11th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry War Diary July 1943
1st July 1943 LLANELLY
A and C Company were away on the Gower Peninsula.
B Company were on the Range and preparing for leave.
2nd July 1943
Officers’ Day. A Promotion TEWT was held for Subalterns. The Directing Staff were Majors Hamilton, Boucher and Humphreys and Captains Lang and Smallwood. Captain P.A. Johnson made all the administrative arrangements.
3rd July 1943
Adjutant’s Parade held.
The day was spent on Administration .
Three Officers attended a demonstration of Minelaying at LLANOVER PARK.
The Battalion Cricket team lost their match against LLANGENETH Cricket Club.
5th July 1943
A Company begins a new Camp on the Gower Peninsula, bivouacing for the night at LLANGENETH.
C Company were carrying out an Advance Guard Scheme in the area of PORT EYNON.
Lt. Col. G.O.C. Rogers took over command of the Battalion from Lt. Col. Poett.
One Platoon of B Company plus one Section of the Pioneer Platoon arrive at BLACKFORD (Scotland) to carry out engineering fatigue work.
Ten RAF Sergeants arrived on attachment to the Battalion.
6th July 1943
Six Officers attended a one-day Wireless Course run by Divisional Signals at CARMARTHEN. The Course was mainly concerned with the maintenance of wireless sets.
7th July 1943
Six Officers attended a lecture at CARMARTHEN on Court Martial procedure.
The Divisional Sports took place at NEWPORT. Lt Wynn won the half mile and the Battalion team won the Medley Relay. 100 spectators attended from the Battalion under Captain T.M. Lang.
8th July 1943
The Anti-Tank Platoon left to carry out a shoot at HARLECH.
An Officers’ Sand Table lecture was given by the 2 i/c on “Combined Operations”.
9th July 1943
Eleven Officers, including the CO and 2 i/c, attended a lecture at SWANSEA by the former CGS Middle East Forces.
10th July 1943
All available Officers together with 25 NCO’s and men from each Company attended a Divisional Smoke Demonstration at SENNYBRIDGE. Owing to the mist, aircraft were unfortunately unable to take part.
The Officers’ Programme for the week was very full. Companies continued with basic Combined Operations training under Company Sergeant Majors.
30 Other Ranks arrived on transfer from 70th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment.
11th July 1943
Church Parade.
The Padre held Services on the Gower Peninsula for the Company out camping.
12th July 1943
A and C Companies were preparing for demonstrations.
A Battalion Party, including the CO, Majors Humphreys and Boucher, left for the Divisional Signals Exercise “CONTACT”.
The Anti-Tank Platoon returned from HARLECH.
14th July 1943
Demonstrations to the Battalion were given by C and A Companies. In the morning, C Company demonstrated an assault landing at PORT EYNON, using mock-ups to represent LCAs. In the afternoon A Company demonstrated cliff climbing at RHOSILI.
15th July 1943
The RAF were at VELINDRE but owing to heavy rain the Field Firing programme had to be cancelled.
Companies were preparing for the CO’s inspection.
16th July 1943
The CO’s Ceremonial Parade and Inspection were held. After the inspection, the Battalion saw training films on Combined Operations and Battle Drills.
19th July 1943
A new D Company was formed from the draft of 32 men from the Northamptonshire Regiment.
At night the 2 i/c gave a lecture to the Officers on “Night Assaults”
The Battalion Advance Party left for HAMILTON.
21st July 1943
Officers’ Day. The CO’s Cloth Model on Battalion Assault Landing was used.
22nd July 1943
Preparations for the move of the Battalion.
23rd July 1943
The Movement Instructions and Administrative Instructions for Exercise “OVERDO” were issued and attached to the War Diary as Appendix 1 – for details see below.
Captain Lang to command the Advance Party.
Major Boucher to command the Road Party.
Major Humphreys to command the Rail Party.
Lt QM Powell to command the Rear Party.
Packing of the Baggage Train took place.
25th July 1943
Battalion Church Parade took place at St Paul’s Church.
26th July 1943
The Road Party leaves for WELLINGTON.
The death occurred in a road accident of Lt G.M. Dunnell who was going on ahead of the Road Party with the Cooks. (See further detail below).
27th July 1943
The Rail Party leave under Major Humphreys.
28th July 1943
The first Carrier Train leaves under Lt Rowell.
Battalion HQ was established at HAMILTON Town Hall.
29th July 1943
The second Carrier Train leaves LLANELLY under Lt Wynn.
Battalion administration was the focus of the day.
The remainder of the week was spent in a review of accommodation and in cleaning the billets.
Appendices attached to 11th DLI July 1943 War Diary.
Appendix 1 – Exercise “OVERDO”.
The first page of this lengthy document was the Warning Order for the Advance Party commanded by Captain T.M. Lang, assisted by Lt W.F. McMichael and Lt A.D. Barlow. RQMS Betts was the senior Other Rank. Men were included from each Company and sub-unit and the transport for the Party was summarised as 6 3-tonners, 2 15cwts, 1 two-seater and 2 motorcycles.
The second and third pages gave the detailed instructions for the Advance Party with exactly the same approach, including routing and overnight staging, that had been employed on the first time this move was carried out.
The next item was the Administrative Instructions for the move – issued on 19th July - again, following the same format and content as on the first occasion, covering such matters as accounts, outstanding bills, laundry arrangements etc.
The next two pages covered the Movement Instruction No 1 for the Rail Party. On this occasion Lt M.C. Hebbert was to be instructed in loading the Baggage Train by the Quartermaster and to have the Baggage Train fully loaded and sealed by 12:00 hours on the Tuesday, ready for departure. He would be assisted by 2/Lt Broughton.
The arrangements for rations, halts and tea en route remained the same as the first move – including the fact that the troops travelling with the Main Body by rail would march to the Station – again, dressed as originally planned.
The train for the Carriers was due to depart at 16:40 hours on 28th July from LLANELLY with Lt T.H. Rowell in command, assisted by Lt W.L. Carr and accompanied by S Company – except for 15 men from the Carrier Platoon.
On this occasion a second train was required for the remaining 5 Carriers plus the Battalion’s 30 bicycles – under the command of Lt L. Wynn with the fifteen men of the Carrier Platoon not included on the larger train. This would depart on 29th July at 22:00 hours from LLANELLY.
Movement Instruction No 2 was issued on 23rd July and covered the arrangements for the Road Party – again very much as originally carried out. The schedule of vehicles makes clear that Lt G.M. Dunnell, who was sadly killed en route in an accident, was riding a motorcycle.
There were, again, six groups of vehicles making up the convoy with the same halts and staging arrangements as originally.
Movement Instruction No 3 covered the arrangements for the Rear Party, commanded by Lt QM Powell assisted by Lt J.E. Johnson and 2/Lt G. White. The administrative arrangements, routing and staging were the same as for the Advance Party.
Movement Instruction No 4 made some amendments to Movement Instruction No 2, and again, specific mention is made of Lt G.M. Dunnell, who would be in command of the Advance Party on 26th July and was expected to arrive at WELLINGTON with the Cooks by 14:30 hours. The War Diary indicates that he was killed on this date although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his date of death as 28th July – this is being investigated.
There was a change to the route for the first day, though the destination of WELLINGTON remained the same. The Battalion Column was to be followed by the vehicles of 187 Field Ambulance.
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