with affiliated units continuing. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine. In connection with the National Day of Prayer, prayers were said by unit Maulvi.

4 September 1942

19:45 hours. Jemadar ABDULLAH delivered a lecture on the British Empire.

4 – 6 September 1942

Unfortunately, the image available of this page of the War Diary, largely due to it being a triplicate copy of the original, was too blurred for the manuscript text to be legible.

6 September 1942

SUNDAY. Personnel attended radio programme. In the afternoon 155 Brigade Mounted Sports were held. A team and individuals from the unit participated and unit gained one 1st place and two third places. A day of strong cold winds and showers.

7 September 1942

09:00 hours. A day of frequent showers and cold winds. Pack Transport Training with affiliated units carried out and those personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine.

Jemadar SAJAWAL KHAN I.A.V.C. rejoined from leave. A Gas Chamber test for all members of the Company was carried out. Lieut J C G BRADFIELD accompanied by Jemadar WALI MOHD visited patients in the Indian General Hospital.

8 September 1942

10:05 hours. Lieut P C KHANNA rejoined from leave. Pack Transport training with affiliated units continued. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine.

9 September 1942

09:00 hours. A cold dry day with some rain. Pack Transport Training with affiliated unit continued. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine. Lt P C KHANNA with 6 Other Ranks of the unit attended an Artillery demonstration. Major J P HEGARTY M.C. RAVC rejoined from sick.

Officer Commanding attended a Pack Group Commanders conference.

10 September 1942

11:30 hours. A cold dry day with strong winds. Pack Transport Training with affiliated units continued. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine. Rissaldar MAKHAN KHAN rejoined from leave.

11 September 1942

10:30 hours. A mild dull day. Pack Transport Training with affiliated units continued. Personnel and animals not so employed carried out normal routine.

12 September 1942

10:30 hours. A mild sunny day. Rissaldar NIZAM DIN I.D.S.M. attended a conference at the Indian Contingent.

13 September 1942

08:30 hours. Normal routine carried out.

13 – 15 September 1942

Unit employed in Brigade Exercise “STALKER”.

16 September 1942

A cold wet day – normal routine carried out as far as possible.

17 September 1942

10:30 hours. A dull damp day. Normal routine carried out. Commander Indian Contingent (Col R W W HILLS O.B.E., M.C.) accompanied by Major J FINLAY M.B.E. visited the unit. Lieut P C KHANNA accompanied by Rissaldar MAKHAN KHAN visited patients in the Indian General Hospital.

18 September 1942

11:15 hours. Jemadar ABDULLAH I.D.S.M. proceeded on leave incl. 18 to 26 September 1942. A dull cold day. Normal routine carried out. Lt NARAIN SINGH and Clerk REHMAT ALI reported arrival on posting to unit. Officer Commanding Company (Captain W JAMESON) attended a conference held by Officer Commanding No. 4 Pack group.

19 September 1942

18:00 hours. A cold dull day. Normal routine carried out. The High Commissioner for India (Sir AZIZ UL HUQUE visited the unit and was accompanied by Commander Indian Contingent (Col R W W HILLS O.B.E., M.C.). Officer Commanding (Captain W JAMESON) attended a conference on Exercise STALKER. 37 personnel of unit under Lt NARAIN SINGH attended an Anti-Gas demonstration.

20 September 1942

10:00 hours. SUNDAY. Personnel attended morning radio programme. A cold day with continual rain.

21 September 1942

A bitterly cold day with continual rain. Normal routine carried out as far as possible. Lt P C KHANNA reported departure on posting to HQ Indian Contingent.

22 September 1942

A sunny day but cold and windy. Normal routine carried out.

23 September 1942

19:30 hours. A cold dry day. His Highness MAHARAJA JAM SAHEB OF NAWANAGAR G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., A.D.C. inspected the Company at a ceremonial march past and was accompanied by Commander Indian Contingent (Col R W W HILLS O.B.E., M.C.).

No. 179414 Driver FINOR SHAN and No. 179503 Driver N KHAN reported as absentees from reveille.

24 September 1942

09:45 hours. Officer Commanding (Captain W JAMESON), Veterinary Officer (Major J P HEGARTY M.C., RAVC) and Rissaldar NIZAM DIN I.D.S.M. proceeded on a reconnaissance of proposed new location of unit. Normal routine duties carried out.

Lt NARAIN SINGH visited patients in hospital.

25 September 1942

10:15 hours. Normal routine carried out. Captain JAMESON, Major HEGARTY and Rissaldar NIZAM DIN rejoined from reconnaissance of proposed new location of unit.

26 September 1942

11:30 hours. A cold bright sunny day after heavy frost during night. Normal routine carried out. Lieut J C G BRADFIELD proceeded on leave incl 26 incl 27 September.

27 September 1942

10:00 hours. SUNDAY A sunny day with strong cold winds. Personnel attended radio programme 3F. A.O. (Captain SHER MOHD MIR) visited unit and checked Imprest Account. Jemadar ABDULLAH returned from leave.

28 September 1942

A cold day with strong wind. Lieut J C G BRADFIELD returned from leave. Normal routine carried out.

29 September 1942

10:35 hours. A dull day with some rain. Normal routine carried out. Unit Medical Officer carried out monthly medical inspection. Lieut NARAIN SINGH delivered a lecture. Major J P HEGARTY M.C. RAVC proceeded to attend a medical board.

30 September 1942

10:30 hours. A dull cold day. Company carried out a day route march by Sub-Divisions.

19:15 hours. Major J P HEGARTY rejoined from Medical Board.

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